A blog is a very simple and easy-to-use platform in which you can share timely and relevant information about your product or service with your customers and communicate with them directly. TechClient notes that 77% of internet users read blogs, while 23% of internet time is spent by users on blogs and social networks.
There is a prime audience ready to read them, combined of both existing customers and new ones who have never heard of your business before. A blog can be quickly integrated into your website, without huge expense, and provides you with a direct way of communicating with your audience. You may in fact already have a blog but could be feeling unsure about where to take it. Well here’s our definitive list of why blog writing directly helps your business…
One of the key ways in which a blog can help your business is through search engine optimisation. If written effectively, your blog content will be packed with keywords that customers will be searching for on Google. These shouldn’t feel forced into the content though, as ultimately it is still humans that need to read your content, not robots. This is something a skilled copywriter will be able to seamlessly integrate into your articles.
For search engines, blog content is valuable as it helps to answer people’s questions, and it gives them a lot more information about your business. You will get rewarded for this by being ranked higher up the search pages – a huge bonus for gaining traffic. TechClient reports that websites with blogs have 434% more indexed pages, which is beneficial for SEO, and 97% more inbound links driving traffic and adding extra credibility on Google.
A survey by HubSpot found that 60% of businesses who write a blog see their acquisition of customers grow. Additionally, Mullen and Mullen, who have for the past 10 years been providing a tailoring service for gentlemen across the UK, found that their traffic increased by 40% when they started using copywriting in their marketing. They also reported significant improvements in many competitive organic search terms. Their goal in blogging for business was to engage with customers more and increase traffic, so the results were exactly as hoped.
Many businesses want to be featured in key media publications, both in print and online. While this is desirable, often this is very difficult to actually achieve effectively, and can often have limited results. Businesses can plough fortunes into expensive PR firms and retainer fees, only to end up spending additional money on less-than-successful advertising. What many don’t realize is that they have their own free PR tool at their fingertips.
A blog bridges this gap and allows a business to directly tell customers why they are so brilliant. They don’t need to rely on other sources to communicate or interpret this effectively. It also helps to drive press interest, as journalists will identify brands as being experts in their area and look to interview them. Through your blog, you are establishing your authority in an area. Journalists will learn more about the brand and may be more keen to feature them.
When using expert copywriting services such as what we provide at Aphra, this is where you will find your blogs truly shine as a PR tool – you’ll be getting authoritative, expert writers offering informed and well-researched articles on topics that concern your business. They’ll help you craft a strong and cohesive brand voice that will set you apart from your competitors.
An effective blog helps to create a brand voice. You don’t necessarily have to just talk about your product or service. You can also talk about a wide range of relevant areas that help to create a sense of your interests, angle and market positioning.
It gives you a space to talk about timely news topics or trends, comment on things happening in your sector, and share company initiatives. If you’ve recently launched or developed something new, this can also be spoken about on your blog. Through business blogging, you can let your company shine and create a personality. This helps people to connect, as it doesn’t feel so detached and void of character.
It can often be difficult to think of what content to share across Facebook, Twitter and e-mail newsletters without becoming repetitive. However, your blog sits at the heart of all of this. You are able to distribute fresh content through your many platforms, driving customers to your website. It gives them a regular reason to keep returning, which in turn can help drive them towards making spontaneous purchases.
Through driving more traffic to your website, building a connection with your audience, establishing a sense of trust and credibility, and informing customers about your services and products, the end result is building more sales. According to TechClient, 61% of US consumers have made a purchase as a result of a blog post.
Additionally, the 2016 Demand Gen Report found that 47% of buyers first viewed between three to five pieces of written content before they decided to engage with a sales representative. Your content is laying the foundations for the sales process. This also applies to business-to-business deals too – HubSpot reported in 2015 that those who use blogs see an additional 67% of leads compared with the B2B marketers who don’t adopt this.
Ultimately, it’s not just about having a blog on your site but about ensuring you are producing high-quality, well-written, informed content that people actually want to read. People’s attention is short, they are bombarded with blogs from hundreds of companies, and your content needs to stand out. It should be interesting, entertaining, relevant and unique.
Looking for expert copywriting in Essex? Get in touch with Built by Aphra to utilise our team of talented copywriters or to find out more about how to integrate copywriting into your content marketing strategy: [email protected]
