Many business owners think of blogging as an optional activity that just adds articles to a website. But if you think of blogging as an option, you could be falling behind the competition. These days, maintaining an informative blog on your website is more of a necessity, and savvy business owners are gaining market share by doing it!

Strategy flow chart on a blackboardSo why should you be blogging?

Here are 6 reasons that impact your bottom line:

  1. By 2020, consumers will manage 85 percent of their business relationships without speaking to another human being. This means your customers will research your business online and make a decision without ever contacting you. Your blog provides a way for you to reach potential customers and convince them to choose you.
  2. Blogging is a cost-effective method of advertising. Other forms of lead generation, such as search engine optimization (SEO) or pay-per-click (PPC) ads, often cost more money to achieve the same effect. With blogging, you own your content, and it keeps working for you as long as your blogs are posted online. It’s a small investment that pays off for months or even years.
  3. Companies that blog receive 97 percent more links back to their websites. Other websites will share your information by posting a link to your blogs, thereby increasing your exposure online.
  4. Businesses that blog attract 67 percent more business than those who don’t blog. Even your older blogs will bring in leads, if they address a question or concern for your website visitors. Once you create a blog, it’s yours forever – and as long as it is online, it will continue to work for you.
  5. Businesses that blog are 13 times more likely to enjoy a positive return on their investment. Blogs help your customers find you when they’re searching for information related to your business. Your blog works for you, 24 hours per day, to attract traffic to your website. Your small investment of time reaps continuous rewards for months or years after you post your blogs.
  6. Blogging builds trust and credibility, which is why they are rated as the 5th most trusted source of information on the internet. The personal nature of blogs gives you the perfect opportunity to form a relationship with potential customers. Showcase your knowledge, share industry news, and present yourself as personable and friendly. Your blog is your chance to make a positive impression on customers, making them more likely to choose your products or services above the competition.

Resources:

http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/business-blogging-in-2015

 http://marketeer.kapost.com/content-strategy-2015/#axzz3YA3O6I3d