Does blogging still matter? (kidding, right?)
There are already millions of them, we tell ourselves. And it’s true: over 70 million posts go up every month globally on the popular platform WordPress alone (according to Wordpress.com).
We know they’ve been around pretty much forever, the first “weblog“ harking back to 1994.
Plus, blogs today are increasingly information-rich and comprehensive, hardly the quick soundbites favored elsewhere on a website.
So do they still matter?
You bet.
Truth is, blogging remains one of the most important, some say the most important content creation activity on a website.
table of contents
In this post we explore:
Business blogging: it’s big and getting bigger
A larger picture: the trend to content marketing
Image via blogtyrant.comBUSINESS BLOGGING: IT'S BIG AND GETTING BIGGER
It would be a mistake to ignore business blogging, one of the most powerful and cost-effective business tools at your disposal. Consider:
According to content marketing leader Hubspot, 55% of marketers listed blogging as their top priority.
Users, especially B2B business users, increasingly rely on blogs they consider credible as part of their buying decision. DemandGen in a study found that 71% of respondents read blogs on their buying journey. (Podcasts were also used by buyers, but more in the earlier stages of their buyer’s journey).
According to market researcher DemandMetrics, companies with blogs produce an average of 67% more leads monthly than companies that don't blog.
The trend to content marketing
Blogging plays a central role in the trend to content marketing. This long-term marketing strategy connects with business users by publishing valuable and trustworthy content.
It avoids the aggressive sales pitch taken by push advertising, instead striving to be a powerful relationship builder and lead generator.
WHAT IS CONTENT MARKETING
Content marketing is an approach that engages users with experiences of all kinds, content of all kinds. Digital marketer Neil Patel calls it a form of storytelling
Content marketers concentrate on material that is helpful and valuable, that will be build trust and respect. It is the exact opposite of traditional “push” advertising.
While content marketing can take time, it excels at building a sales pipeline, keeping leads “warm” and in touch, and uncovering ways to expand sales among existing customers.
How your brand benefits by blogging
And this goes twice over for small- and medium-sized businesses and startups who may not have the deep pockets or appetite for expensive advertising campaigns.
Blog posts are personal and thus compelling: what drove the creation of this form of publishing was the passion people found in expressing their deepest feelings, and observations. Blogs, since the early days of 1994 in Justin Hall's Links from the Underground website, are by nature profoundly personal. That is at bottom why they work. People want to talk to people.
That said, the practical benefits of blogging are many:
Focus. A blog post is an opportunity to focus—on a single product, idea, insight, or campaign goal. The post can be a deep dive with all-rounded and well-researched information, or in the form of storytelling, or in interview or many other formats.
Google-friendly. Speaking of the deep dive, here is your chance to create content with significantly more Google-love.
Each time a new post is added to your site, you add freshness and value to your ranking…and Google likes freshness (be sure to clue Google that a new post has been added, so that your site will be re-indexed. The Google support blog explains that indexing process here.)
What’s more, there is strong evidence that long form blog posts have an especially important impact on your ranking in Google search results. In a 2020 study of 11.8 million Google results, the average length of the top 10 listings was 1447 words. Others hold that around 2100 words is optimal for search engines. Bottom line, a long form piece seems to significantly raise your chance of being seen on Google.
Niche-friendly. This is a chance to explore a niche, connect with new or trending customer interests. A bonus: this sharp focus gives Google a crystal clear signal about your intended audience.
Reputation. Blogging can powerfully establish your brand identity. It is a powerful form of reputation-building, entirely under your own control.
Authority. If written with integrity and research, blogging consistently identifies you as an authority, an expert in your field.
Shareability. Unique, researched and compelling blog posts are eminently shareable. And shared content is golden; it builds awareness and encourages links back to your site. (backlinks to your website are one of the most valuable factors driving higher ranking on Google).
Guest posting. Once your blog reputation begins to get traction, capitalize by reaching out as a guest blogger on other sites. It’s an effective form of blogger networking, and pays off in many ways.
The challenge: creating quality CONTENT
None of these benefits, of course, come without effort and a strategic plan. For one thing, there is that formidable breadth of competition we mentioned!
To sustain a flow of highly competitive content, a web content team needs a process to:
Plan content that aligns with your business goals
Create a content strategy
Design a content creation workflow
Govern the process from beginning to end
This process deserves a conversation all its own, a subject we will discuss in a future post.
That said, where will the bandwidth come from?
Within larger firms, a content strategy role is becoming common. This role is sometimes tasked to a dedicated person or team, while in other companies it is integrated into marketing and communications groups.
For small- and medium-sized businesses, working with agencies like Hungry Monster may be a more effective way to compete right away.