The short answer to this is a big, fat “ABSOLUTELY! In fact, if you are on a CMS (Content Management System) like WordPress and not actively using a blog to grow your business you are greatly underutilizing your platform.
Here are 5 big reasons to have a blog for your business website:
1. A blog gives you content to share on social media
Having multiple social media accounts like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter has become an important part of most digital marketing strategies. Not only does a blog serve the purpose of providing original and relevant content for all of your social platforms, but it also drives traffic back to your website if used correctly. Often forgotten bonus: if still relevant, a blog post can be reused again for future social content.
2. A blog humanizes your brand or lets your audience see you in another way
Your customers are used to hearing you speak about your products and services in a professional, persuasive manner. A blog gives your website viewers the opportunity to get to know you on a deeper, more personal level. This is a space where you can have a little more fun with your brand, share your opinions, and provide a “behind the scenes” look into your company.
3. A blog gives you credibility
Not only does maintaining a blog give your brand a more conversational, human voice, but it also positions you as an expert in your field. Having a consistent and well-written blog tells all of your customers, competitors, and employees that your company is a credible source that keeps up with industry innovations and developments.
4. A blog boosts your SEO performance
When most people think of making their website optimized for search, they think of the technical aspects such as enhancing metadata and URLs. However, if you stay up-to-date with the latest news in Search Engine Optimization, then you know that the future of SEO lies in having a lot of rich, relevant content on your site. What better way to constantly be adding fresh content to your website than with a blog? Because Google praises websites with both robust and consistent content, a blog section kills two SEO birds with one stone.
5. A blog keeps you moving forward
Sharing meaningful content on a regular basis keeps you in the game and thinking about your marketing. You now have a system to document both your growth and history of your enterprise all in one neat package that is easily transportable.
I once had a client who sold his business and his broker said that his website with an active Blog and Project History increased the value of his business by more than 20% over a similar competitor selling the same sized business but without any real website or marketing footprint.
Effectively using your blog doesn’t have to be a full time job requiring dedicated staff. You can make great end roads with one thoughtful post per month. If you want to take it a step further and be even more specific you can approach your blog like a magazine does their calendar year by laying out a calendar of posts with date and topic that more closely matches your business cycle. You can actually then assign these posts to your to do list or calendar like any other meeting or project you may have.