In last week’s blog, we discussed the buyers journey and how to use the inbound methodology to effectively grow your business. Today we will discuss the first part of the inbound Methodology on how to Attract new customers using blogging.
You’ve probably heard that it’s important to have a blog and add content to it regularly as part of your inbound marketing strategy. Have you ever thought about why this strategy is so powerful? Blogging is hardly new anymore and many people are looking for brighter and shinier tactics. However, there are some important reasons to make your blog a core part of your marketing strategy. Let’s look at the 5 top reasons why blogging is crucial to your success.
1. Helps You Rank in the Search Engines
While people have been predicting the end of SEO for years, most of those same people still want Google to rank their websites. There’s still no better way to do this than with a blog. Of course, to get results you have to choose the right keywords and blog consistently. Consider that every time you add a blog post, you’re giving Google more content to rank. Add some internal links (e.g. link your latest post to an older one), and your blog really starts to help with your SEO efforts.
2. Builds Authority
Now that everyone between the ages of 6 and 90 seems to have a blog, you might not think that blogging is a way to impress anyone. However, if your blog covers your topic in an insightful and interesting manner, it does indeed help you establish yourself as an expert in your niche. To do this effectively, you want to focus on answering your readers’ most pressing questions, covering some of the latest news in your industry, and sprucing up your blog’s appearance with some eye-catching images. As you build authority, people are more likely to share your content. This also helps you position yourself for interviews and speaking engagements, which in turn build your authority even more.
3. Attract More Leads and Customers
We’ve already mentioned how blogging can help you improve your search engine ranking. The real purpose of this, of course, is to get more traffic. And the reason you want traffic is to get more leads and sales for your business. A blog is a powerful tool for generating targeted traffic and getting more leads. Before you blog, think about what your customers need most. Your blog gives them a small helping of what they want. If they want more, they answer your call to action (which every blog post needs if you want more leads). If you’re building an email list, your CTA might be, “for more helpful tips subscribe to our newsletter.” Your CTA can also invite people to visit your store, call for a free estimate, download a white paper, or attend your next webinar.
4. Complements All of Your Marketing Efforts
Your blog is a valuable piece of internet real estate all by itself. However, it’s also useful for sending traffic elsewhere, such as your Facebook page, YouTube videos, your website’s sales page, podcast, webinar, or anywhere you want. Once you have a traffic generating tool such as a blog, you can use the traffic any way you want. Since most people access multiple platforms online, it’s always good to give them choices. Suggest that your social media followers check out your blog and invite blog readers to follow you on Facebook and Twitter.
5. Helps You Build a Community
If you look at some of the world’s most successful brands, they don’t just sell products. They create communities or tribes that make customers feel like they’re part of something larger. This is particularly true of companies with a youthful, high-tech, or hip image. Think of Nike, Apple, Chipotle, Under Armour, Burberry, and Red Bull, to name a few. Smaller businesses can’t do this on the same scale, of course. But a blog does let you build a community where you engage with your readers and customers. A blog isn’t just you talking to people. It’s a place where they can leave comments. You can also develop connections with other bloggers and perhaps partner with them on certain projects such as sharing each other’s content.
These are some of the ways that your blog is a powerful tool for branding, SEO, traffic generation, and community building. While other techniques, such as social media marketing are also important, what’s great about a blog is that it’s all yours. This means every time you post something there, you’re building your own brand. To get the most out of blogging, make sure that all of your content reflects well on your business.
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To learn more about how to improve your marketing strategies, give us a call or send us a note today at Small Dog Creative 661-702-1310!
