What Blogging Can Do For You (And Your Business)
To a lot of people, blogging is a scary concept.
Why would I blog? What would I write about? Who would read it? Will it even help my business?
Let’s think about it in terms of something everyone in the business world understands- applying for jobs.
You know how on resumes, you have one page to show how great you are? And you think, “How can I fit it all on one page?”
You know how you hope and pray for that chance of a face-to-face interview so you can prove to that potential employer that you are potential employee material? To prove how much you know? To elaborate on those two-line descriptions on your one-page resume?
Well, a blog is just like that interview.
Your company website might show all your products and services. It might have sections dedicated to telling your history, focusing on your mission, or sharing your contact information. Your website might even show a little bit of your personality or company culture. But there is no better way to showcase your real knowledge and expertise than with a blog.
Earn Some Street Cred
A lot of companies use their blogs as a public relations tool, putting up posts about what’s going on within their company. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. In fact, writing about yourself is a great way to showcase your talent and expertise, but you should also spend some time writing about your industry.
Ask questions. Have an opinion. Show off a little bit.
Use your company blog to gain credibility within your own industry. When it comes to blogging and social media, it isn’t always about competition. It is about sharing information and learning from others.
Don’t buy it? Well, numbers don’t lie. Here are some hard facts from Technorati’s 2009 state of the blogosphere:
-71% of all respondents who maintain blogs for a business report that, through their writing, they have increased visibility within their industries
-58% say they they are better known in their industry thanks to their blog
-56% say that their blog has helped their company establish positioning as a thought leader within their industry
Not bad, huh? Who wouldn’t want to be considered a leader in their industry? And here’s a bonus- the respect you earn within your industry is only going to attract more customers.
Showing Off to Customers
Chances are most of your customers have been to your website. And you know what? I bet most of your potential customers have probably visited your website too. Why not give them more to look at?
The nice thing about a blog is that it gives you unlimited space to promote your company. You can use your blog to write about new happenings within your company, provide more information on products or services, or as we said before, provide some insight on your industry.
No matter what you decide to write about, you have the freedom to post about anything and everything that makes you look good. It’s a great way to remind current customers how great you are and to convince potential customers to bring business your way.
Wondering how your blog can attract new business? In Why Blogging is Good for Business, we gave the example of someone looking for assistance in health care billing. If your company has an expertise in that area, and you repeatedly write about it on your blog, the reader will be inspired to seek you out. How’s that for ROI?
Just Think About It
How often do you get to set time aside to think? We spend so much time focusing on the client (as we should), that sometimes it can be hard to stop and think about ourselves.
Writing makes you think. It makes you think about your industry, your company, your practices, your opinions (and some of the time, it even involves research). Even though you’re goal is to educate others, you’ll probably learn something along the way too.
Now, isn’t that nice?
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We know blogging can be scary for some people, but here’s our question for you-
Would you have gotten your job based on that one-page resume alone? Or was it that face-to-face interview?
