Are company blogs still a thing? If you’ve been hearing that “blogging is dead” and everything is on social media now, that’s not the whole story. It’s true that blogging as a form of personal expression has decreased significantly with the rise of Twitter, Instagram, and other popular social media channels. But for small businesses looking to educate clients, drive traffic to their websites, and position themselves as thought leaders, company blogs are still a hugely important component of a strong marketing strategy.
How does a company blog do all these amazing things?
A strong marketing strategy will bring prospective clients to your website, keep your current clients coming back for more, and imprint your brand’s personality on all website visitors while they’re on your site.
Company blogs increase web visitors
First, we want to get people to your site. A well-written blog, optimized for SEO (search engine optimization), will do the trick nicely. Publishing high-quality blog posts regularly will boost your site’s position in search engine results. Google and other search engines want to know you’re maintaining your website: Think of it like a garden. Do you plant flowers and leave them alone? Nope! You weed, water, fertilize, and prune those buds to keep everything looking gorgeous. So sites that are regularly updated indicate to Google that you’re taking care of your website “garden,” which helps Google feel comfortable showing it higher in the results. Blogging is a great way to regularly update your site: Just ask our client Atelier LKS, who saw their organic traffic jump 95% after several months of regular publishing.
For best results, you should publish high-quality SEO-friendly blog posts of 600-plus words at least once a month.
Company blogs sell your brand
Great. We’ve gotten you higher in search rankings and you’ve got more eyeballs on your site. Now what?
Company blogs position you as a thought leader and expert in your field. This is your chance to show off what you know about your business and your industry. And you get to be the voice of your brand! With every post, you’re cementing the idea in your readers’ heads that you know your stuff, you have a on pulse the field, and you have connections to keep you at the top of your game. Great topics for posts include the following:
- Explaining terms and concepts
- Answering common questions customers present
- Highlighting trends
- Tips and pointers
- Sharing and commenting on industry news
Company blogs convert and retain customers
By educating consumers, company blog posts build trust in your brand and help both current and potential customers feel connected to your product or service. This makes it likely they’ll turn to you — or come back — when they’re ready to make a purchase. They’ll think of you first when they have a question and they’ll share your site with others who might find it valuable. By covering the topics above, you provide value to website visitors. And in a marvelously circular fashion, that means they’re likely to come back to your site and to stay on it longer, both of which increase your positioning in search engine results.
Take a look at this awesome blog post showcasing seven top company blogs for ideas and inspiration.
Does a company blog make sense for your business?
We’re big fans of company blogs but here’s a checklist to see if one is right for you:
- Do you have an up-to-date, modern website that is performing well?
- Will your business benefit from additional traffic to your website?
- Is showing up higher in search results (for certain keywords or terms) important?
- Are you looking for an opportunity to connect more deeply with your customers?
Are you an expert-level businessperson but writing’s not your thing? No problem! There are many business owners who have all the right stuff — but maybe not the “write stuff.” If you don’t have time, or don’t feel confident in your writing ability, there’s no shame in delegating this task to a team member (who can interview you or work with an outline you provide to show off your knowledge) or hiring a writer or marketing team to edit or ghostwrite your company blog posts (psssst…. we do this for lots of amazing business owners!)