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A very common question that my clients often ask, "Should my website include a blog?" My first response will always be, "Of course, you should!"
However, I've come to realise that most clients do not understand the reason why blogs form such an essential part of a website. And so, I’ve undertaken the task of writing this blog to point out the benefits of adding a blog to your website.
As an entrepreneur, your website is the prima facie to share information about your business and the services you provide. Your 'essential' webpages (often consisting of your home, about, services and contact pages) are more often than not, informational in nature - not offering an inside glance into your business persona. A blog, on the other hand, lends a personality to your product and service. It acts as a voice to share your views, interests and ideas.
TIP: It's a good practice to share your interests, comment on new trends and educate your readers through your blogs.
Did you know that each new blog on your website is indexed as an additional page in the search engines, increasing the chances of people finding your website?
A good content strategy which answers the queries of your audience, implemented along with some SEO tips and tricks can be just the thing that diverts targeted traffic to your website.
Tip: Taking some time planning the strategy for your content calendar will enable you to reap a rich dividend in terms of visibility and lead generation.
Your target audience or ideal customers or future clients are already out there on social media. A blog shared on the right social media channels may just open up the gateway towards connecting with them.
It is a good practice to ensure that you post relevant content, at regular intervals to maintain connectivity with your potential audience.
Tip: Remember, each new tweet or Facebook post or LinkedIn article is a powerful action that pave the path for new leads heading to your website.
Most visitors may not think that they’re questions are relevant enough to warrant an email or a message on your 'contact us' form. Some visitors may just not be bothered to type out a query and often leave the site if they do not find the answers they were looking for. A blog can work perfectly to fill in this need-gap. A ‘handy’ comments section at the bottom of your blog may just be the right place for their queries or comments.
Replying to comments on your blog post is considered to be a 'best practice'. It gives you an opportunity to interact or start a discussion, assist a potential client, showcase your subject matter expertise and willingness to help.
Tip: 'Enable reply notifications' that you've sent out to the readers who have left comments on your blog. This is a great way to increase your numbers of return visitors.
All marketing gurus agree that networking is the tried and tested path to growing your business. A blog is a smart way to feature others who inspire you or who write on trending topics.
Tip: Remember – 'Link-building' almost always leads to 'Relationship-building.'
Think of a blog is your very own self-promotion platform with an unlimited creative license. I know what you are thinking, "How can I blow my own horn?" But let me tell you this - a blog (if crafted well) can be a great way to share your accolades, clients you’ve converted and even gives you an opportunity to show off your company culture.
Tip: There's a fine line between self-promotion and bragging. Ensure that your content seems authentic enough to pass as self-promotion.
Blogging is always a good decision. But as with just about everything in this world, there are a few questions to ask yourself before you take up this challenge:
Once you have understood the importance of blogging and have a satisfactory solution for all the above questions, blogging is the way to go!
