Running an online store is not a walk in the park. It may be less strenuous than keeping a brick-and-mortar store, but it has its own set of difficulties. But with all the challenges to keep your online store afloat comes a simple yet effective solution. One of which is adding a blog to your online store.
Blogging solves a lot of problems that digital sellers experience. A blog can be very helpful, from lead generation to keeping clients loyal to your products or services.
And yet, many business owners do not appreciate its value and miss great opportunities to grow their businesses. This post will look at five compelling reasons to add a blog to your website.
But first, let's get to know what a blog is.
What Is a Blog?
The word blog came from the words 'web' and 'log'. It is a specific type of website initially likened to a diary where one logs their Activity of Daily Living (ADL). Over time, blogs came to serve more than just a journal of hobbies and whatnot. It has since become a venue for individuals to educate, share insights, and provide updates. It also plays a major role in the business world.
Unlike general websites, which are usually static, blogs are regularly updated to provide a constant stream of fresh content.
With that said, let's discuss why you should add a blog to your online business.
To Boost Website Traffic
Blogs are an excellent way to gather potential customers around your business website. You can extensively feature your products or services in the blog section of your website. From your blog, anyone looking for your products picks up useful information for the decision-making phase of their buying journey.
Moreover, since blogs are more flexible and host wider content, you can post articles beyond the products you sell. For example, your blog can discuss common client issues and solutions to recurring problems that your clients experience. You can also write useful information on topics relevant to your industry.
Take a look at an example. If you sell pet supplies, your blog can go beyond product features to include content such as 'How to Groom Your Pet'. Doing so draws a broader range of readers to your site who are potential customers. The gist is that each content you make is a chance to widen your reach and follow more leads with more traffic.
To sum it up, blogs drive more traffic and generate more leads. In the marketing world, lead generation is huge and one that marketers put a premium on. Blogging offers it for free!
Blogging Helps in Ranking Higher
Blogs help improve your SEO optimisation. Anyone running an online business knows the importance of search engine optimisation. A highly optimised web page can rank well on search engines. Ranking higher in search results can spell many differences, given that there are a gazillion websites on the internet for one niche. Where your web page lands versus your competitors can make or break your online business.
So how does a blog help improve your site's position?
As we mentioned, because a blog attracts more traffic to your website, search engines pick up this influx of visitors. Google and other search engines equate high traffic to content relevance. As a result, they will place your site higher in the search results.
Another reason a blog helps boost traffic is that search engines look for constantly updated sites with new content. And with a blog being more dynamic than the rest of the site pages, adding a blog further helps with website ranking.
And here's a pro tip: the rule of thumb for how often you should update your blog content is to do it twice a week.
To Boost Sales
The end goal of any business is sales. And anything that leads to sales is always worthy of a chance. Since blogs can capture a wider audience, from ready buyers to curious readers, brand awareness increases, and this gets you one step closer to drawing in more sales. Inarguably, increased sales are a natural consequence of a broader website reach.
And while we're speaking of a brand, let's also pay attention to how blogging can help cement your brand identity.
To Establish a Strong Brand Identity Online
Business owners are fighting neck to neck to gain dominance in the digital space. While feeding the algorithm contributes greatly, this isn't enough. You must build a strong brand identity for your business to succeed in the online world. One that sets you apart from your competitors. Once you have created your identity, showcase it to your target clients. And what's the best way to do so? Blogs.
Nothing beats blogging in terms of expressing your brand identity. A blog can easily capture the tone and personality of your brand through creative visual means. Through it, people can relate to your brand and recognise your business at a glance. Consequently, you will gain a following of avid readers and loyal customers.
Hence, make a name for your business through the appealing expression of your brand in the blog section.
To Keep Customers Informed and Engaged
Once you've gained a following, your next task is to keep them hooked. To do so, you must provide your customers with fresh, informative, and useful content. A blog is a perfect avenue to keep your customers informed and engaged. Got any announcements? A policy change, perhaps? Or is there a great deal coming their way? A blog holds all of it. Are you hosting a community event? Let them know on your blog. Blogging helps you build a community with your loyal customers. And from them comes more leads through shares and word of mouth.
With blogging proven to be a beneficial strategy in digital marketing, you can't miss out on it. So add a blog now and perk up the online presence of your business.
