Blogs can be a powerful tool in your content marketing strategy to boost brand awareness and visibility. According to HubSpot, 60% of people read blogs, while businesses with blogs on their web page get 55% more visitors than those without.
What is a blog?
A blog is essentially an online article. Blog posts provide a platform to engage your audience, sharing knowledge and experience, and provide valuable resources and insights.
Blogging also helps you connect with your target audience on a deeper level, by providing thoughtful, quality content that your customers can relate to and appreciate.
What should I blog about?
According to Marcus Sheridan, author of ‘They Ask You Answer’, the framework for knowing what to write about is simple.
Your content should transparently address all of your customers questions, worries and fears. Talk about the questions your buyers are searching for, but your competitors are too afraid to answer.
Think pricing, problems and flaws, comparisons, reviews and ratings. Essentially, there is no point creating blog content if it isn’t what your audience needs answers to and are willing to spend their time reading.
Getting the balance right comes down to knowing your audience. What are they searching for? What questions do they keep asking? What would make their decision easier? Start there.
One thing worth keeping in mind as you plan: AI search tools actively look for content that answers real questions thoroughly and clearly.
Long-form posts that explore a topic in depth, arrive at a genuine conclusion and reflect actual expertise are exactly what those systems are looking for. If you write with your customer’s questions in mind, you’re already halfway there.
What are the benefits of including blogs on your website?
1. Blogs help to drive traffic to your website
Adding blogs opens the door to attract new audiences by creating relevant content and allowing you to broaden your use of keywords.
2. Increase SEO
An effective blog strategy increases the ranking of the web pages by providing relevant content to valuable keywords (that over time increases the site’s reputation). The improved ranking means more of the right visitors browsing your site and products.
3. Creates content that can be repurposed
Content created by blogs can be used for social media, newsletters and electronic direct mail (eDMs), helping to drive traffic back to your website.
4. Builds authority and trust
Creating relevant and valuable content helps to establish you as an industry leader, shows relatability and encourages genuine feedback. According to a Demand Metric study, 60% of consumers enjoy reading content from brands, while 82% of customers felt more positive about the brand after reading their content.
5. It improves your bottom line
Brand authority and trust built through content marketing improves the effectiveness of performance marketing. This means more sales at a cheaper cost per sale.
If you need content marketing advice or would like to grow your business, contact the team at IvyStreet here.
