Despite existing for a little over two decades, blogs have grown from mere online journaling platforms to one of the dominant online content mediums. WordPress alone accounts for over 25% of websites, period. If you asked marketers what their #1 tool was 20 years ago, they’d say the newspaper. Now, 45% of them say blogs are the most important piece of their strategy.
In case you haven’t noticed, we’re one of those marketing agencies who believes in the power of content. While we won’t deny that video, live streaming, and other content forms are incredible mediums with tons of opportunity, we firmly believe that the blog is the handiest tool in the marketer’s belt, and here’s why.
A Short History Lesson: The Evolution Of The Blog
Remember back in 2005, when blogs exploded onto the mainstream? Some said it was just a fad that would pass in a couple years. Others hailed it as the death knell for news organizations like CBS and CNN, who couldn’t hope to compete with millions of bloggers- just check out this quote from Dan Hunter:
“This is not a fad. It’s the rise of amateur content, which is replacing the centralized, controlled content done by professionals.”
We’re now over a decade removed from Dan’s quote, and we can easily see how he was simultaneously right and wrong. CNN and CBS haven’t gone anywhere, but blogs have still managed to grow and find their niche through the rise of content marketing.
In 2005, Dan was right- amateurs were the ones pumping out the best blog content. What Dan didn’t expect was that professionals would adopt the blog as one of their most reliable and powerful tools for content creation.
Why Blogs Are Some Of The Highest Converting Content Ever
We’re going to focus in on the top three reasons why blogs drive conversions, sales, and reach:
- They increase traffic
- They improve SEO
- They facilitate customer/client relations
While other content forms can certainly contribute to your marketing strategy, none of them provide as streamlined a platform for all three of these factors as the blog does.
#1 How Blogs Increase Traffic
Web pages pale in comparison to blog posts in terms of potential to earn inbound links. Your web page content may be brilliantly written, but it has one major disadvantage; it’s static. Blog posts allow you to react to current industry news and generate new content on a regular basis. Carefully timed articles are far more likely to score you inbound links than stale web pages.
This doesn’t mean you should try to make viral content. Instead, craft your blog posts for easy shareability, and write valuable content which resonates with your target audience. However, consider yourself forewarned; content marketing always takes time, and a few awesome posts may go unnoticed. Consistency is key to long term success.
#2 How Blogs Improve SEO
Google’s enigmatic algorithm has changed dramatically over the years, but one thing has remained constant, Google sure loves content. The blog is still the primary source of a company’s SEO evaluation. Blogs provide:
- Inbound links
- Internal links
- Headings/titles
- Comments
All of which Google’s search engine crawlers use to determine the relevance and authority of your content. If you manage to impress the bots, then Google will reward you with better rankings.
Running a website without blog content is a bit like trying to get a loan without credit. Without a credit history, banks won’t know how to evaluate your loan’s risks and you’ll probably be denied. Similarly, Google just won’t have anything to go on when calculating your SEO score without readily available content.
#3 How Blogs Facilitate Customer And Client Relations
Chances are, your main mode of customer interaction won’t be YouTube comments or Twitter posts. While those are great places to engage with your audience and establish a personal connection to your brand, a well designed blog page is every business’s bread and butter when it comes to things like:
- Public Relations
- Audience Conversion
- Customer/Client Interaction
Just like with Google, your audience wants to know that you’re trustworthy and that you have something interesting to say to them. Use your blog to provide them with up to date information concerning your business, including:
- Industry relevant news
- Product updates/introductions
- Damage control
- Q & A sessions
Combine this customer-centred content approach with effective CTAs and your blog will be driving conversions in no time.
If you want more specific advice on getting your blog up to speed, get in touch. We’ll run a detailed audit on your site to identify problem areas and work closely with you to develop a personalized content strategy. At FEAD, we believe in storytelling, and there’s no better place to tell your brand’s tale than the company blog.