Have you considered writing a blog for your small business but keep putting it off?
Perhaps you’re unsure of the benefits and if committing to writing quality blog posts every week or every month is worth the time and effort.
Blogging for your small business is an investment that can lead to significant rewards.
A HubSpot study found that businesses that blog receive 55% more visitors to their website and 97% more inbound links.
By sharing high-quality, engaging blog content you will attract potential customers, engage existing customers and give your small business credibility.
In this blog post, I will guide you through some of the key benefits of business blogging and encourage you to get started.
Here are 9 reasons to start writing a blog for your small business.
1. To nurture your audience
If you write blog posts on topics that your target audience wants to know about and is searching for then you give them a reason to visit – and keep visiting – your website.
By regularly publishing new, original and engaging content (ideally at least once a month) you will encourage visitors to keep coming back for more. You can then guide your blog visitors to other pages on your website with a strong call to action.
The additional benefit of a blog is that you own the content so no one can take it away from you. It can’t be lost if Facebook closes your account or Instagram changes its algorithm so that your posts aren’t shown to as many people.
2. To help you be found by a new audience
Search engines like Google love fresh content and reward people who publish regular blog posts by pushing them higher up the search rankings. Consistently share quality, original content and you’ll see more organic traffic to your website. Update any existing blog posts by rewriting some of the text, adding new images and changing the date to keep older content fresh.
People use Google when they’re looking for information and when they’re looking to buy. Think about the specific keywords and phrases your target audience may use to search and use them in your content. Each blog post should include a unique keyword or phrase to attract traffic but focus on your specialism and choose a less competitive search term. For example, choose a broad search term such as ‘outdoor wedding videographer in Kenilworth’ rather than ‘wedding videography in Warwickshire’.
If your website’s new visitors like what they see they may want to follow you on social media so make sure your social links are easy to find.
3. To build relationships and trust
A key purpose of a small business blog is to help people get to know, like and trust you by creating engaging content that adds value to your online community.
Start a conversation with your audience, ask questions and encourage comments and feedback on your blog posts.
Share behind the scenes content and humanise your business by sharing your experiences and wisdom including the highs and lows.
Show personality, give an authentic voice to your brand and stand out from the competition.
Introduce new products, share customer stories, create tutorials and host guest bloggers that offer a fresh perspective and added value to your target audience.
4. To demonstrate your authority
Writing quality blog posts about topics related to your small business will increase your credibility and boost your reputation. By showcasing your knowledge of your subject you’ll become known as an expert in your industry and differentiate your business from your competitors.
Think of your blog as a valuable free resource that your target audience can dip into when they need support and guidance. Create content that answers their questions and provides advice they are likely to be searching for.
If you’re a photographer you’re more likely to be hired if you share tips on what to wear for a photo shoot or the best locations for romantic photographs rather than simply sharing your portfolio.
5. To generate leads
Businesses that have a blog typically get 67% more leads than those who don’t so if you want to get more business then writing a blog is a no-brainer.
To start generating those leads combine quality content with a clear call to action. Good calls to action include sign up, buy here and find out more with a link to your products or services pages.
To build a band of loyal followers, ask visitors to subscribe to your mailing list to receive an alert when a new blog post goes live. Use a pop-up or button to capture their email addresses for more chances to convert those connections into clients.
6. To answer frequently asked questions
If customers regularly ask you the same questions, create blog content that addresses those points. Write a ’10 things you need to know about working with me’ style post or individual blog posts that address specific or in-depth queries.
Having a bank of FAQs content on your blog will save you time as you can direct enquiries to your website rather than having to answer them individually. And potential clients can work out if you’ll be a good fit for them before they book a call or meeting.
You don’t need to overthink your blog posts. A shorter post that answers frequently asked questions will work just as well for your audience as a longer blog post (even if that’s what Google prefers).
7. To repurpose your content
Writing a blog can be an efficient use of your time if you create lots of content from your blog posts. You can repurpose your posts with the same images into content for your social media, articles for your email newsletter, a short video or even a podcast episode. One blog post with five reasons to do something can become five social media posts, a carousel post or an Instagram Reel.
If the content is evergreen, it can be reused and repurposed many times and for years to come (with a little updating if needed), saving you lots of time and effort.
8. To inspire people to read your content
Never miss an opportunity to let people know about your blog to encourage more visitors.
Promoting your blog is easy as it will be full of quality content that your target audience wants to read so when you’ve written a new post (or update an old one) you can simply share it on your social media pages, in Facebook groups, on LinkedIn and in your customer emails. Ask your audience questions based on the content to encourage people to click on the link to read more. For example, how often do you xxx or do you think xxx has a place in 2022?
9. To encourage sharing of your content
Make it easy for customers and business connections to share your content across their networks and platforms. If they find your blog post interesting or useful they may share it across their social media channels which will lead to more likes and follows for you. You can even run a competition to ask your followers to like and share your content in return for a chance to win one of your products or services.
Over to you
Writing a blog for your small business is time well spent as regularly adding fresh, new content will drive new visitors to your website, allow you to build credibility and trust with potential customers and repurpose your posts for your social media and other marketing channels.
Need more help?
I can teach you how to write engaging and consistent blog posts in a Copy Coaching Call or I can write a series of posts for you in a blog writing package. Email me to book now.