Does blogging get results?

Writing a blog is not a new practise, but it has evolved quite a bit over the digital era.

What started off as an online diary has now become an active way people and businesses are using to communicate with their audiences. Different blogs see different levels of success, and as a Copywriter and Content producer, many ask me: is having a blog for my business worth it?

Yes.

My answer is an absolutely resounding YES, but it requires a lot of elements to make it work, and you have to decide if that fits your goals.

In the end, blogging is an execution of your Content strategy, and a part of your overarching Marketing plan designed to communicate to your target audience to see an ROI, just like any other business activity.
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Let’s discuss more about business blogging and how it achieves results, so you can decide whether it’s a worthwhile endeavour for you.  

Blogging today

Let’s be honest right from the start: blogging requires a lot of time and effort.

Worse, it can often carry a stigma of being slow and dated when compared with the likes of Snapchat, Facebook Live and Instagram stories, all of which are hugely popular today.

However, people are always on the hunt for more information. There is an overwhelming demand for answers to questions, and your audience wants it immediately and in many different forms. That’s where your business can create the supply with your blog. Simple as that.

Blogging shouldn’t be seen as anything other than another way your organisation undertakes business. Just like all of your Social Media and EDM campaigns, blogging can be an effective communication tool if done right.

So, how do you decide if it’s the right execution for you?

It all depends on your business’ goals

Your business has objectives and KPIs that it needs to achieve, and your Marketing team looks to their toolbox to decide what to use to reach them. If regular blogging is a justifiable method, then fantastic! If not, then you use an alternative method.

For me, it provides a really effective way to meet the needs of both my customer segment and my business’ goals- hence why I pursue it.

You need to ask yourself: does writing content on related topics provide a level of value to my audience to the level that they will visit my website, remember my brand and engage my organisation for work as a customer? If yes, blogging is for you.

What does blogging offer?

When deciding on the right marketing activity, you start with the advantages and benefits it offers.
For example, blogging:

• Keeps me relevant
• Maintains a connection with my audience
• Offers my customers value
• Attracts attention and interest
• Improves my SEO rating on Google
• Draws quality interest
• Builds my brand as a Key Opinion Leader
• Gives people a reason to revisit my website
• Support my other communications
  
  

All of these things are absolutely essential to my business and definitely make it worth the time. This list is also not exclusive to my business alone either- in fact, these reasons are why many businesses blog in the first place.

Your customers make a lot of demands and have high expectations when it comes to brands today; and blogging ticks a lot of these ‘to-do’ boxes to keep them happy, such as answering customer FAQs and providing insightful information they actually want. In this sense, this is why an organisation may decide to take up blogging: because it answers those requirements in a practical and worthwhile way.

However, I find that blogging alone is definitely not enough. But as a supportive method, definitely.

Blogging won't stand up by itself

Now, I just mentioned that it’s not enough as a lone business activity, and that’s very true. Generally speaking, blogging is not a “if I build it, they will come” approach most of the time. It works best as a component of a larger Marketing strategy, playing a role like a cog in a larger gear.

For example, using social media amplification to direct traffic to a blog is a fantastic way to drive customer engagement because instead of rewarding their attention with a blatant advert that they will probably find intrusive and ignore, they may find that a blog provides an interesting and useful read that sends them through your sales funnel more effectively.

This means you have left them satisfied, and you have discovered a better conversion rate for a lower cost.

The purpose behind blogging

Of course, another factor in your consideration to blog is the purpose of it.

For me, blogging is a way I can demonstrate my expertise. After all, who wants to hire a copywriter who isn’t regularly writing. It would be the same if a business was advertising themselves as SEO experts, and not being on Page One on a Google Search.

Blogging is an excellent tool for me, and it fits my business’ needs perfectly. Hence why I do it.
Ask yourself: does it make sense for your business, too?

Yeah, but what about the results?

Good question!

Yes, blogging gets me a lot of leads. But I attribute that to many different factors:

1. I write a new blog at least once a week
   
   That regular schedule is an absolute must if you want your blog to have an impact and see ROI. Firstly, customers want new information, so giving them something different and relevant every few days keeps them interested. Secondly, fresh new content makes Google happy which improves your SEO and relevance ranking. Third, publishing regularly gives you the opportunity to stay current with the latest topics and news- no one follows a stagnate brand.
   
   
2. Audience focus
   
   Everything I do starts with the “WHO”, followed by “WHY”. By this I mean, I begin with “who am I targeting this piece at?”, because effective marketing starts with target customer and works outward from there (I always say: make the product fit the customer, not the customer fit the product), and “why would they care?”. If you ask yourself these two questions and can be certain that your answer will achieve your business’ goals, you’re heading in the right direction.
   
   For example, this very blog! Who? It’s you! My target audience who are interested in business content and writing. Why? Because you want to know more, and in the end, I’m a writer who can do this service for your business, so I’m hoping that the end result will be a win-win for both of us.
   
   
3. I select the right topics
   
   If people don’t care about your subject matter, they don’t care about your blog. Simple. So research what people are asking and answer these topics for them. Suddenly, your blog becomes their place to go to find answers, as opposed to your competitors!
   
   
4. I amplify to the right places
   
   Again, blogging and hoping Google cares enough to rank you is such a hard endeavour. So, use Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Google+ and so-on to push it out to audiences so they can find it. The more people who see it, the better your chance at achieving your ROI.
   
   
5. I’ve been doing it for years 
   
   Yes, it takes time. Blogging is deeply rooted in creditability, which is why huge blogs like copyblogger.com are so popular- they’ve been around for years and are extremely well known. Audiences trust their content and find them useful, so they come back, and this creates a snowball effect. Blogging is not a fast method, but it’s a really important one none the less.  

These elements make my blog successful and I get contacted for work all of the time because of it. In other words, blogging works for me and it is effective. So yes, to answer the original question, blogging IS effective.

Blogging brings in organic traffic

When I look at my Google Analytics, around 80% of my website’s visitors come from organic (non-paid) sources! 80%! This means that people are finding me in their normal search results, and I attribute that a lot to my blogging content campaign.

Just remember: visitors are one thing, but converting quality leads is quite another. However, for me, I get a lot of potential customers come through as part of this channel who contact me for services- all from humble blogging. This is a significant win for my business, as it keeps me in business!

But again, it doesn’t stand alone. Blogging can bring people toward your business and raise brand awareness, but there are steps you need to take to turn them into customers, such as a lead magnet (e.g.: an eBook) or a follow-up emails strategy.

But it’s not just my business

I know of many other organisations that use blogging effectively. HubSpot, the content marketing giant, uses their blog in so many different ways to reach their audience and I’m certain that it achieves everything they set out for it to do.

Other industry leaders, like Deloitte, use their blog to post relevant news updates and leadership information, because they know their audience wants this information and it keeps them engaged.
And the list goes on and on… you have Young Upstarts by Daniel Goh, The Work At Home Woman by Holly Reisem Hanna, forEntrepreneurs by David Skok and even Richard Branson blogs every few days to share his wisdom with the world. They all have one this in common: they blog for a purpose. There’s a method to the madness that makes it all relevant.

I have quite a few clients from different industries, ranging from medical to finance, logistics to real estate, and even tech to digital security, all of which utilise blogs to facilitate healthy relationships and nurturing campaigns with their customers- and in the end, that’s the tried and tested way to be successful: make your customer’s experience phenomenal.

Just remember- blogging is just one component of your content strategy and this is dependant on your goals. Blogging is still a valuable marketing activity, but just like any other, it has to play a relevant role and offer measurable results for your business.

How Can Melotti Media Copywriting Help You With Your Content?

At Melotti Media, we understand that high quality copywriting is essential for business success, but it is easier said than done. You’re time poor and spread thin, and writing isn’t your expertise. So, focus on what really matters, while we take care of all of your copywriting and marketing needs!

If you need further clarification about content, or if you need a quality copywriter to get the results you need, contact me now at chris@melottimedia.com.au. Or leave a comment, below.

I can sharpen your words to achieve your goals, today!

Christopher Melotti

Melotti Media Copywriting and Marketing Solutions
www.melottimedia.com.au
 
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