Increasing numbers of business owners and corporate executives are beginning to realize the power of blogging. Today’s online presence is about more than a traditional website. Websites are a form of passive advertisement, and visitors are often referred to as viewers because that is basically all they are doing. However, a blog not only provides valuable information to current and potential customers but also acts as an outlet for them to interact with your business.
Your Business Blog is a Trigger
According to recent research, successful businesses use a four-step approach to hook customers on products or services, and business blogging can work as an essential element in the first step: the trigger.
When it comes to marketing, a trigger is anything that elicits an initial response and helps to develop a rapport or relationship with prospective customers. Often, this may use System 1 thinking. While many business owners simply use a standard website or email marketing as triggers, business blogs are more versatile because they can be used to provide valuable, in-depth information while serving as an interactive platform for comments and questions.
Once you have managed to get viewers to habitually read and comment on your business blog, you can begin to use the three other steps: action, reward and investment.
Other Benefits of Business Blogging
Although the ability to use your blog as a habit-forming trigger is a primary benefit, blogging for your business has several other advantages, including the following:
- Search engine optimization (SEO) – Several years ago, Google and the other major search engines changed their algorithms to put an emphasis on fresh, original content for ranking search results. Creating a blog can easily help you jump from the second or third page of listings to that all-important first page.
- Industry leadership – By showing your audience that you understand the problems they face and can deliver effective solutions for a variety of situations, you establish your business as an industry leader, which goes a long way toward building confidence.
- Brand image – Blogging is an exceptional tool for building a favorable brand image. Your blog puts a human face on your business and gives it personality.
- Word of mouth – Any marketing expert will tell you that the most powerful form of advertising is word of mouth, and blogging creates an opportunity for your readers to share with others.
- By adding targeted content, you are adding words to your website. These words are the keywords that search engines will find, and help to increase your search engine rankings.
Blogging is considered to be a necessity for every business in the modern world. By taking advantage of it now, you can keep your business one step ahead of the competition.