It’s no secret that the blogosphere has declined in recent years. Personal blogs are declining, and many popular blog networks have been shuttered. This may give the impression that blogging, in general, is no longer relevant or successful.
However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Small business blogging is still incredibly effective in reaching your target audience, building thought leadership, and driving sales.
Arguably, blogging is more important than ever for businesses in the age of digital marketing.
The Importance of Blogging for Business
If you’re not sold on the idea of blogging for your business, consider the following blogging statistics:
- Businesses that blog receive 97% more links to their website. This is important because links are one of the significant ranking factors for search engines. More links mean better visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs), which leads to more traffic and, ultimately, more customers.
- Companies that blog have 55% more website visitors. This is likely due to the increased visibility in search engines from regular blogging.
- Businesses that blog generate 67% more leads than those that don’t. This is one of the most important benefits of blogging for business, as leads are the lifeblood of most organizations.
- Companies that blog have 434% more indexed pages on Google. This is another SEO benefit that comes from blogging regularly. The more pages you have indexed, the more likely you will appear in search results for relevant queries.
- 60% of businesses with a blog report that their blog has generated customers. This is perhaps the most crucial stat for businesses considering whether or not to start a blog. If your goal is to generate leads and customers, then blogging is one of the best ways to do it.
Why the Decline in Personal Blogging Doesn’t Mean the End for Businesses
Now that we’ve established the importance of blogging for business, you may wonder why personal blogs are declining.
There are a few reasons for this:
- The rise of social media.
Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have largely replaced personal blogs as a way to stay in touch with friends and family. Why bother writing a blog post when you can share a status update or photo? - The rise of other content formats.
With the rise of platforms like YouTube and podcasts, more options exist for consuming content than ever before. This may be one of the reasons why people are reading fewer blogs. - The increased demands of life.
Let’s face it: most of us are too busy to keep up with a personal blog. Between work, family, and social obligations, there’s often little time left for writing.
However, just because personal blogging is declining doesn’t mean businesses shouldn’t be blogging. Arguably, businesses are in a better position to blog than ever before.
The costs of starting and maintaining a business blog are lower than ever. The platform allows businesses to reach a wide audience with their marketing message.
Additionally, the skills required to create and maintain a successful business blog are more widespread than they once were. With a little effort, any business can start reaping the benefits of having a blog.
Five Benefits of Blogging for Business
Is a blog worth it in 2024? The short answer is Yes.
Businesses can enjoy several benefits by blogging regularly. These include:
1. Improved SEO
One of the most important benefits of blogging for business is improved SEO. As we mentioned earlier, regular high-value blog postings can increase visibility in search engine results pages, which can drive more traffic to your website. In addition, each blog post is another indexed page on your site, which can help you rank for more keywords and queries.
2. Increased Thought Leadership
To be successful, businesses need to establish themselves as leaders in their industry. This can be done in several ways, but blogging for business is one of the most effective.
By regularly publishing high-quality content, you can position yourself and your business as an expert in your field.
Establishing your expertise and authority in your niche will make people more likely to come to you when looking for products or services related to your industry.
3. Improved Social Media Engagement
Blogging for business can also help you improve your social media engagement. Each time you publish a new blog post, you have the opportunity to share it on social media and drive traffic back to your site. In addition, if people like your blog post, they may share it with their followers, which can help to increase your reach and visibility.
4. More Opportunities for Lead Generation
Another significant benefit of blogging is that it provides more opportunities for lead generation.
If you include a call-to-action (CTA) in your blog posts, people who are interested in your product or service will be able to easily get in touch with you. This can lead to more sales and revenue for your business.
5. Improved Brand Awareness
If you write informative and interesting blog posts, people will begin to see your brand as a trusted source of information. This can help to build brand loyalty and, ultimately, increase sales.
And not just potential customers benefit from reading your blog posts.
Blogging for business can also help to attract new talent to your company. By writing about the culture and values of your business, you can give potential employees a glimpse of what it would be like to work for you.
The Bottom Line
Blogging is still an essential and successful tactic for businesses in 2023.
Even though personal blogging is on the decline, businesses can still benefit from improved SEO, increased thought leadership, improved social media engagement, more opportunities for lead generation, and improved brand awareness. If you’re not already blogging for your small business, now is the time to start.
If you’re looking to improve your business through blogging, LocalBizGuru can help. We offer comprehensive local SEO, content marketing, and website design and development services to help you get the most out of your blog. Contact us today to learn more!