Many of my clients, especially those just starting in the business world, often ask me, “Do I really need a blog?” The answer is, “Yes, you need a blog.” Most people think blogs are boring (blah, blah, blah) journals, but business blogs are so much more. They convey useful information about your services and your corporate culture. Here are four ways a blog can build your business.
Explain Your Services
Most business owners have a “Services” page on their website that briefly describes what they do. That is useful for telling the difference between apples and oranges. However, it doesn’t tell me the difference between types of apples. Your blog should provide more details about your services. For example, if you are an auto mechanic, your blog might feature case studies that would tell me about:
- various cars you have worked on
- the types of problems you encounter and how you fix them
- the difference in quality between generic and brand-name parts
- how you relate to your customers
You highlight your expertise and build confidence in your current and potential customer base.
Educate Your Audience
Educating your audience is essential. You want to give your readers accurate, useful information – for free. As a trusted resource, people will turn to you for help when they need it – and recommend you to their friends. Our neighbourhood auto-mechanic might write articles on:
- how to check the oil and other fluid levels
- how to choose the best windshield wiper blades
- when to install winter tires
- what to look for when buying a used car
Whatever your business, explain the terminology and definitions used in your industry. Back up your words with research and references to build trust.
Some business owners worry if they give away information for free, they will have fewer paying customers. The do-it-yourself crowd will indeed continue to do-it-themselves regardless of your online articles. But they are not your target market. Let them go. However, other people will see how much knowledge and skill are involved in creating high-quality products and services. They are more likely to hire you instead of doing it themselves. Your blog just helped you find your target market!
Craft Your Brand
Your blog helps craft your brand. With your articles, you can illustrate your business standards and the personality of your company. Let your audience know you have a compassionate, professional team with a good sense of humour by describing some of your experiences. Your blog is your place to showcase your values (e.g., small-town friendliness, big-city service) and shares your corporate vision (e.g., The most reliable source for auto parts and service in town.).
When you write articles, you are in control of the narrative. With a reliable, consistent story, people will notice and remember you as an authority in your field. Journalists will take an interest too – and they always want to talk to well-informed experts.
Improve Internet Search Ranking
Equally important, each article you publish is another occasion for search engines (e.g., Google) to drive traffic to your website. Many people think that social media is the best way to get attention. However, a social media post’s duration is mere minutes, but a blog post’s lifetime value can be up to two years! People don’t recall what they see on social media unless it drives them to your blog posts with high-quality, memorable material.
There are many other ways a blog can build your business. It doesn’t have to be time-consuming. Involve your employees or hire someone to write and edit for you. If you want some more advice about the value of creating a blog for your business, feel free to contact me.