Odds are by now, you’ve come across one or two blogs on the internet. In fact, you’re reading one now, so we know you’ve found at least one! But blogging is one of those things that, while most of us have interacted with them, we aren’t always sure of what they are, what they do, and why we would need one for our business. At Lion Spirit Media blogging and content creation is one of the core elements to many of our services, and for good reason. But we thought you might like to know what a blog actually is, and why we believe they are so important to your digital marketing strategy.
What is a Blog?
This is a question we get asked a lot, so let’s start with the basics. The term was first coined in 1994 by Jorn Barger, and back then it was used as a term to describe a personal web log (where we get the term ‘blog) or journal for people to share their opinion, write diary entries or just empty their head. They were your own little corner of the internet for you to share with the world, and if you were successful enough, you could monetise it through adverts and make a nice little income.
But now, a blog is a little bit different. A modern blog is essentially what you’re reading now. It’s an article that shares information and opinions on various topics by either a business or an individual. It usually takes the form of its own web page on your website, and is used by businesses as a hub for all of the content they create. It’s a great way for businesses to share their expertise with potential customers by discussing the issues they might experience, offer solutions and provide as much information as possible. When a customer reads your blog post, they may then click onto other pages on your site, research your business and ultimately decide to buy.
Blog posts are also a keystone in the world of SEO. Search Engines are constantly looking for new content containing relevant keywords so that they can understand where to rank the website when someone searches for that term – and blog posts are a goldmine for these keywords. Because blog posts are updated regularly it gives you the opportunity to really hone in on your chosen keywords and provide Google with as many opportunities to rank your website as possible.
Blogging in Numbers
Now you know that what, it’s time to focus on the why. There are dozens of reasons why businesses should write and publish regular blog posts, but we believe that figures speak louder than words here, so we’ve rounded up a few stats for you:
- Over 409 million people view blogs every month
- 46% of people take recommendations from blogs into account when making buying decisions
- 34% of buyers will make an unplanned purchase after reading quality content
- Blog posts remain the single most effective form of content out there – beating email, ebooks and whitepapers
- Blogging is the third most common content marketing strategy for businesses
- Businesses who blog see 13 times the ROI of businesses that don’t
- On average, companies who blog regularly get 67% more leads per month than those who don’t
Honestly, the figures speak for themselves! If you want to create a winning marketing strategy, then blogging has to be a part of the mix.
How Does a Blog fit Into Your Digital Marketing Strategy?
The world of marketing is always shifting, and has been shifting for many years. But while some of the techniques of the past may not work now, one of the true constants of marketing has been content. Content like blogs form the foundation of any good digital marketing strategy, and it will be incredibly difficult for you to build a strong brand presence online without it.
Having quality blog content for your business impacts all forms of digital marketing, including:
Social Media
Sharing content is a fundamental part of any social media strategy on any platform, and provides you with a range of things to post about during any given week.
SEO
Google loves content, and will reward you for providing it with regular blog posts by pushing you higher on the search engine results. This puts you above companies who don’t blog, and means customers can find you easier.
PR Campaigns
Successful public relations campaigns don’t talk all about your business and nothing else. So the odd press release won’t cut it. Instead you need to address issues the audience cares about and discusses them through articles and blog posts.
PPC Campaigns
PPC campaigns are built on keywords, and content containing those keywords. So you need a pool of blogs targeting your specific keywords in order to get the best ROI on your PPC campaigns.
Inbound Marketing
Driving traffic to your website is important for converting digital prospects into buyers. You do this by having as many ‘hooks’ out in the world as possible that link back to your website. Blogs are the perfect hook to draw prospects in and keep them on your site for longer, increasing chances of conversion.
Sales Funnels
Your sales funnel should be designed to reach out to your customers at the right time with the right information. Blogs are often a key part of the top end of the sales funnel – they help draw customers into your business and give them the information they need to make a buying decision.
Why is blogging important for your business?
So now you know what a blog is, why you should bother writing one, and the number of ways it can help your business grow. But if you’re still wondering why blogging is important for any business – these reasons might help:
Blogs drive traffic to your website
It’s a fact: blogs are one of the best ways for businesses to grow their online presence and convert prospects into buyers.
Blogs provide rich content that attracts visitors from search engines. Blogs help your site rank higher on Google than other types of content because they can contain keyword phrases that people use in searches. This means when someone searches for a product or service related to what your company offers, they will find your blog post on Google’s search results increasing your brand awareness and giving you the opportunity to start building rapport with them! This gives you an edge over competitors who don’t have blogs, and makes it easier for you to get more sales.
Blogs create content for social media
Blogs are great content to share on social media. They can provide rich, engaging text that is both valuable and timely. Blogs also allow you to connect with other bloggers in your industry who may be able to help you promote your blog posts through their networks. So if you’re looking for ways to increase the reach of your brand online, then blogging should be a part of the mix!
Blogs showcase your expertise
Blogging allows your business to showcase your knowledge and talk as an expert in your field. This is important as it builds trust with potential customers – we’re more likely to buy from a company we feel we can rely on and who knows what they’re talking about, than one that doesn’t.
Blogs deliver information
We all love to learn new things, and browsing through articles online is a simple way of doing this. As we mentioned above, research shows that companies who blog regularly gain 67% more leads each month than those that don’t. So whether you want to educate your market about an upcoming product or service, or help them get the most out of an existing one – blogging is a great way to do this.
Blogs create opportunities
It goes without saying – we’re living in a digital age, and people expect information fast. A blog lets you publish your content whenever you like – meaning you can spread news and updates about what you’re up to as soon as you have it. If you’re running a new product launch, the latest piece of interesting research or some other ongoing news – blogging is a great way to make sure your audience knows about it straight away.
Conclusion
Essentially, blogs are the content that keeps on giving, and they provide the fuel for your whole digital marketing strategy. They also play a key part in the effectiveness of many campaigns. Today’s customers don’t want to be sold directly to, and they will often be turned off if that’s what they think you’re trying to do. Instead, they want to be able to find information and feel like they have made an empowered decision. Content helps you do just that.
At Lion Spirit Media, we believe that blogging is a key part of not only creating your unique brand roar, but making sure it’s amplified properly so that it can be heard far and wide. Blogs factor into a number of our services, including content marketing and SEO. We can provide you with valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract, acquire and engage your audience. To find out more, just get in touch with the team at Lion Spirit Media today.
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