So you have created a new website for your business and you’re wondering if you should have a blog or not. Whenever I help a client or friend set up a new website, I always recommend adding a blog.
While you can definitely set up a website without one adding one, it is usually a huge benefit to your website from an SEO and Marketing perspective.
Makes You a Subject Matter Expert (SME)
When you apply for a new job you send in a resume. The resume shows the hiring manager you have the skills they need for the job. View your customers and clients as hiring managers, and your blog as your resume.
When you create a blog you are given the opportunity to prove you are an SME in your industry. It also improves your chances of catching a customer when they are in the Awareness Stage of the Buyers Journey. It’s much easier to have blogs rank organically than your service pages.
Expand your Organic Keyword Rankings
Piggybacking off the last section I’m going to say it again: Blogs are easier to rank highly in search engines than regular landing pages. That is because blogs aim to provide little tidbits of information that are useful to the visitor. If your visitor is not in the Interest Stage of the Buyers Journey they aren’t likely to search for your service page.
For example, consider you are running a business as an Astrology Reader. Your service pages most likely rank for keywords related to Birth Chart Readings specifically. This is great if someone is actually looking to schedule a reading, but those keywords tend to be highly competitive.
Now consider you start a blog talking about anything related to Astrology. Some topics that could be written:
- Top Ten Most Common Leo Traits
- Understanding Your Birth Chart
- What is Jupiter Rising and Why Does it Matter?
All of these topics are common when someone is just getting interested in Astrology. They are doing their research and may be considering doing their own Birth Chart Reading. Most of the time people realize it is much easier to pay an expert. Luckily they love your blog and think you know your stuff!
Bring your Customers Back
After a lead becomes a customer, Digital Marketing aims to create an ongoing relationship. For example, a previous local business client installed pools. As part of their content strategy, we created blogs that gave clients information on enjoying and maintaining their pool. Some common topics we created:
- When to Open your Pool in the GTA
- What Chemicals You Need to Maintain your Pool
- 5 Must Have Pool Toys
Ongoing content like this encouraged clients to follow our socials and engage with our website. With this strategy we achieved three things long after a pool was in the ground:
- Clients chose this Pool Company to get their pool supplies
- The Pool Company was at the top of the clients mind when recommending them
- The Pool Company was their clients first choice for Opening and Closing their pools
Show Your Website is Being Maintained
When you land on a website that looks like it was built before Google how likely are you to trust it as a source of information? While the jury is out on if Search Engines take this into consideration, lack of updates can cause even visitors to be suspicious:
- Is this site being maintained?
- Could it be hacked?
- Is it safe to put my personal information in the form?
- Are they still in business?
Most of your landing pages will contain important static information like services. Your services probably won’t change other than promotions. I suggest adding a new blog at least twice a month to maintain a presence.
Blogs are a Wonderful and Free Marketing Tool
Have I convinced you that blogs are important yet? As a Content Marketer, I love blogs! They are my favourite tool and they are technically free. Are you thinking of adding a blog now? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments below.