To Blog or Not to Blog: Answering Your Questions
Just like good stories help build great brands, better blogging helps build better businesses. But blogging takes effort. It takes time. And is it right idea for your business?
If you’re on the fence not sure whether to blog or not to blog, read on.
When did this whole blogging thing begin?
The art of blogging comes from the early days of the web when users kept online journals. From those early “personal web logs,” the term “blog,” comes from “web” and “log.” And personal blogs, or web logs, have covered every topic under the sun since: from blues music to hairstyling to parenting. Anything goes.
Early bloggers may not have had a business marketing strategy in mind, but keeping up a communicative “log” of entries on a niche topic provides an organic way to attract readers to your site—and your business. If you’re an entrepreneur, there are big bonuses for your biz if you blog. You can key in potential clients to your services, reach out in personal, empathetic ways to your readers and update your audience on the latest developments within your organization.
What’s the difference between a blog and a website?
Unlike websites that might be updated every few months, a blog might be updated monthly, weekly, or even daily. If you’re an entrepreneur, you’ll likely want to keep on top of the changing trends in your industry and update your services accordingly. A standard website might not always give you the space for that. Much like a newsletter, keeping a blog offers a way for you to communicate regularly with your audience. But where a newsletter usually has the shelf-life of an email, a blog stays published online indefinitely.
A blog can be part of your website or act independently on another server. With the right strategy, a blog can draw in potential clients to your services.
What are some other advantages of blogging?
- Blogs offer opportunity for reader engagement. Write about topics key in your business, engage readers with that content, and link the blog post to your social media site to drive up traffic to your site.
- Blogging gives you an opportunity to build expertise and credibility in your area. If you run a catering business, blog on your best practices in meal preparation, customer service and food design. Whatever your level of expertise, there are always things to learn, and a blog gives you the opportunity to dig more deeply and show off your brilliance.
- Blogs can drive interaction with your customers. By using a comments feature, blogs give you the chance to have conversations with potential and/or loyal customers. Those clients can talk with each other too, which helps build a sense of community around your brand.
- Blogs can build brand loyalty. The more you’re creating engagement with market-specific content in blog posts, the greater opportunity you’ll have for customers to develop their trust in you.
- Blogs can build more revenue for your site. Just like you might do with a website, pump up revenue with your blog by adding advertisements or use affiliate marketing and promote others’ products.
With all the benefits of blogging, there’s a few key downsides. First, good blogging takes time. Second, you must know how to write and keep the ideas flowing to post regularly. If you’re already pressed for time, if you’re stuck for ideas, or if your writing isn’t flowing from conception to completion quickly enough, reach out to us here at 7G Media. We’ve got a million ideas along with media-savvy professional writers who can pick up the pen when you’ve already got too many things on your business to-do list.
