It’s coming up on the new year, and it’s time to think about resolutions and goals for 2018. Perhaps you’ve been thinking about getting more exercise or always bringing your reusable bags to the grocery store. Maybe you’ve been thinking about what to do with the blog you haven’t updated since August. Do you really need that thing, and what has it done for you lately?
This question was a big one this year, and it’s not likely to go away as we move into 2018: is blogging still important, or is blogging dead? The short answer? It’s alive and well. Blogging is very much alive and just as important as ever, but with some big changes that we’ll discuss below. Check out how and why you should keep on top of your blog in 2018.
Why Blog for Your Businesses?
Blogging isn’t dead, but It’s very different today. Blogs are content hubs. They are a place to build trust, generate buzz and instruct your customers about your company. In 2005, the content was mostly text-based, and dedicated readers were anxious to follow every post that writers were able to put up.
Today, reading attention is down, and internet consumers are mostly a visual bunch. So, to keep your blog relevant, it’s important to update it with a variety of high quality content and media, including video, webinars, photography, apps and more as technology develops.
The cost-of-entry for making visual content on your blog is lower than ever, and many digital marketing agencies have web video studios to help you reach more audiences and stand out in your market.
Build a Community
Perhaps the most important benefit your business can gain from its blog is community. The communities that revolve around blogs are dedicated, and this dedicated audience is the key. Consumers see an incredible amount of targeted marketing content on their devices every day, from YouTube commercials to email newsletters, and they are practically immune to the classic hard sell.
Community is your way to disarm the defensive consumer. By creating a space where people can offer their opinions or gather and meet around a common interest, you’re creating stickiness and a strong trust in your brand. Think of your blog as a comfortable neighborhood café, where your customers can feel at home. But they can’t drink the coffee.
Be the Place Where They Go to Learn
Your blog is a unique collection of information and brand wisdom. Your business is a source of expertise to help a consumer solve a specific problem. That’s why you’re in business.
Your blog can act as a library of industry knowledge and proprietary information. It’s a place where you can show off exactly what makes you an expert in the field and how your product or your service is the solution to a consumer’s problem. And if you’re not utilizing it, then you’re missing out.
Consumers Want to Know Who You Are
Since blogging’s peak popularity around 2008, the face of marketing has changed. One person could have a resounding impact in the online world, and an entire company can get lost if they’re not visible. So, what does visibility mean?
Well, it’s a jungle out there. There seems to be at least three companies vying for a corner of every market imaginable, and consumers are better than ever at sorting poor from high quality content. So a good story or a deep connection with your audience is the only way for your company to gain visibility. When you tell your company’s story in an engaging way, consumers will be there to listen.
You Probably Need the SEO Juice
Some things just don’t change. Just like you need your coffee in the morning, your website needs constant fresh updates tailored to the searches your customers are making on different search engines to stay high in the SERP rankings. If you don’t keep providing your website with that boost of organic traffic and SEO, you could be falling asleep at the wheel. And blogs are still one of the best solutions for keeping your website fresh.
Leave a comment below to let us know what you think! Is blogging alive and well and still as important as ever, or has it gone the way of the Blackberry?
