If you’ve been living under a rock, you might have missed the memo that blogging is kind of a big deal these days. So much so, that five million blog posts are being written EVERY day? Yes, you read right – FIVE MILLION blogs!! That’s a pretty hard number to ignore, and yet so many businesses continue to live in denial that they don’t need to blog, because it’s not important and it’s a waste of time.
Well, we are here to bust that myth wide open and tell you why a blog should be a vital part of your brand strategy.
Let’s start with why blogging is important:
Storytelling is one of the most effective ways to communicate with your audience. And the best way to capture a story online, is in a blog. Hot tip: your story doesn’t have to be told in just one blog. Make a whole sequence, a bit like chapters in a novel. Keep your audience wanting to come back for more.
It provides your audience with relevant content about you, your business and your industry; showcasing your knowledge in your industry and making it look like you know your sh*t. Next time someone needs <insert your product / service>, you’ll be front of mind as someone who knows a thing or two about that topic.
A blog drives traffic to your website, which in turn makes you look better on Google. By promoting your blog through multiple channels, more eyes are on your website. And the more eyes on your website, the higher likelihood that people will sniff around on other pages and convert to a sale or enquiry (that might later lead to a sale).
Builds trust in your brand. People want to work with you because you’re good at what you do and you have the knowledge and experience to back that up. If you have multiple blogs all relating to the same, or similar topics, telling people want they want or need to hear, your seen as a trustworthy source and they will keep coming back for more.
Answers questions and solves problems. How many times have you googled a question, only to find the answer in someone else’s blog? Fun Fact: Google fields over 40,000 search requests every 40 seconds. That means A LOT of people are searching for information, and if you don’t have a blog, you’re not in the game.
Ok, so blogging is a big deal. But what do I write about?
The topics are endless. But to give you a few tips on where to start:
Talk about changing trends in your industry and how they will impact you and others; the good, the bad and the ugly.
The benefits of the products / services you provide (i.e how the ingredients in your skin care range are age-defying). Give people insight into why your business exists and what value it provides; without being salesy. No one likes a blog that tries to sell to them.
YOU! Tell people who you are, where have you come from, why you are in the business you’re in, what you’re passionate about. Show the world that there are actually people behind the brand.
Tips, tricks, hacks (ie ‘5 steps to..’ or ‘how to …’ – anything that answers a question and makes someone else’s life easier.
Anything that is relevant to your business. If you’re a photographer, you could write about light composition, framing a picture, the importance of quality photography or iPhone photos. If you’re a plumber you can write ‘how to unclog your toilet in 3 easy steps’, or why do I need a plumber to install my gas.
When you stuck on topics and ideas, here’s a few tips on where to turn:
Check out what other people in your industry are talking about.
Ask your audience what they want to know (this can be via a poll or question on social media, or simply asking a client)
Turn to Google’s search bar and check out the top results in the auto complete drop down menu.
Write about a recent business event you attended and summarise your key take-away points. Share the knowledge.
Read a book that relates to your work and write about 2 or 3 key points that your audience can relate too.
Despite the fact that blog writing can be time consuming, it is important to remember the value it adds to your brand. The time, the effort and the commitment are worthwhile; and your brand will thank you for it in the long run.
Happy Blogging!
P.S. If you aren’t a writer, don’t rule yourself out. There are plenty of people out there who can write one for you; or at least help you along with the process until you get comfortable writing your own. We work with clients all the time to both write a blog from scratch, and to also edit and tweak pre-written blogs to make them flow and read easier. Find someone that gets you and your style, the rest will be easy.
