Benefits of Blogging for Business in 2020

It’s 2020, what are some of the primary benefits of blogging for a business?

As small to medium-sized businesses adapt to the competitive landscape in 2020, one of the key marketing considerations is the online presence of a business. If this point had not been made any more clearer, the global lockdown due to COVID-19 earlier this year has essentially forced many businesses to take their services exclusively online.

One major aspect of online marketing is having a blog. But perhaps you’ve asked yourself, are the benefits of blogging for business really worth it? You may have heard or seen headlines about how ‘blogging is dead.’ Or perhaps you’ve questioned whether anybody actually reads your content.

Consider some of these blogging statistics:

• 80% of US internet users read blogs or social media content regularly
• 82% of potential clients/customers feel more positive about a company after reading custom content
• 70% of customers prefer learning about a company through blogs, rather than through an ad
• Companies with blogs produce 67% more leads per month on average
• Content marketing and blogs cost 62% less than traditional marketing

The stats don’t lie when it comes to the importance of blogging for businesses. Below we’ll examine in more detail some of the key advantages of blogging for a small business owner.

The Top 5 Benefits of Blogging for Businesses 

1. SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of the most powerful ways to help your business grow. Every day, users are first turning to search engines for services and answers to their questions.

If your page is not optimized and ranking, your potential customers will simply not be able to find you. In fact, 75% of internet users will not scroll past the first page of search engine results. You not only need to rank high, but you also need to rank on the first page!

Having an updated blog will force search engines to continually crawl your site. This gives you a much better chance to rank higher, than if your site was static and without an updated blog.

Perhaps the best part of SEO traffic is that it’s free. Paid advertising (like Google Ads) is also a great way to drive traffic, but it depletes your budget far more quickly. Moreover, a study suggests that an overwhelming 70-80% of search engine users are only looking at organic results.

Aside from the cost savings, SEO-oriented blog posts also help you get your business in front of your market before they go to the competitors.

In professional services, you’re competing with numerous other companies in your niche. The higher the quality and quantity of your blog posts, the more likely you are to outshine the competition and win more clients.

2. Demonstrate Authority

When someone makes a large life decision such as finances or legal issues, they want to hire a professional they trust. One of the best ways to earn this trust is through a blog.

A blog demonstrates authority to your prospective clients by:

• Answering common questions related to your services
• Showing your expertise in your particular area of practice
• Offering relevant insights to the latest industry news
• Providing valuable advice and tips to gain trust
• Developing a relationship with your client

If you don’t have blog content that communicates knowledge and authority, your potential clients won’t have much to go on. Blogging is a great way to convey your expertise and encourage prospects to reach out to you for additional help.

3. Lead Generation

Building an email list has never been more important in 2020. You can leverage blogging to generate more leads by offering information your customer would deem valuable in exchange for a phone number or email address.

For instance, at the end of your post, you can offer a free downloadable PDF, ebook, or video series that goes into more depth regarding the problem your market is trying to solve. Once they’re on your email list, you have a direct line of communication with potential clients or customers. 

The power of an email list cannot be overstated. Those who’ve signed up for your blog updates are considered ‘warm-leads.’ By signing up for your list, you already know they are interested in your business or services. A blog is a key tool that provides immediate value to your prospective client while building up the all-important email list.

And aside from a few pieces of email marketing software, sending an email these days is virtually free. If you neglect this important piece of online marketing, it’s like leaving money on the table.

4. Increase Your Inbound Traffic

Marketing strategies for small businesses have evolved significantly since the 20th century. In the past, traditional outbound marketing focused on ‘interrupting’ consumers while they were consuming media. Examples included cold-calls, billboards, or interruptive ads.

While there is still a place for outbound marketing, consumers are increasingly less inclined to these disruptive marketing strategies. Instead, they are looking for engaging content that they deem of value.

Consider some of these customer preference facts:

• 77% of customers prefer permission-based promotions through email
• 84% of customers aged 25 to 34 will leave a site if they see intrusive ads
• 80% of business decision-makers prefer to learn about a brand through articles rather than an ad

One of the core benefits of blogging for marketing is that you are providing information to people that are already seeking it. It’s attracting potential leads to the top of your sales funnel by offering answers to questions they have. 

The more useful your content is to your targeted clientele, the better your chances of seeing traffic come to your business organically.

5. Boost Social Media Sharing

No business can afford to do without a social media presence in 2020.

Luckily, it doesn’t mean spending 24/7 on managing an account and making new posts. If you play your cards right, your visitors and customers can help you grow your brand.

By having more interesting content on your website, you increase the chances that people will share it on their social media feeds. They can like, share, or forward your blog posts to others in their social network who might benefit from it.

Also, with a blog, you don’t need to re-invent the wheel when it comes to coming up with content for your social media. Simply re-purpose valuable content from your blog into smaller snippets to share on your social media platforms.

To Wrap Up

As you can see, the benefits of having a blog for your business is vast and varied. However, it does take time and effort to come up with valuable content your clients/customers want.

If you are looking for a qualified content writer for your blog, contact me today! My background is in writing SEO-optimized content in various niches, including personal injury law, finance, and real estate.

Let me help you receive the benefits of blogging for business.