With the rise of social media, live video, podcasting, and other digital marketing trends, it’s easy to feel as if blogging has lagged behind. But even in a world where there are “sexier” options, blogging still has a placeat the table.
The Benefits of Blogging
Blogging has been around since the dawn of the internet. And though it has experienced some evolution over the years, it’s largely remained the same. Other trends have come and gone, yet the blog has continued to serve as the backbone of any legitimate digital content strategy. Even in 2021, when there are plenty of other ways to create content, blogging continues to yield numerous benefits. This includes:
- SEO. Most business websites have no shot at ranking on the first page of Google for key search terms. And in 9 out of 10 situations, it’s because they have no content. They have a home page, about us page, contact page, and possibly a couple of product pages – that’s it! By creating a blog where you regularly publish rich content that’s full of natural keywords and language that your customers use, your website instantly becomes stickier for the search algorithms and increases your chances for ranking.
- Customer education. A blog gives you an opportunity to educate your customers about complex topics, technical components, or big issues that are occurring in their lives and/or your industry. It’s a simple and organic way to educate without pretense.
- Lead generation. A blog is an excellent lead generation tool. You can use it as an entry point into the website and then get people to opt-in via a subscription form connected to a lead magnet.
- Monetization. While it won’t happen immediately, you can actually reach a point where you’re able to monetize your blog through ads. You probably won’t get rich, but you might eventually make enough off your blog to offset the content creation costs.
- Authority. A blog is an excellent authority builder. Despite how easy it is to launch a blog, people perceive it as a status symbol. Much like authoring a book or podcast, writing for a blog gives you this level of authority that people respect.
- Skill development. Starting, managing, and growing your blog will require you to wear a bunch of different hats (at least initially). And through this process, you’ll acquire and refine a number of valuable skills that can be leveraged in other areas of marketing and business. This includes things like keyword research, basic SEO, WordPress, conversion copywriting, and lead funnels.
- Discipline. Blogging doesn’t generate overnight results. It’s something you have to stick with for several months and years. And in a world that’s defined and directed by instant gratification, there’s something to be said for cultivating discipline.
When you add all of these benefits together, the power of blogging becomes clear. It doesn’t matter what year is on the calendar, blogging will continue to yield significant benefits for those who commit to doing it the right way.
Is Blogging Still Worth It? [Smallbusinesstrends]
