Many of my clients and prospects cringe at the thought of having to write a blog post weekly or bi-weekly. They are concerned that they won’t be able to come up with that amount of content or that their schedules are so busy they won’t have time. As a Social Media Specialist, I counsel clients of the importance of being present and active in the blogosphere. So, why is blogging so important? Here are 3 key reasons you can’t afford to miss this opportunity.
1. Provide Expert Information
Most people nowadays are searching for answers to their questions on the internet. And, they are looking for people who are experts in their field so they can trust the information they get. As a business owner, blogging is an excellent opportunity to elaborate and showcase your knowledge and become known as the g0-to person in your industry. The goal is to become the person your client or prospect thinks of when they think of your product or service! Focus on educating the masses. You may have to give away a little bit of your intellectual property but it will be well worth it in the end.
2. Search Engines
Google loves fresh content. And, the social media sites and blogs tend to be heavily indexed by Google, meaning Google crawls these sites on a regular basis looking for fresh information to populate their list. By providing consistent, rich content, you signal Google to rank you higher in the search engines. You see, it’s not good enough just to have a website; you need to get found when people are doing searches. Your goal should be to show up as one of the top 5 listings on page 1 of Google for your target words. Tip: Be aware that Google will penalize you for spammy content, too much duplicate content and/or a website that is high on affiliate or banner type ads. Keep your content as original as possible and provide great value.
3. Buying Cycle
The bottom line is that people buy from people they know, like and trust. But, it takes time to build those relationships so you need to be committed to blogging over the long haul. Don’t give up after a few months of publishing. People need time to digest who you are and what you are about. And, when you are writing those blog posts, remember to showcase your personality, answer questions and encourage dialogue. This makes it much easier for people to want to engage you and pick up the phone, email or press that ‘buy now’ button.
I’d love your feedback. Share your blogging ideas with me. And, don’t forget to leave a link back to your own blog too, via the commentluv feature here on the site.
Until next time,
Joanne
Absolutely! You are quite right. It allows you to share your knowledge and expertise in depth – more than a Facebook update or 140 characters on Twitter
Joanne
A blog allows you to create a base in which all of your work is anchored.