What we tell our clients.

When we are working with our clients to pinpoint what efforts are truly effective for them and beneficial to them, one of the major efforts we look at is blogging. Blogs can be a great place to share content with your audience, but there are a couple of things to consider when deciding if they are a good fit for your business.

Do you have enough of it? Will you have it a year down the road?

Creating content takes time, and time is incredibly valuable (and sometimes scarce) to small businesses. Are you willing to set aside hours, or pay an employee for those hours, to create blog-worthy content? If you aren’t, social media may be a better avenue for your business!

In marketing, a lot of possibilities come down to “Will my audience connect with this” – and a blog is no exception to this question. If you are wondering if a blog is a good next step for your business, you will first need to dive into who your audience is and whether it is the best platform to reach them through. What types of content would they connect with on the blog? How often would you need to create new, engaging content to keep your audience happy? Answering questions like these will help point you in the right direction.

When is the last time your website has been updated? 

Is your current website optimized for speed, performance, and SEO?

If your website has seen better days, this may be a bigger priority than starting a blog. When people are visiting a blog embedded into your website, they are likely to roam parts or the entirety of your website. If your blog is filled with relevant and engaging content that is not reflected throughout your website, it can cause users to leave faster and make your brand seem like a less credible source. Check out these 7 Signs your website is in need of a refresh!

What Good Blogs Are Made Of

You’ve put in the work and research and are ready to start a blog… now comes the biggest part – creating the content! 

Here are a couple of key practices for creating engaging blog content.

Today’s readers are savvy and know when they’re being marketed to instead of given valuable advice or information. If you want readers to truly connect with you, focus on quality over quantity; write fewer but better posts that provide real value for your readers instead of churning out multiple low-quality pieces just for the sake of having something posted every day. This will require extra effort on your part but it will pay off in the long run by building trust with your audience and enhancing your reputation as an authority figure in your industry.

Visual elements such as images, graphics, infographics, charts, etc., can help break up long blocks of text, making them easier for readers to digest and understand. Moreover, visuals can also make a blog post more engaging; after all, Smart Insights did find that 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual! So when creating visual elements for your blog posts, think about how they can enhance the overall message you’re trying to convey while still providing value for your reader.

Video content is becoming an increasingly popular way to engage readers and convey information. In fact, according to WordStream, more video content is being uploaded in 30 days than what major television networks in the US have created in the past 30 years! Videos allow you to create dynamic content that is both easy to consume and visually appealing. Additionally, videos can help boost your SEO rankings as they have a longer shelf life than text-based content.

Conclusion

When it comes to writing blogs for your business in 2023, it really isn’t a one size fits all option. By considering foundational focuses like your time, audience, and current website – a business can better determine if a blog is a sustainable choice for their brand. If blogging is a great fit, focus on quality over quantity; utilize video content; and incorporate visual elements whenever possible. Doing so will not only help engage readers but also boost engagement rates and build trust with them—all essential components for successful blogging in today’s digital landscape! With these tips in mind—and a little hard work—you can make a confident and educated decision if you will [or won’t] be blogging in 2023!