Why is blogging such an important component of inbound marketing?
- It helps you attract the attention and interest of your target audience.
- It establishes you as an authority and a thought leader in your space.
- It improves your rankings which will put you in front of your prospects when they are experiencing a problem.
As a matter of fact, blogging has become so critical in moving your prospects along the buyer’s journey that HubSpot reports that 53% of marketers say blogs are their number one inbound marketing priority.
A fair bit of warning blogging does not bring overnight success (or revenues for that matter!) Blogging only works if you do. You need to put in the time and the resources to blog creatively and consistently.
So how do you maximize a blog?
Create content that matters
It doesn't matter how impressive your blog might be, if it doesn't offer anything of value to your audience, you may as well throw in the towel. You need to craft a content plan that is relevant to your audience’s needs. Your blog must add value – from sharing relevant information, to providing industry best practices, to solving their most urgent problems. Make sure your readers visits count.
Use the right SEO keywords
Though content is the heart and soul of any blog, if no one can find it then that just leaves you with a lot of words and a waste of Internet space. By finding the right set of keywords for each blog post, you can narrow down your audience and make the search for your content that much easier.
For example: When you blog about the growing increase of inbound marketing, do not simply put “inbound marketing” as your only keywords. Be more specific. Try “benefits of inbound marketing” or “growth of inbound marketing.”
Write about the audience, NOT your company
This is one trap that a lot of businesses fall into: Talking about their own companies. Put yourself in you target market’s shoes. Would you be excited reading a company profile or worse, a sales pitch in blog form? Keep in mind; it’s about the audience. Focus on their interests, needs, and problems. They should be the star of the blog, and your business is the trusty side kick, always at the ready to support them.
Grow your database
Including calls-to-action (CTA) can turn your blog into a source of quality contact lists that you can engage and convert into leads. But make sure that your CTA is relevant to your post. For example, if your blog talks about the benefits of Facebook marketing, you can include a CTA button that offers Facebook quick marketing guide ebook. Aside from going the extra mile to give your audience additional resource (and value), you also establish yourself as an expert on the topic.
Share
Make your content easier to find by sharing it on your company’s social media platforms. This way, you will reach more people and link them to your website. You should have to add a share button within the page so people can share them to colleagues, friends, and anyone who might benefit from the post. The more your blog gets shared, the higher your SEO ranking will be, and the more you will build your authority.
By creating a blog that is content-rich, easily accessible, and informative, you engage your audience in a more personal manner while increasing brand awareness. Talk about a win-win situation.
