15 years ago, only a scant percentage of the population had ever heard the term “blog.”
Over the past decade, however, the blog script has most definitely flipped!
Nowadays, everyone forms major entertainment stars to mega-media outlets to multi-national corporations to SMBs of all stripes and even your ole Aunt Sally have a blog.
In turn, blogs have allowed their authors(whoever they may be) to leapfrog over mass media, (traditional) PR, advertising, and the like to speak DIRECTLY to the people.
And along the way, the rise of blogs have dramatically and inexorably changed communication, PR, and marketing as we know it.
But despite the myriad blogs paved across cyberspace, including your ole Aunt Sally’s contribution, a great many small businesses don’t have a blog (maybe even your biz?).
Meanwhile, this is a UUUUUUUUUUUGE missed opportunity for any business, yours included.
And here are 4 key reasons why…
Improves SEO
Google is ravenous for fresh content. Google’s spiders (their index software) are perpetually crawling the interwebs, diligently cataloging new data.
And publishing new content on your blog (with relevant keywords your ideal prospects are searching for) keeps Googles spiders crawling (pun intended ;—) in your direction. Which in turn helps boost your ranking in Google search results.
Establishes Your Business as an Important Industry Voice + Thought Leader
“Expert” is a relative term. But if you’re well-informed on your industry and provide top quality service to clients in your marketplace, you qualify as an expert in your particular sphere of influence.
And a blog is the perfect outlet on which to publish content that illustrates and promotes your expertise to your audience (AKA your ideal prospects and existing clients).
Your Very Own PR + Promotions Platform
Ever tried to get media exposure for your business? It’s tough (like next to IMPOSSIBLE). But with a blog (paired with Google search and social media promotion), you can skip the media and speak directly to your audience.
Expanding your business? Launching new services? Offering a special promotion? Participating in a sexy industry event?
Post all the details on your blog (including relevant keywords and common search phrases) and promote your posts on social media, and you’ve just created your own media blitz! Google searchers and social media browsers will discover all the details about your latest exciting announcements!
The Ideal Platform for Content Marketing
Content marketing is ALL the rage these days. Unfamiliar with the concept? Well, that’s a whole blog post itself (actually book, really, of which there are more than a few on the subject).
But here’s the short version… Also known as “inbound marketing,” content marketing is the practice of publishing (on your blog) valuable content (explanatory information, how to instructions, detailed analysis, etc…) relevant to your ideal prospects. And with the help of Google and social media promotion, prospects discover this content, and (eventually) chose to patronize your business, as you’re content proves you’re services are clearly the best solution to their problems.
Thus, if you’re regularly publishing valuable content relevant to your ideal prospects, you’re leaving a constant trail of breadcrumbs that leads prospects right up to your virtual front door.
What’s Your Blogging Situation?
Are you blogging now? If so, how has it impacted your business? And if you’re not blogging, how come? Drop by my Google+ page and share your perspective on the biz blogging game!