When you run a Google search, the results come in based on the page rank Google assigns them. Better page rank, better chance of being on the front page of a search result.
In order to increase your website's Google page rankings for specific searches your waiting public are running, consider adding a blog to your business's website.
How can a business blog benefit you?
There are a few ways a business blog can boost your Internet exposure to new heights.
- Your customers enjoy a stream of relevant and timely information. In addition to being known as a place to purchase a great product, become known in industry circles as a great place for free expert information. With all the content farms and spam companies using shady black-hat techniques to reel you in, it's a jungle out there. Your customers value trusted sources of information—especially free information.
- It lets you show your business's personality. Your website copy probably has a very official tone to it; a blog allows you to have a little more fun with your writing, giving readers a taste of your more conversational style. It's kind of like the difference between the customer service representative that can't seem to put the script down, and the one that talks to you like you're a person.
- You are able to target certain consumers by what they're searching. SEO is a tricky game—ignore it and you could miss out on simple best practices that can help you net traffic; give it too much of a priority and you risk sounding like a robot. A blog allows you to target specific keywords naturally by creating articles specific to the term you're trying to optimize for. In other words: Anticipate what your readers are searching for, write about it, and let Google work its magic.
- It's a place where you can interact with customers. Yes, you have a "Contact Us" on your business website—but allowing customers and visitors to comment, interact, and share ideas is a valuable source of feedback for you, and a valuable source of advice and information for your customers.
In addition to the direct benefits of a business blog, you can also take advantage of other blogs you might form a relationship with, inviting guest bloggers and developing good linking relationships.
Is my business ready for a blog?
There are any number of free blog sites; don't let your budget stop you!
Of course, something you do have to budget is time—if you don't have any to spare, you probably won't be contributing valuable or important material to the virtual discussion. Not only that; a blog performs the best and is at its most efficient when content is constantly updated. If you wait three weeks between every post, search engines may not find you as relevant as they would if you were posting a few times a week (and any readers you snag will quickly get bored).
If you have doubts about your ability to stick to a schedule, set yourself one as a trial. Aim to produce one or two quality articles every week, about anything your clients or customers might be interested in, and save them in a folder on your desktop.
After a month, if you have the collection of articles you thought you would, you can start scheduling them to be posted, and you'll have a nice buffer in case you have to go out of town or are taken ill. If your collection of blog posts is a little on the thin side, consider finding a freelance writer or hiring a content writer to help you make the most of your business blog.
SOURCES:
Sarah Kolb - Business incorporation and copyright registration specialist. Freelance book editor. Senior content editor/writer.
