Blog Neglect

I'm so busy building content for my clients and looking after their marketing and social media that I tend to neglect my blog!  So, I'm dusting it off and setting myself a blog challenge!
We all know that we have to write blogs regularly in order to provide new content on our website to help our SEO, build on our community and complete the social media circle.

But it's true - most organisations/business owners don't have the time or expertise to create content regularly - but without content (the most crucial ingredient of a marketing campaign) marketing as a whole can fail.

So, why should we Blog?

1. To Express Your Thoughts, Opinions and News

If you have something to say to your audience a blog provides a place to say it and be heard. They are a great way to share your thoughts or your view on something or it may be that you want to educate your readers and show that you’re informed.

2. To Help People,  Market or Promote Something

Blogging is a great way to help market or promote yourself or your business, product or service. Remember to try and give advice..people liked to be helped and you will be seen as adding some value to your readers.  Many blogs are written to help people who may be going through similar situations that you have experienced. 

3. To Establish Yourself as an Expert

Blogs are wonderful tools to help you establish yourself as an expert in a field or topic.  If you show that you’re an authority on a particular subject, people will keep coming back to read what you have to say.  Blogging can help legitimise your expertise and expand your online presence.

4. To Connect with People Like You

Blogging brings like-minded people together. Starting a blog can help you find those people and starts your community building.

5. To bring in business

By allowing comments on your blog you can encourage conversation and gain a level of trust with your audience.  People buy from people - from people that they like and trust.  It's hard to build trust though a computer screen so a blog allows you to show your expertise in a more relaxed way.  You can bring your personality to a blog, your can't necessarily on a website!

It's possible to offset the cost of the time spent on blogging against the business it could generate.  If you are writing regular high quality content then you'll have visitors, visitors joining your community, visitors that come back to read what you have to say, visitors who will write about your blog, visitors who will share your blog - suddenly you have a blog that behaves like viral marketing!!  You'll then have people coming to you for business advice, advice that will turn into business!

6. Support your SEO

Websites with blogs get an average of 55% more visitors than those without them.   If you didn’t know that then you need to build a blog into your site now!  If you keep the blogging regular it helps your SEO and your Page Rank. Search engines, such as Google, love fresh content so by posting regularly it helps keep your brand visible.

As always the one rule of blogging, as with any online marketing tactic, make it relevant to your audience and participate in the conversation!

Anyway, my blog is now up and running again...wish me luck for my blog challenge!

Are you guilty of blog neglect? Set yourself a goal and start writing today....!