Social media isn’t just a tool for connecting with friends, following celebrities, and sending kitten videos. It’s also a business tool used to build clientele, promote your brand, and sell products. One of the best social media tools to use is a blog.
Blogs are great avenues for regular updates with customers as well as a running list of useful, brand-related, information. For example, a clothing company may want to include blog posts about the latest fashion trends. A bicycle manufacturer may want to write about bicycle maintenance, biking trails, or fitness advice. A dog grooming business could talk about pet adoption, pet health, or include news stories involving animals.
Here are some key reasons why every e-commerce business should have a blog.
1. Tell Customers About Your Brand!
Obviously customers can learn a lot about your brand simply by scrolling through your website, but sometimes your website can’t tell them everything. Your website should be succinct enough that customers understand what you’re selling, but also leaves them intrigued enough to try out your product. Having too much information on your website can be an overload and customers will move onto a site that’s a faster read. Your blog is where you can unload as much information as you want. Did you learn about a new piece of technology that relates to your business? Blog about it! Is your company doing charity work that you think customers should know about? Blog about it! Whatever is on-brand and of interest to you and customers, post it in your blog. Maybe not every single client will read it, but those who do will become loyal customers.
2. It’s All About the SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a fancy way of saying, “Get search engines to promote your website.” The better your SEO, the more likely you are to see your business as one of the top search results on engines like Google, Yahoo!, and Bing. A blog is a great way to boost your SEO ranking by including creative content, subjects of interest, and key product-specific searched words and phrases. If you don’t know SEO, it’s best to study up or hire someone who does. Achieving a high SEO is more than just throwing in a certain word a few times. It’s also about sentence length, originality of the post, and whether the article is informational or strictly promotional. The better your blog, the more likely you are to turn up in searches.
3. Sell! Sell! Sell!
Although a blog should primarily be informational, the whole point of a business is to sell, right? Use the blog to promote your brand and your products. Talk about new, cool stuff your company is doing or talk about a new item you’re selling. Be descript and concentrate more on educating customers rather than simply writing out a commercial. If you educate well enough, that will be all you need to convince clients to buy your stuff.
4. Have Some Fun
While your website content doesn’t have to be super serious, it should be professional and straightforward. Your blog, however, can be as whacky and jovial as you want it to be. Post funny stories, videos, photos, whatever! Create something fun that customers will genuinely be interested in reading. A blog is a chance to build the personality of your company. Do you want to be an uber serious business person or a fun best friend? With a blog, you can be whichever one you choose!
5. Blogs are Worldwide
Check how this leader in web design and online marketing uses their blog: Adelaide Hills Websites. Here is a good tip on how to use a social media content calendar.