5 Reasons to Keep Blogging
Once upon a time (but not too long ago!), blogging was just another trendy “thing” for creative people to dabble in. Early blogging took on a variety of subjects, but most were personal in nature. These early bloggers hardly worried about things like SEO or PageRank – they only wanted a place where they could easily publish their thoughts and opinions online.
Now, fast forward to the past five years or so. We have seen blogging evolve and into something altogether different from its earliest beginnings. And we also know that blogging hasn’t really been “just another trendy thing” for quite some time.
In fact, blogging is serious business these days, and savvy business owners and marketers understand this. Blogging is still one of the best ways a business can drive traffic to their websites from the internet.
On the other hand, these same business owners and marketers are also finding that the activity of blogging has become more complicated than in the past. Some are becoming frustrated with the frequently changing Google algorithms and SEO guidelines. And then, to top it off, bloggers are being told they must create “quality” content which “provides value to their readers,” in order to stand out from the rest.
This leaves business owners and marketers with two simple choices. They can either (a) stop blogging or (b) keep blogging. You can tell which choice I recommend by this article’s title.
Why should a business keep blogging?
1) SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is still an important thing
Regardless of what you hear around the internet, SEO is not going away. The rules of SEO may change, but it’s still an important part of being found online. Fresh content, which is achieved through blogging on a regular basis, helps keep your website on Google’s (and your potential clients’) radars.
2) Your readers miss you
You may feel discouraged after publishing regularly for weeks, months…even years…but think no one is reading your carefully crafted posts. Don’t let a lack of comments or social shares bring you down though. If you’re blogging, people are noticing.
If you haven’t been paying attention to your Google Analytics, then you should start. This tool is free and provides insights that show you how people (and how many) are finding your website. Seeing this information for yourself will help you realize that you really have not been wasting your time blogging.
3) Consistent blogging helps build credibility and trust
Some business owners and marketers mistakenly believe blogging is necessary only for lead generation. When business is going well, they may not see the need for maintaining their blogs. The reality is that through keeping your company blog current and constantly providing value, you may be strengthening and preserving the relationships you have built with new and current clients. A long-term relationship with a happy client is always a win-win situation.
4) Networking opportunities
Depending on your business and/or personal goals, you may benefit from online networking. Blogging regularly opens up all sorts of networking opportunities, such as being invited to speak at events, attend events, be interviewed, and more. Networking is also useful for generating leads for your business, as well as closing sales.
5) Practice makes perfect…or close enough
Writing blog posts isn’t easy, and nearly every blogger goes through periods where they want to take breaks from it. However, if you aren’t careful, your procrastination can easily take over. Your well-intentioned short break could become permanent one. Nip all this in the bud and take a short break, but focus on writing your way through your “dry spells,” (or whatever you choose to call them).
Some people may write extra articles that they can pull out during those times they feel unmotivated. Others choose guest blogging as a way of staying in the loop. Either way, most people agree that “practice makes perfect” when it comes to blogging. Along with the other benefits, regular blogging also helps you keep your writing skills honed and your head in the game.
Are you blogging for your business? What suggestions do you have for keeping a business blog alive? I’d love to hear your thoughts – please feel free to leave your comments below.
