Some business owners and managers are hesitant to commit to blogging. Especially for small business owners, it might not seem wise to spend part of one’s limited time updating a blog. However, with the ease of use of most blogging platforms and the potential benefits to your business, it’s almost foolish not to be blogging. When your business has a blog, you can…
Control the conversation
Customers have so many more ways to speak about their experiences with your business than they used to – for better or for worse. If someone comes to your hair salon and gets a great new haircut, they might upload a photo to Instagram, leave a positive Yelp review, tweet about it, update their Facebook status to tell their friends, or take any number of other digital actions. And that’s great!
But what if you give this person the worst haircut they’ve ever gotten?
They might upload a photo of this disaster to Instagram. They might leave you a terrible Yelp review. They might tweet or update their Facebook status about it. Basically: no matter what you do, good or bad, your customers will talk about it.
A blog gives you the chance to add your own perspective about your company. You can add your voice to the conversation that’s already happening about your business. By allowing readers to comment on your posts, you can also use your blog as a source of feedback (and some occasional constructive criticism). Blogging can also help you…
Increase your visibility
For a person to become a customer of your business, they must first know that your business exists. Okay, okay, you’re thinking, “That’s pretty obvious!” How are you making sure that potential customers know you exist?
For one thing, blogging regularly and generating fresh content can boost your business’s search engine rankings, especially if you keep SEO keywords and phrases in mind as you write. Additionally, writing on the latest news in your industry can help you…
Establish yourself as an expert
One way to bolster your brand’s reputation is to establish yourself as an expert in your field, whatever that field may be: from medicine to cosmetology to plumbing. If a customer is looking for a new plumber, doctor, or hair stylist, which choice will they pick of the many available? The smart customer would pick the person who seems to know the most about curing diseases or cutting hair.
By blogging regularly about topics relevant to your industry, you can prove that you know what you’re doing and become the customer’s “go-to” person for advice or news in your area.
But I don’t have the time!
If you’re still not convinced that you have the time to regularly update a business blog, think about what your current employees have to offer. Do any of them enjoy writing? This could be an enjoyable extra duty for the right person. You could also consider outsourcing your efforts — Buckeye Interactive offers blog writing services.
Does your business have a blog? Why or why not?
