Does Your Small Business Need a Blog?

Do you believe blogging is beneficial to small businesses? Yes, there are many benefits to this practice. Content marketing is an integral part of small business promotion, and it has been for decades. However, the term “content marketing” has taken on different forms throughout the years.

Think about the various inventions that have occurred throughout the decades. We’ve seen print technology helping us with promotions, and that led to television broadcasts. Then, out of nowhere, digital technologies took over everything. What’s the common theme throughout all of this, though?

Customers are consistently receiving more from companies who are looking to achieve more significant benefits.

One of the most significant ways of bringing this value to your business is with blogging. Let’s look at the benefits that blogging can bring to your small business if you’re not doing it already. If you are doing it, then there’s going to be some tips in here regarding boosting those efforts.

According to a survey conducted by Clutch, 46% of the 350 small businesses they interviewed did not have websites. Their reason was, “they do not have a website because it is not relevant to their business or because it’s too expensive.” These small businesses had less than ten employees, as well as under $1 million in revenue annually.

Why is This Problematic?
No matter if you’re running a business with one employee and earning $50 weekly or 750 employees and making millions, your customers need information online. Customers need to see a page describing who you are, what you’re doing, and your contact information. Otherwise, they have no idea how to find you or they must rely on a third-party. It’s your responsibility to make the search process more manageable, even if a handful of people are initially searching for your business.

According to statistics posted by Blue Corona, “Studies show that between 70-80% of people research a company online BEFORE visiting the small business or making a purchase with them.”

You’re missing the boat if you’re not launching a website with an up-to-date blog.

What Are the Benefits of Launching a Blog?
1: Trust: You’re Showing Your Expertise
When you’re blogging about a topic or industry you have expertise in, this is an excellent way to share knowledge with your customers. They’ll receive evergreen information regarding this niche, as well as other relevant interests. Customers will see that you’re an expert on the subject as you write more and feel more confident about the brand you’re building. In doing so, you’ll naturally develop relationships with your readers.

2: Value: Enhance the Value of Your Customer’s Experience
If your brand is overly sales-y, your potential customer is going to click away. You’re going to lose followers, and no one is going to trust you as an expert. Your stories aren’t going to be interesting, and your relationships are going to dwindle. Instead, you must develop value with your blogging that your customers can from each time they visit. Each time you blog, you’re giving away something to your customers before they make a purchasing decision. These pieces of information help build loyalty.

3: SEO: It’s More Than Ranking
Writing blog posts with SEO in mind means you’re thinking about the search phrases your potential customers are using to find your blog. You want your blog to be visible above your competitor’s. If you’re using the same keywords as your competitor’s, then you may get lost in the shuffle. Try to make sure your work is relevant, and that you’re using popular keywords several times. Use high-quality images, as well as outbound links to high-quality sources.

4: Visibility: Gain Exposure and Brand Awareness
Advertising and promotional expenditures are just as vital as investments in management and operations. Otherwise, how would your company build its brand awareness?

Blogging is the answer to a lot of promotional issues small businesses face. Particularly if they’re running on a low budget. Blogs that are written with customer value in mind will get picked up by search engines. Therefore, it’s an excellent strategy for small businesses to house their new products and services on their blogs. That way, when customers come to their website to learn more about this information, they can also learn about the business simultaneously.

The benefits don’t have to end here.

How Else is Blogging Beneficial to Small Businesses?
Your small business blog is going to continue benefitting your business in a variety of ways. In addition to building your brand and being a place to post evergreen content, you’ll be creating a network and developing opportunities for backlinking.

Your blog is also an opportunity to receive feedback from customers regarding your products or services. The key here is to answer every comment, suggestion, and question. These insights will help you understand your customer’s tastes, interests, what they like, and what they don’t like. Each of these steps will help you stay ahead of the competition. The main reason is that you’ll have a blog that’s consistent, interesting, and stays in-tune with the reader’s interests.