Blogs are great for your business' online presence. I could end this entry right there because that sums everything up pretty much. But there is a reason why blogs are great, several actually. So let’s have a look why even on your most basic web presence you could benefit from a well written, regularly updated blog or newsfeed
1: SEO
Even if you only have the most basic of Internet experience you are probably aware of the concept of SEO (search engine optimisation). This is where you think about what words people would likely use to find your products and services and make sure your website is sprinkled with them to improve your visibility to search engines. (i.e. if part of your business is writing blogs, then a blog post using the word ‘blog’ a lot helps)
But it’s not enough to just scatter them everywhere like confetti at a wedding and you can’t just have a list of these keywords sat somewhere on the site and hope it draws people in.
This is where a blog comes in. Regularly writing about your business and industry allows you to use the key terms that people use to find you in a way that feels natural within the website. There are other benefits, as listed below, but ultimately everything else links back to this.
2: Shareability
Word of mouth is important in any business. Generating that buzz about what you do can set you off on the right path and one way to do this in the Internet age is through having shareable content.
Links to your website from other sites give you a real boost when the Google bots come crawling around. One way for this to happen is for someone to pick up your blog and refer to it on theirs with a citation, but that is a relatively rare occurrence, but yes, this does include links to your site on social media, so make sure you tweet out all of your blogs.
It might only be of interest to others within your industry but someone picking up your blog and tweeting it to their followers because they think it might be of interest to them too helps raise your profile and your visibility.
You can do this automatically whenever you post an update but there is no need to let old content stagnate. Remember that some content remains ‘evergreen’ and you can link to it on relevant threads no matter how long ago it was written and posted. Perhaps you’re a bar owner who has a two-year-old blog post on your favourite gin cocktails, absolutely post that in reply to a celebrity asking for gin cocktail suggestions. This is your resource to use and the more you have, the better.
3: Freshness
This works for both software and the people who view your site. A blog (or newsfeed) kept up to date with regular updates shows that your site and your business is fresh and active. Regular updates also keep adding those keywords and make you more visible to search engines. Regular posts open up the possibility of other marketing avenues such as e-mail newsletters or using your knowledge base for CPD.
4: Show what you know
Use the blog to ‘big yourself up’. People who know your industry will be impressed with your knowledge and attention to detail, people on the outside will see that you have the expertise that they need, and by using those keywords, then it will help them to find you too.
Of course, not everyone has the time or the ability to write engaging content so if you think you need a blog in your life but want someone else to put in the hard work, then get in touch with us here at Silk Partnership.
Silk Partnership is an independent local public relations company based in Macclesfield. With experience in a range of marketing and promotional activities covering a range of industries.
