All it takes is a glance at Twitter to see that the written word isn’t dead. Grammar and spelling, maybe, but not the impact of the written word. In fact, according to HubSpot, 77% of Internet users read blogs and 60% of marketers have stated that blog content creation is their top inbound marketing priority. If that’s not enough, here’s a stat to drive the point home: the average company that blogs gets 97% more inbound links. Wow. So, the stats say blogging works.
Now we ask, why?
Well, you’ve been drawn to this blog for a reason—yeah, maybe it was the cool graphic, but with the hope that you read on, here’s three reasons why we think blogging is still relevant and why you should be doing it if you’re not.
1. Blogging feeds the SEO/SERP monster
The SEO/SERP (search engine optimization/search engine results pages) can’t survive without words. Because your blog is full of keywords, topical information, CTA terms, and, not to mention, your own personal expertise, this feeds the monster that is the SEO—thus, increasing the amount of traffic that comes into your site.
According to HubSpot and the Content Marketing Institute (CMI) there are some startling statistics you can’t afford to ignore:
· 57% of companies with a blog have acquired a customer from their blog
· B2B marketers who use blogs receive 67% more leads than those who don’t
· 52% of respondents on a content marketing survey agreed that blogging is their most critical content marketing tactic (with email news at 40%, social media content at 40%, and video at only 30%)
The blog can be, and should be, the foundation for your social media channels. Linking your blog posts to Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter is perfect for casting out a net to reel in your target audience.
2. Blogging saves you the big bucks $$
The only thing blogging costs you is time. Some companies spend hundreds of dollars on pay-per-click (PPC) ads to drive traffic to their sites, but blogging works even when you’re not at no cost to you.
Think about it, even your older blogs that are just sitting out there on your website in the vast wasteland of the internet could be found by a potential lead. Nothing wrong with a bit of free advertising.
3. Blogging builds long-term relationships
Let’s throw another stat at you:
- By 2020, customers will manage 85% of their relationships without talking to a human
Blogs bring out the human that can get lost in the digital world. They build trust and truly get people to read, engage, and with some luck, interact with the blogger themselves.
With all the “noise” that continues to circulate around the internet, it can be easy for an audience to get scattered. Blogging offers an opportunity for you to share your knowledge while also offering one central platform for open discussion and feedback.
Blogging builds relationships, your credibility, and enhances people’s feelings towards your brand while separating you from your competition. Meaning you’re one step closer to mastering your inbound marketing skills.
Conclusion
Blogging quality work, and blogging consistently, generates traffic to your site, saves you money and builds long-term relationships with your target audience. So, if the thought of sitting down and blogging makes you want to panic, think about it this way: use your blog, not just as a tool, but as an opportunity, to tell the story of your company and you. Tell meaningful stories, tell good stories, tell YOUR story, and the rest will come naturally.
