(Newswire.net — November 19, 2014) Langley, BC — Online marketing is a valuable element for any advertising strategy today. Whether you operate a business or non- profit organization, having a website blog can be a valuable tool that opens up opportunities and draws attention to what you do. Feel too busy to create your own content? Consider hiring in- house or outsourcing to a ghost writer to generate content. If you haven’t already considered a blog as part of your marketing efforts, here are 5 reasons why a blog is a powerful marketing tool.
ORM: Reputation matters, blog posts can help
At the core, a major reason businesses and organizations should have a blog is to help manage their ORM (online reputation management). Blogging is a powerful tool and can help improve the public’s view of your business/ organization by generating content that represents it in a positive manner. If people are capable of influencing your business/ organization’s reputation, shouldn’t you also have a say? This content can then be shared via social media to further it’s reach and impact on ORM (more about this below).
Blog Posts= Great social media content (& drive traffic to you!)
If your business/ organization is active on social media (and it should be), it’s a great opportunity to share the links to blog posts with your followers. That way, instead of sending online traffic to other websites that you shared content from, you will be sending them to yours instead. This is a great way to encourage customers and potential customers to engage with your brand and hopefully click through your website (including links to other blog articles and web pages is a great way to encourage this). This interaction can be valuable in converting new customers and encouraging customer loyalty with existing ones.
SEO: Blog posts can boost your search results
Having positive content online about your business or organization is a valuable element of ORM. Blog articles are a great way to generate this content and not only boost your ORM in a positive way, but SEO results as well. When someone searches for your business online or relevant keywords related to what you do, where your business/ organization appears in search results can have a large impact on conversion. That is, the lower down in the results you appear, the less likely you are to engage with individuals interested in what your business has to offer. You can help improve where your business appears in search results by generating quality content on a regular basis that will appear in search results.
Blog post comments : Free market research
If your company blog allows for comments and encourages discussion, this is a valuable tool to help you learn more about your customers. By promoting comments and discussion, you will have the opportunity to ask questions and find out what people are looking for and interested in. It can be a great market research tool.
By asking your customers what they are looking for and responding with a solution, they will feel valued and listened to. This can then further your relationship with your customers and hopefully transform them into loyal advocates for your brand (a valuable ORM tool).
Keep current & position your business as an industry expert
By having to constantly think of new content, you will be forced to stay up- to- date with the latest trends, information, etc related to your industry. Knowing the latest and greatest in whatever field you are in can help position your business/ organization as a trusted entity that people can turn to. By following current events and being proactive in the content you produce, you can position yourself as an expert in your field, a factor that can differentiate your business from the competition. If you begin to garner a lot of attention for your content, you may be able to translate interest into new business; don’t underestimate the power of people sharing what they read on your blog (in other words: free marketing!).
Having a blog that generates quality content that reflects your business or organization in a positive way can be invaluable to your online marketing efforts. Even if you don’t feel that you personally have the time to write the content, hiring a trusted professional to manage your website blog can have a profound impact on how effective your online marketing efforts are. When tied in with other tools such as social media, the impact can cause a ripple effect, increasing your reach and engagement with your audience. Don’t overlook the value a blog can have on your business’s success; it can be a powerful tool that boosts your ORM and SEO, helping it to grow beyond your expectations.
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