Once upon a time, individuals shared their deepest thoughts and passions on a weblog, hoping interested parties would find their blog, read it, post comments and share the link with their friends.

Fast forward a few years and the blog has taken on a whole new meaning. Sure, there are still individuals out there who share their thoughts and passions, and some of them have a significant following. In the corporate sector, the blog has become a powerful tool that enables the organization to take a more personal approach to communicating with their audience.

Should every business have a blog? As a company offering content marketing services, you would think our answer would be, “yes”. In reality, there are some companies that do not have a following online, are not trying to drive traffic to a website and do not want to grow. Such companies do not need a blog. If yours doesn’t fall into one of those categories, keep reading.

Why should your company have a blog? Let’s take a look at 5 reasons – make note that these are not the ONLY reasons, but 5 important reasons:

A Blog Helps You to Become the Authority –
People today use the Internet to gather information. They enter search terms into a search engine because their looking for answers. If your blog provides answers to their questions and other valuable information, your blog source is viewed as an authority in your field. That authority equates to search engine rankings and you start to dominate results.

A Blog Can Help You Promote a Product –
Once you have created valuable content and start to build trust among your readership, you can promote your product or service. This is where the strategy can get tricky. If you’re blatantly promoting your products at all times, your readers will tire of your blog and look for authority insight elsewhere.

A Blog Allows You to Make a Direct Connection –
While major corporations do successfully provide millions of products to use every day, people still want to make a personal connection with a company that takes their money. A blog allows you to more successfully communicate with your audience, making a personal connection. You can start conversations, ask for input and feedback and comment on any information shared.

A Blog Starts the Conversation –
Consumers are consistently using social media platforms to talk about companies they like or dislike. And, if you play a part in the marketplace at all, you’re part of the conversation, too. Don’t sit back and let it happen – start the conversation. You’ll be amazed at the information you can capture. You’ll likely be introduced to new ideas on how you can improve your product or service.

A Blog is the Perfect Stop on the Social Media Highway –
Hopefully you’re using social media to drive traffic to your site. Your blog can serve as the perfect stop along the way. It should serve as an authority piece that answers a question and provides additional information. At the end of the blog, include a call to action that directs your readers to the next stop – your website, your Facebook page, an article on your News Media page or even another authority site. The point is, don’t leave them hanging.

Starting a blog will help to promote your brand and educate your reader, if you do it correctly. Of course, if you optimize and put a clear strategy in place, you’ll also see more traffic to your website. If you’re ready to launch a blog, but need help or need it done for you, that’s where we come in. Our blog strategies are proven online to drive more traffic and help you to convert more sales. Contact us today and we’ll put together a strategy for you.