Adding a blog to a website is a helpful and profitable move for businesses. They offer a way to reach out to customers that a simple website does not. They are also appropriate for any business in any industry, big or small. Even medical websites have adopted the use of blogs to disperse information. Here are five ways blogs are a useful addition to business websites.
1. Ranking
A well-maintained and informative blog helps search engine ranking by using good search engine optimization (SEO) tactics. Search bots crawl through the web finding and indexing content. A regularly-updated blog is adding new content to be indexed. That new content can even span a ton of more specific content than is possible with a website. In doing this, it casts the search net wider so that there is more responses to search queries. One blogging option, WordPress, comes with a variety of plugins to help with website optimization.
2. Engagement
If a blog has some way for readers to comment or participate, it becomes a valuable source of customer interaction. They can provide feedback in the comment section. They can participate in polls. The business can respond to comments, concerns or questions posted to their blog. In this way, another channel of communication is left open for potential customers.
Engaging readers relies on the ability to sound human and reachable even when readers are communicating through a machine nowhere near the site owner. Blogs allow business to adopt that casual and connected tone.
3. Credibility
Creating a blog to share useful information in the form of tutorials, frequently asked questions or guides establishes the business as a knowledgeable resource. This is one reason every type of business could benefit from a blog. Expert blogs can come from lawyers, doctors, e-commerce giants or exterminators. Each professional comes with their own area of expertise.
Blogs also become an ever-growing opportunity for outside linking. A number of links leading to a blog’s useful content builds up its reputation.
4. Marketing
Blogs are a cost-friendly marketing option. Along with the benefits of higher search engine ranking, blogs give websites a voice on the Internet. They provides websites with a chance to announce themselves by telling their origin stories, keeping readers informed of updates or new projects, announce news or celebrate rewards. With each blog post, they’re cementing an identity in the minds of the readers.
5. Exposure
Blogging is popular, and businesses gain exposure from blogs. Expert bloggers are featured in interviews by journalists interested in their field. On the other side of things, bloggers can interview others. They gain attention by posting interviews with big names and innovative figures in the business.
There’s another chance for exposure with guest blogging. It brings in new visitors when recognizable names and faces make a guest post.
Blogging does require more work, careful planning and constant quality content. However, that extra time and effort is worth for the benefits it provides.