MCR SEO Blog

Why Blog? The Top 5 Blogging Benefits for Small Businesses

Once upon a time, blogging was simply a hobby for those who wished to share their thoughts online anonymously. Nowadays, it’s a money-making marketing machine — and a seriously powerful tool for small businesses.

Nearly two decades after its conception, the blog is still going strong and is constantly adapting to modern technology and the ever-evolving world of digital marketing. It’s been reported that companies that maintain an active blog produce 67% more leads per month than those that don’t. That’s pretty impressive, right?

67%More leads per month with an active blog

138%More spend from email-marketed customers

60%Of buyers prefer brands with custom content

55%More site visitors than non-blogging companies

Regardless of what industry you’re in, an active blog page full of interesting content is a sure-fire way to get people interested in what your business has got to offer. And it kind of makes sense. As consumers, we’ve become accustomed to knowing everything about the brands we buy from, even down to where they stand on important social issues.

A Facebook study even revealed that this kind of open and communicative marketing style has become essential for businesses wanting to connect with younger buyers. Having an insight into a brand’s thoughts and opinions has never been more important — and that’s where blogging comes in. For many consumers, blogs are a form of conversational marketing that gives them a taste of a company’s inner thoughts.

But underneath the surface, blogs are so much more than pretty words and exciting ideas. They’re exceptionally effective at building a successful marketing strategy and boosting website traffic. So, if you need any further convincing, here are our top five reasons.

1. Boost Your Google Ranking

If content is King, then SEO is the Queen. And similarly to a game of chess, we might think the King is the most important part, but the Queen is actually doing a large portion of the heavy lifting in the background.

SEO (or Search Engine Optimisation) refers to the process of improving your content’s visibility on search engines. Search engines, such as Google, use bots to collate information from various web pages to create an index. Algorithms then use this index to determine the order in which web pages should appear when someone types a query.

Simply put, Google has a library of information, and when a user asks a question — such as “How to write a blog” — Google uses this library to find them the answer. Those pages that contain the most relevant keywords are classed as more likely to answer the user’s question and are therefore ranked higher.

The easiest way to get your blog as SEO-friendly as possible is by incorporating the necessary keywords throughout your content. Through your keyword research, you can uncover what your desired audience searches on Google when looking for certain products, services, or businesses. This way, you can structure your blog around these queries and give your content the relevancy and authority it needs to improve its SEO ranking.

Through solid, strategic SEO practices such as keyword research and link-building, your blog will be rising up the Google ranks, driving traffic to your site, and boosting conversions in no time at all!

Want to brush up on your SEO? Check out our blog on the top tips for improving your SEO ranking.

2. Collect Emails

It might come as a surprise to hear that email marketing is one of the most successful and cost-effective types of marketing strategy. It’s been reported that individuals who buy products marketed to them via email campaigns spend 138% more than those who do not receive email offers.

However, email marketing is still an untapped source of potential leads and conversions for many small businesses. And whether you already have a mailing list set up or not, blogging can help you level up your email marketing strategy like you wouldn’t believe.

Use your blog to collect those emails and get people subscribed to your brand! Most popular blogging platforms will allow you to easily insert an email newsletter sign-up form at the bottom of your blog to draw in potential subscribers. Alternatively, you can choose one of the many software options out there that help you build up your mailing list by creating a pop-up opt-in form that readers can quickly fill in. Easy peasy!

3. Aid Your Social Media Strategy

We’ve all suffered from a creativity block at some point in our lives. But a social media content drought can be pretty bad for business, especially with the fast-moving, algorithm-driven nature of most social media platforms.

Blogging is a sure-fire way to always have content on ice for those dreaded days when you’re struggling to come up with ideas. By recycling your blogs on your social media, you’re not only making that content stretch even further, but you’re also saving time and effort.

Plus, this content upcycling creates a mutually beneficial relationship between your blogs and your socials. You’ll be strengthening your social presence with engaging content that will also be driving new visitors to your website from your social media pages. Simple yet oh so effective!

4. Increase Brand Awareness and Trust

Did you know that most consumers forget about the content they see from a brand after just three days? Considering the amount of time and effort that goes into every single social media post or email marketing campaign, this statistic is quite disheartening.

But, when it comes to driving brand awareness and creating a meaningful relationship with your audience, blogs are a fantastic tool. How-to guides and top tip blogs help give your brand authority in your industry and act as a helpful, informational piece of content for your target audience. So why not charm your readers with friendly and captivating blog content and give your brand that human element that will make it more relatable?

With 60% of buyers saying they prefer companies who release custom content like blogs onto their site, there’s no doubt that blogging helps bridge a gap between a brand and its consumer. By creating a more intimate dynamic with your audience, you can give them a better understanding of the core principles that make your company so unique. This way, they will feel more positive about your brand and more inclined to be a loyal customer!

5. Generate Leads

Last but not least, one of the most significant reasons your small business should keep a blog is that they are a huge source of lead generation. There is a reason that 89% of content marketers prioritised blogs in their marketing strategy last year!

Whilst blogs are designed to be fun, engaging, and informative, their primary function is to promote your products or services. Underneath the fabulously written copy and technical SEO strategy, the blog is really just a salesperson playing the long game. And with companies with blogs receiving 55% more visitors to their site than those that don’t have one, this is a game that works!

Plan out your blogs while thinking about your audience and what they are looking for. Structure your blogs around what their pain points are and how your products can solve them. For instance, if you are selling cybersecurity for small businesses, you could write a blog about all the reasons why small businesses must invest in cybersecurity.

From here, you can insert internal links to your product pages to optimise your conversion rates, or you can incorporate interactive content to get your readers’ contact info. Most importantly, you should always end your blogs with a call to action (CTA).

Think of the CTA as your last chance to turn this potential lead into a certified customer. Your CTA can ask your readers to download a sample, visit your website, or sign up to an email newsletter. Whatever your goal, don’t forget to direct this potential lead in the right direction and get that sale!

Final Thoughts

There we are, then — five reasons why all small businesses should keep an active blog. Of course, blogging can come with some challenges (SEO, I’m looking at you!). But, overall, it is incredibly beneficial for your brand.

If you’re looking to upgrade your business content marketing strategy, head on over to Manchester SEO and find out what we can do for you!

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