When we’re faced with a blank screen and an empty head, it can be difficult to remember the value our blogs have when it comes to communicating with our customers, attracting more traffic to our business and getting the search engines to list us as a useful, valid service.
Now and then it can be really useful to go back to basics and remember the rationale behind why you set up your blog in the first place, and take a look at just how many people visit, read, comment and make purchases from you based on what you publish to your site.
Check out the top reasons why your customers have come to expect a blog from you, and the value it can bring to them…
When a customer is looking to weigh up the pros and cons of going with a certain service provider, the more information they can access about the company, the more likely they may be to choose the firm.
In supermarkets, we’re drawn to brand names that we know and trust, and online purchase decisions are no different.
If you have a blog packed with information that is interesting and useful, your customers can follow you online and gain that same sense of trust, familiarity and security that we get when we choose products from brands that we understand and are familiar with.
In this day and age, more people are looking online to find products and services.
Your blog helps you to be easily located amid all the other competitors in your industry.
The more you publish, the easier you are for customers to find and approach for business.
We like making contact with people, and customers feel exactly the same about companies.
When we think of Virgin, we think of Branson.
Apple was Jobs.
Microsoft, Gates.
Giving a real, human voice to your products and services makes your firm more approachable and accessible, and opens the door for your customers to get in touch.
You can write in a completely different style on your blog than you would adopt for the rest of your website.
You can express opinions, use humour and let your personality shine through.
People who look through web sites are usually simply seeking information , whereas when they subscribe to your blog they are also looking to be entertained.
Blogging as a platform allows for a much greater level of personality than your static web pages.
These days, your blog can serve as a conduit to a whole host of other platforms with just one click.
Press a button and you can share your updates to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and a whole range of other sites and functions.
It’s one of the quickest and easiest ways of getting a strong message out there with no expenditure or effort, so your customers have regular and consistent contact from you.
Sometimes you may find that you have a recurring issue within your business that would take you a whole lot of effort to address, if you didn’t have a blog.
Say for example your customers are all contacting you with the same question?
Instead of addressing each one individually, you can simply pop up a post on your blog that deals with the problem, and prevent the recurring queries which one to one communication would require.
Most marketing tools are very much a one-way stream.
Newsletters, static web pages and leaflets all talk to your customers, without providing an opportunity for them to respond.
Your blog is designed to be interactive and encourage people to get in touch, giving your customers the perfect platform for asking questions, giving feedback and telling you all about what they are looking for, in your product or service.
When you blog regularly, you have the opportunity to structure your posts so that they provide a perfect pathway through your services or products in a clear, simple and accessible way.
Every time you upgrade your offering, offer discounts, or want to encourage your customers to choose a certain solution, all you need to do is blog about it and you’re automatically steering them through the decision-making process and making it easier for them to make a purchase.
In many ways, your blog is there for your customers.
When you write, it’s worth thinking about which one of these eight reasons you are addressing, and tailoring your post to meet some of these needs.
Consistent and regular posts can bring a whole host of mutual benefits, and over time your blog will become a valued and respected resource for anyone looking to find out more about your industry niche, before making a purchase.
If you are looking for someone to help you with your blogging, check out my Blogging Services page.
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