Does Your Small Business Need a Blog?

Getting a new business off the ground takes an enormous amount of work, from registering the business, finding a location, hiring staff and promoting. It can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially if you are trying to do all or most of the work yourself. Setting up your online presence is an essential component of running a successful business nowadays. This includes a website, social media platforms and blog writing. It’s easy to see the importance of having a website and social media, where customers can find you, learn about your business and connect with you, but the importance of having a blog is often overlooked.

Blog writing, as part of your overall online marketing strategy, is an essential component to establishing a strong online presence, expanding your reach and growing your business. Here are just a few examples of why blogs are such a valuable business tool and why you should get started blogging now:

Search engines love blogs

The first place nearly everyone turns to when looking for the answer to any question is Google. In fact, if you were to ask someone a question about a subject, their first answer will likely be, ‘Did you Google it?’ Getting to the top of Google’s search results is the goal of any business owner, putting your business right in front of the eyes of potential customers. All search engines will rank their results based on the SEO (search engine optimization) of online content. This can be a somewhat complicated topic to master and involve some keyword research, but this Beginner’s Guide might be a helpful start.

How do blogs fit into this picture? Because search engines, like Google, use SEO as a key component in their rankings, blog writing allows you to maximize your SEO presence, while providing compelling, informative, and quality content to your readers. SEO tools, such as SemRush and CognitiveSEO can help with optimizing your content and give you a broad picture to see how you’re ranking next to your competitors. Google Analytics provides detailed information about the traffic passing through your website, giving you a better understanding of your customers, so you are able to see what works and what doesn’t and help create a better all-around customer experience. 

Here are a few easy ways to get started with optimizing your content for SEO:

• Use keywords throughout your blog content (in the title, subheadings, tags and meta descriptions).
• Optimize images by using keywords in the file name and including alternate text.
• Use outside links to quality content.
• Post your content on social media to broaden your reach.

Remember, it’s not just enough to maximize your SEO in each blog. It is one major factor, however, the blog content still needs to provide some value to the readers, be interesting or engaging and give answers when customers have questions. 

On top of SEO, you should consider the following in your blog writing:

• Does the blog include current and relevant information?
• Are you providing fresh content regularly?
• Is your content share-worthy?
• Are your blog articles providing quality content?
• Does your blog compel the reader to take action?

Help get your business to the top of the search results by making blog writing an essential component in your business strategy.

Engage with customers through blogs

When you provide customers with information they need, without any obligations or terms, you help to develop a rapport and build a level of trust. Small business is generally preferred by most people, as their experience is usually more personal. Connecting through informative blogs can help enhance that experience, and bring more value to the relationship they are developing with your business.

Listen to the concerns of your audience; What common questions are they looking for answers to? Is there a problem they need a solution to? What concerns do they have that aren’t being addressed by anyone else? Creating quality content that addresses these questions shows that you are in tune with what they need, and are ready to provide them with the answers they’re looking for – even if this means referring them elsewhere. 

Referring your customers to another business that is able to help them is a wonderful way to help build that trust and benefit your business. Although you are not benefiting right then and there from a sale, you are demonstrating that you are more concerned with helping them rather than making a profit from them.  

Within your blog articles, be sure to include all of the ways readers can contact you directly, including social media, email and, if available, a phone number. The more accessible you are, the more likely they will connect with you for further questions or to become customers of yours.

Build your brand using blogs

Your brand is essentially your business’ personality; Think about if your business was a person, who would they be? Customers will form a connection with your business based on your brand identity, so it’s important to accurately reflect this within your blog writing. If your brand identity is fun, youthful and active, the tone of your blog writing should reflect this.

The more information you’re writing about and providing to readers, the more you’ll also be seen as an authority on the topic, and people will start turning to you first for the answers they’re looking for.

Blogs are an inexpensive marketing tool

There are a number of inexpensive, even free, platforms that allow you to post your blogs. If you’re creating blog articles on your own, the only investment you will have to make is time. For those business owners who don’t have the time to dedicate to blog writing, or don’t think they can do an effective job, there are a number of online services that offer blog writing for a fee. Freelance websites, such as Upwork and Guru, even allow you to set the rate you’re willing to pay, view the work and experience of potential writing candidates and hire the person who you feel has the expertise and perfectly reflects the brand identity in their writing. Remember that blog writing is an investment in your business, whether it’s an investment of time or money. If it’s done properly, blogs can be a tremendously impactful tool for your business. 

The importance of including blog writing as a part of your business plan should not be underestimated. Blog writing can be a highly effective tool for promoting and growing your business, if done right. They provide great value to your readers, showcase your business as a leader in your field, and don’t require a great deal of investment. 

Ontario Business Central is committed to supporting business owners as they move through the different stages of entrepreneurship. We hope this information has made it easier to understand the importance of having a blog to benefit your business. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out and speak to one of our dedicated staff who are always eager to assist new business owners.

inquiries@ontariobusinesscentral.ca
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Ontario Business Central Inc. is not a law firm and cannot provide a legal opinion or advice. This information is to assist you in understanding the requirements of registration within the chosen jurisdiction. It is always recommended, when you have legal or accounting questions that you speak to a qualified professional.