Why should I have a blog? The reasons are countless, however, one must realize that in order to make a blog effective and credible you must constantly keep it current and this may involve taking some extra time away from other marketing avenues. I have compiled a list of the main reasons why any business should keep a blog, at minimum a post a week. These reasons include, but are not limited to the following:
- Higher search engine rankings. If you are a consistent reader of my blog, you will understand how much I value SEM/SEO tactics. By having a blog within your website, you create the opportunity for bots to scan your website, which will prove to them that you are constantly managing your site. This builds credibility, which could produce a higher ranking.
- The establishment of an online community. By blogging, you create an informal opportunity to prove how credible you are by offering your expertise. Also, someone may search for a topic that you have written about and be directed to your site. This could be the start of a new business relationship at the expense of you taking twenty minutes out of your day and sharing your knowledge and experience.
- Ease & inexpensiveness. A blog can be created and managed with relative ease by utilizing such programs as WordPress and Blogger. Best of all, these services are free and you can tailor their templates to suit your needs. Setting up a blog is fairly simply, even for the technologically challenged.
- Creates a news forum. Having a blog also allows you to easily post news about your company without going through the laborious process of uploading new content to your website.
- Provides accessibility. By allowing users to post comments or questions regarding your company, you can instantaneously be notified via email of new inquiries. This also gives you time to research the inquired topic instead of automatically being put on the spot, as you would be with a telephone call.
Every business owner loves to hear the words quick, easy, inexpensive, efficient and productive. In fact, combining all of these words together to describe something in the business world is basically unfathomable. Take advantage of new Internet advances, such as blogging and allow your company to stand out above your competition.