If you're reading this, you're probably making attempts to improve your SEO.
In today's cutthroat digital world, there are only 10 spaces available on page one. Not every business will use the same techniques to land coveted page one rankings on Google, but there is one universal requirement for businesses that want to boost their SEO: a company blog.
And while anyone can write a blog post, do you know how to create a company blog that actually generates revenue? Few people do.
Maybe that's why so many business owners dismiss blogging. But what many people don't understand is that blogging isn't just for DIY mavens, world travelers, or home cooks with flair. Blogging is actually an incredibly valuable SEO tool for businesses across all industries -- and it's one you can't afford to ignore.
Here's why having a blog is essential for all businesses:
Blogs Drive Traffic
When people discount blogs as a marketing option, they probably do so because they don't think anyone will take time out of their day to religiously follow a business's blog updates.
And they're right about that.
After all, you don't start your morning off with a visit to the blog of your dentist or your local mechanic. Nor do you get frustrated when your favorite clothing brand or your gym hasn't updated with a new blog post in a while.
But that's not really what business blogs are intended to do.
While a travel or fashion blogger's aim might be to grow their following, that's not the goal for most businesses.
Instead, they want to drive traffic to their website, get more page one SEO rankings, generate leads, and boost their sales. Whether or not you realize it, blogging can help you reach all those goals.
If improved lead generation and traffic sound important, then it's time to learn how to create a company blog.
When you publish optimized blog posts on your website, you're increasing your visibility online.
The more posts you publish, the more opportunities you'll have to show up in search results. And if your search rankings improve due to the quality and frequency of your posts, you'll be able to increase your traffic, leads, and sales.
Your blog posts should address specific customer questions, as well as provide interesting and helpful information.
In other words, your topics should mirror the kinds of queries that users are typing into Google when they look for answers. If your post is a good match and provides the solutions consumers need, they're going to be more likely to remember your brand.
They may come back to your website for further information or decide to check out the rest of your business. That typically means your search ranking signals and perceived web authority will improve along with the increase in traffic and sales. Even if your blog visitors don't convert to leads, they send positive signals to Google, in turn boosting your rankings for important keywords.
Blogs Let You Engage
Some forms of digital marketing are impersonal. Your customers don't really get to know the people behind your brand if pay-per-click ads are your main focus.
But blogging allows for a more personal approach. Not only will you get a chance to express your own unique voice, but you'll also provide the opportunity for customers to comment on the post.
This feedback can be extremely valuable in terms of customer satisfaction as well as overall business growth.
Your blog can act as a direct channel of communication to existing customers who want to know more about new product launches or troubleshooting solutions for their purchases.
While you don't want to be overly promotional on your blog, it can still be a good way to get the word out (particularly if you're using optimized blog posts to rank on a particular keyword linked to a product release).
But your blog is also a great way to share seasonal content, interesting information, or your take on current events with users who aren't yet customers. Being able to develop a community feel on your blog can make all the difference to consumers making their way through a crowded marketplace.
Blogs Can Support SEO Efforts
This might be the single most important reason to learn how to create a company blog.
Regular blog posts provide the perfect opportunity to utilize the terms for which you'd like to rank (your target keywords). Because optimized blog posts can be published on a regular basis and are generally longer and less promotional than your average piece of web copy, they'll send all the right signals to Google.
Not only will you show that your website is an authority that provides useful information, but you'll also use those keywords in organic ways to prove your relevance within your industry.
Keep in mind that SEO is a long-term strategy. In that same vein, blogging helps to deliver long-term results.
You may get a lot of visits and even some backlinks to your post shortly after it's published. But if things start to die down after that, don't get discouraged. That same blog post can continue to help you rank on terms and increase website traffic for years after it's been published.
For instance, around 70% of monthly traffic to HubSpot's blog actually comes from old posts, rather than posts published within that same month.
Blogs Are Highly Shareable
According to a search quality senior strategist at Google, high-quality content and link building are the two most important SEO signals. In many cases, one begets the other. If you have awesome content that interests a lot of people, that's a great asset for acquiring backlinks.
Getting links back to your website from other reputable domains is extremely important for building your authority on the web. A link from a respectable site is basically seen as an endorsement for your own. This is all because of something called the PageRank Algorithm.
When that site tells Google that you get a big thumbs up from them, that can help your search rankings. Plus, whenever readers click your site's link, you'll increase traffic. Link building isn't the only way to increase your blog's reach.
If you've created an incredible infographic, video, or another strong piece of content, it can find an audience on social media.
How To Create A Company Blog
Now that you understand the importance of having a company blog, you may be wondering how to get started. If you're ready to learn how to create a company blog, here's what you need to do:
Understand your audience:
In order to appeal to your target demographic, you'll need to gain insight into the questions and problems they have. You'll also need to know exactly who this customer is (their age, their gender, their income bracket, etc.).
Understanding your audience's background and behaviors can help you write well-researched blog posts that appeal to their precise needs.
Pick out topics:
Prior to writing a single word, you'll need to decide what you actually want to write about. Resist the urge to promote your products or services in every blog post; the "hard sell" really isn't the best way to market your business anymore.
Instead, your efforts should focus on addressing the customer's needs. That means you'll need to figure out what your customers are looking for and write posts that provide a solution. Do some competitor research and figure out what consumers are searching for.
Then, come up with an editorial calendar that allows you to plan ahead and post relevant content frequently.
Determine your voice:
Don't forget about the marketing aspect of your blog. While you aren't trying to "sell" customers on a product or service, you are trying to sell them on your business -- in a subtle way.
You should make sure that every post supports your brand's message and feel. Coming up with a voice may seem tedious, especially if you aren't a natural writer. But it's important that your posts make sense with all the rest of your messaging.
For example, a highly technical company shouldn't have a blog that's overly casual. But a clothing brand geared towards millennials should definitely embrace irony and edge. The personality of your blog should match perfectly with the branding you've worked so hard to create and maintain elsewhere.
Your voice should remain consistent, no matter who's writing and publishing the content.
Make SEO efforts natural:
As we've mentioned, optimized blog posts provide the ideal opportunity to use those keywords on which you want to rank.
But you've got to be careful not to go overboard. Your SEO blogging efforts should come off as natural and easy to understand. Even if you're writing at a high academic level, your keywords shouldn't stand out in a negative way to readers.
Everything should flow organically. If your blogs seem stiff or odd in any way, readers may abandon your site. That can ultimately damage your reputation and your rankings. Make sure to adhere to all Google guidelines and seek out help from a skilled writer, if necessary!
In other news, we're recognized as a top search engine optimization company on DesignRush! Be sure to check it out!
