One of the questions we get asked all the time is “does my business website need a blog?” Of course, our pay monthly websites have the option to add a blog as part of the package, but is it really necessary? If you are thinking about adding a blog to your website there are a few questions that you need to ask yourself.
What Will You Blog About?
A blog can be an incredibly useful tool for two reasons. Firstly, it is a section of your website that can keep your customers updated with all the latest news and offers from your business and, secondly, they are great for SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) purposes. Search Engines and visitors love fresh content and a blog with regular updates will make your website feel fresh and relevant. A well-maintained blog may also make you stand out as an expert in your chosen field and that can be important for customers who are looking to use your business for the first time.
But make sure that you are running a blog that benefits your business and compliments your goods and services. Don’t use your business blog for personal opinions, to moan about customers or to complain about how hard you work!
Do You Have Time to Update Your Blog?
As much as a regularly updated and well-maintained blog will make compliment your business website, a blog without regular posts can make your website appear stagnant and unloved. If you don’t have the time to add content regularly then don’t commit to managing a blog as part of your website.
Have You Got Good Blog Ideas?
Don’t overthink this, you are blogging – not looking for a pulitzer prize. But it is a great idea to sit down before committing to a blog and trying to think of at least five good topics to cover. If you can do this then you will probably be able to continue to think of good ideas as your blog develops. It’s a great idea to mix up your blog between industry topics that interest you, promoting your business through highlighting successes and good old latest news.
How is Your Writing Style?
Your blog needs to be well-written. Of course you don’t have to be a professional author or journalist to write a blog but remember that everything you write will reflect directly on your business so, if in doubt, ask a friend or colleague to check your posts over for spelling and grammar before you publish them.
What Would You Consider a Return on Investment?
Time is money in business. We know this sounds like a cliche (and it is) but, like most cliches, it is true! If the time spent writing a blog post could be better spent promoting your business in other ways then perhaps it should not form a key part of your digital marketing mix.
Of course, Return on Investment for a blog is tough to measure but tools such as Google Analytics will soon tell you if people are finding your blog content, whether they are stopping to read what you have to say and if those people are then visiting other areas of your website to find out more about your business. You may not be able to equate blog activity directly to sales but a blog should demonstrate a healthy upturn in website visitors and this should lead to an increase in enquiries and sales.