If you haven't pondered the deep existential question, "Is blogging dead" then you've probably heard it proclaimed by a marketing guru on their pretentious LinkedIn pillar.
Either way, I don't believe it.
The first blog article was posted just under 30 years ago. Blogging is hardly having a mid-life crisis let alone dead.
In this self-referential blog post, we're getting the defibrillator out. Not for blogging — for your business. By the end, you'll know why you need a blog, all about its electrifying benefits, how to search for topics and ways to craft an article that sells.
Get ready to jolt your brand into success with a blog.
Yes, Blogging Is Still Relevant
With TikTok shortening our attention spans and Instagram heroing visual content, does anyone read blogs anymore?
Yes, they do. More than you may think.
Even with this content evolution, blogs are still as popular as ever. There are over 1.5 million blogs and 77% of internet users read them. [Source]
I recently stumbled onto You Need A Budget (which is more like a case study on Why You Need A Blog).
YNAB is a monthly subscription software (and app) to help with your finances. As with all American-based budgeting platforms, I was worried that the (very) humble South African Rand wouldn't translate well. But what won me over was the vast wealth of knowledge held on its blog. All that free, helpful content convinced me to trail it. That's one brilliant strategy for those customers sitting on the fence.
So, more than being a vehicle for information, blogs offer other unique benefits to your business.
Why Businesses Should Be Blogging
Gone are the days when blogging was just for air fryer recipes (preceded by the author’s life story) and tech gurus with the latest gadget. Blogs have transformed into powerful tools. And I daresay that not having one is hurting your business.
“But my brand doesn’t need a blog.”
You may think you’re too niched, too small or too whatever to need a blog. But if you have customers (potential or converted), a blog gives you another place to connect with them.
In my opinion, even industry giants should have one. They may not need all the advantages it brings but their fans will appreciate having another point of contact (and content). Say you’re a Lamborghini fan, wouldn’t you want to read about the behind-the-scenes information about the latest model’s design? Yes, yes you would.
Here are some statistics to back me up:
"Having a blog increases your chances of ranking higher in search by 434%" [Source]
"Marketers who prioritise blogging are 13x more likely to have a positive ROI on their efforts" [Source]
"57% of marketers say they’ve gained customers specifically through blogging" [Source]
"B2B marketers who have blogs get 67% more leads than those who don’t" [Source]
But is blogging good for business? Let’s look at a breakdown of the benefits for brands big and small:
SEO
Plain and simple: blogging is one of the best SEO strategies. Read more about it here.
Increased Website Traffic
Fresh, relevant and regular content offers another avenue to get visitors to your website. Sprinkle some links throughout your articles (either to your product/services pages or other blog posts) so that the reader will be enticed to journey through your site.
Brand Awareness
I love some statistics and here’s another one: 70% of consumers learn about a company through articles rather than ads. [Source]
Your blog carries your brand’s voice and personality, sometimes more than an ad can. It’s a great way to show a customer who you are and what you can do for them.
Leads and Sales
Carrying on from that: ads can feel aggressively sales-y. Rather than pushing a customer towards a purchase, an article can subtly persuade them with more information about benefits and features. While you should still be using ads, blogs can sell without a big “BUY NOW” button flashing in a reader’s face.
Authority
Just as it gives your audience a platform to learn more about your story, a blog is also a great way to position yourself as an industry leader. Or, at the very least, an authority they can trust.
Share your insider knowledge. Show your customer what sets you apart from the rest. This is stunningly true if you’re a small business — you need to use every opportunity to make your unique voice heard.
Engagement
Your customers can comment! They can share the post with their own thoughts and you can reply to that! You can hear honest, first-hand feedback. It might even give you the insight you may have not otherwise had.
Transferable Content
The life of a blog post doesn't end after you've hit "publish".
A 2,500-word blog post could be used as a script for a podcast (the research is done already). You can break it up into tweets or use Instagram to tease the article (pulling people back to your website).
A 500-word post could be sliced up into a long-form LinkedIn post (a very underappreciated template) and again, could be linked back.
You can share it with your mailing list using an attractive email.
Leverage the nuggets of wisdom and snappy copy snippets you've written. Turn them into digital ads and use those ads as pull quotes or graphics (there’s no harm in updating an article after it’s been posted).
Reusable Content
Just like the content is transferable, the content is reusable. When you're low on ideas, check back to your blog to see what you can recycle, follow up on or update.
This is also why it's important to keep a consistent blog — you're not just writing content for your current strategy, you're writing for your future one too.
Measurable Results
Metrics are straightforward to track and you can see what topics intrigue up your readers. Most websites (like WordPress and Wix) come with a built-in metric tracker. Set a goal. Measure it. Adjust as you go. Boom, results.
Cost-effectiveness
I have been both a copywriter/content writer and graphic designer in a professional capacity. And as much as I love firing up Photoshop, I’d always prioritise blogging as a strategy if I had to choose.
Why?
Blogging doesn’t require expensive programmes like Adobe (I write all my blog posts on Google Docs and edit with free software). It’s quick — the right content writer can pump out a few every week. It expands on your marketing strategy. If you already have an SEO strategy, you can transfer it to your blog. No fretting about incorporating new keywords or plans.
Blogging also has amazingly low start-up and production costs. If your website is run on WordPress (let’s be honest the world is run on WordPress these days), it’s a simple addition to include one.
(Plus, and this pains me to type as a designer, you can get by with Canva. Don't come for me marketing strategists.)
How To Find Relevant Blog Topics
What stops most people from investing in their blogs (other than thinking it's not worth it) is the content.
Where ads are sales-orientated with defined parameters, blogs offer limitless options in comparison. But that can also be overwhelming. This is where you need a good content writer. (Not a copywriter. Confused? This blog post will explain the differences.)
Here are some topic ideas to help you brainstorm:
Answer a common customer question related to your industry. As a bonus, it can be pulled as a Google snippet or used in the People Also Ask section.
Talk about a new product or service launching, then include a link to the article on the service page or product description.
People love lists and listicles. It’s one of the biggest attention grabbers.
Write about the topics orbiting your brand, services, products or industry. (Fitness and health retailers post recipes using their powders and health foods.)
What problems lead a customer to your website in the first place? Expand on that pain point and relate it back to why your brand is the best solution.
Create a written tutorial for your product or service in a how-to-style article.
Tell your story: how you started, what the future looks like, your charitable acts, a behind-the-scenes peak, an introduction to your team or anything that your audience could make a personal connection with.
Case studies, reviews and testimonials are always great authority drivers.
Interview an expert or well-known person in your industry.
Is a holiday or seasonal occasion like Valentine’s Day coming up? Capitalise on that in a way that’s relevant to your offerings.
Include evergreen content. For example, if you sell bespoke gifts, birthdays and anniversaries are always great areas to focus on.
Update your audience on the latest news in the industry. This is particularly valuable for industries like crypto.
Create mini guides on how your product/service can be used by different people. (This is what You Need A Budget Did; they applied the software to the different financial goals people have.)
Using AI To Write Blog Posts
The truth is that many companies only use their blogs for the SEO factor. Although they still want it to “be written for the audience”, the real driver is their Google Rating. The end result is an article that ranks but doesn’t retain readers. People are savvy, they know when something isn’t written for them.
If SEO ranking is your only goal then use AI. But you’ll probably miss out on all the other sweet benefits blogging brings. As I’ve said before, AI cannot replace a skilled content writer.
How To Craft A Great Blog Post
After settling on a topic, it’s time to actually get blogging. We don’t want to rush the process. The end product should be something valuable to your audience — somewhere in the realms of informative, educational or entertaining.
Research
Other than getting your facts straight, the research step gives you direction.
If you don't need statistics, you can research your competitors. How do they write about a product/service launch? How long or short are their posts? What did you want to emulate or do differently?
You can also explore good blog practices. Google may keep its secrets close to its robotic chest but you can still determine what to aim for.
Gather your research in another doc, digest it into your own words and rev up a blank page.
Pro tip: remember to link back to your research and add sources where relevant. Not only does it add authority to your statements, it also builds trust with your reader.
Layout
Some people fix their layout right at the end. I personally do the bulk of it at the beginning. It gives me a better idea of my post's final look and structure. It also means there are only a few tweaks needed when I finish.
Either way, start your formatting with your headings then work down. Heading styles are very important when it comes to SEO. The H1 style is for your main heading and is used once. The H2 style is for sub-headings, as many as you have. And H3 is for the sub-headings under H2. Your word processor should have default styles — just make sure it translates correctly onto your blog platform.
Google likes long posts (like 2,500 words). But we always write for humans first. And they like shorter paragraphs. Marry the two concepts. Go for between 1 to 6 lines per paragraph and break up big ideas. You can still get the length without causing reader fatigue.
And for the love of readable design, please use normal fonts and colours. Papyrus on a yellow background will send you to blogging purgatory.
Outline
A blog post should flow from one idea to another in a logical, easy-to-follow way. Get your points in alignment before putting a metaphorical pen to digital paper.
Write The Rough Version
To quote one of the most monumental movies that truly changed the world:
“Better out than in I always." – Shrek (Shrek, 2001)
Yes, he wasn’t talking about writing but the sentiment is the same. Get all your thoughts out, you can’t edit a blank page.
Edit (And Edit Again)
Now that you have something to work with, it’s time to refine it. The largest portion of my blog writing process is spent on editing. There are a number of ways I edit, from reading it aloud to putting it through editing software. Reading through it once (or gasp not at all) isn't going to cut it.
I’m not saying that a misplaced apostrophe will cost you a sale but your reader will notice it. Don't catch their attention because of the wrong thing.
Optional: Get Someone Else To Read It
If you have the luxury of a second opinion, get it. Run it past your marketing manager, colleague or roommate. It’s always helpful to get a fresh pair of eyes on it.
Adding Interest
The human brain is a fickle and easily distracted thing. You’re not writing a novel (i.e. a wall of words). It has to be just as interesting to look at as much as it is to read.
But don’t think Microsoft Word art is the solution.
Add pictures to break up chunks of text. Incorporate lists and bullet points, pull quotes, graphs or infographics — anything that 1.) is relevant to the copy and 2.) adds another element of interest. Bonus points if it’s original. Minus points if it's watermarked or used without permission.
My hack for this is to skim over your document without reading it. Where your eyes start to get tired or your mind gets overwhelmed, add a point of interest.
Pro tip: pick a style and stay with it. While it’s great to have an evolving blog, you still want a level of consistency and quality your audience can trust.
Finish It Off
End with a call to action (CTA). This is a way to get the reader to take further action. It could be a button to view the product page, fill in a contact form or read another article.
Pro tip: don’t get too sales-y or forceful with it. It should be a natural addition to what you’ve already said.
Final Thoughts
As vital as blogs are, having one just to take up digital space defeats the whole purpose. It's a marketing tool and should work within your big-picture brand strategy. Blogs require consistency, skill and quality content to be effective.
Don’t feel like you have the time, energy or know-how to run a successful blog for your brand?
I totally get it.
Actually... I don’t because I love blogging and do it for fun (and for strategy but that feels like a nice bonus). You don't have to battle the beast to hopefully get a sprinkle of the benefits. Get a content writer to help you out.
Ready to take advantage of all these benefits? Let's chat about how you can expand your blogging reach.
(And that’s how you end with a CTA.)
Until next time, I’m Sam — your friendly neighbourhood freelance copywriter, content writer and blogger.
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