Blogs.

Have you ever wondered why some websites have blogs? At first glance, it may seem like having a blog is purely for the purpose of connecting with readers. While that is a legitimate and important reason for maintaining a regular blog, there’s much more to it than that. Keeping a live blog on your website has a multitude of benefits and functions for your business. Here are 5 reasons why you should have a blog on your website, and why you should update it regularly:

#1. To connect with your readers and potential customers.

First and foremost, a blog offers a way for you to connect with your customers, readers, and others who may have just stumbled upon your website. Whether or not your blog has a designated space for readers to comment, by consistently updating and maintaining a series of articles, individuals who engage with your website will feel like they are connecting to you through your articles.

It’s important to regularly update your blog for several reasons. First, and most importantly, updating your blog regularly shows that your business is relevant and active. From a consumer’s perspective, there is nothing more disheartening than discovering a website (through Google, a recommendation, or an old link) and finding blogs and content containing irrelevant information—or worse, actual embedded dates revealing that the content is months or years old.

Other important reasons to update your blog regularly:

• It signals search engines that your website is live and maintained, making them more likely to recommend your website.
• It challenges you to stay in touch with topics and information that are current and pertinent to your business.
• It encourages you to maintain and update other parts of the website, including contact information, hours of operation, and other important news.

#2. To offer legitimate (free) value to individuals who find your website.

Providing information is a critical part of establishing authority and legitimacy for current or potential customers. Providing free, valuable information to your audience is a service that sets the foundation of trust and value for any service you intend to charge for.

By offering valuable, free content to your audience, you don’t only help them—you also increase your own credibility in your industry. The value that you provide in your blogs is just a taste of the insights and value that you provide in your service, but it’s enough to help those who need information, who may bookmark your website as a resource for future use—and potentially, future business.

#3. To make your website more visible on search engines.

Writing a blog provides you with the opportunity to use keywords and key phrases. If you utilize SEO (search engine optimization) technology, this allows you to include potential keywords and phrases in your blogs and increase the rank at which your website appears when searched through various search engines.

Search engine optimization is an important part of developing an online presence that maintains visibility and longevity over time. Blogs can serve as the perfect vehicle for continuing to boost SEO on your website, keeping it relevant and easily findable for individuals searching for the services that you offer.

#4. To hold yourself accountable for special events, sales, business changes, and more.

Too often, when a company begins to experience expansion and an increase in business, events, sales, business changes, and other updates fail to be communicated to current customers.

Blogs are an important part of keeping your communication lines open with your customers, and they help you to remain accountable for any updates and changes that you make by ensuring they become part of your website, and consequently, worked into your website’s content.

#5. To continue developing your brand.

By continuing to update your website through blogs, remaining in communication with your customers, and providing valuable information at no cost to your audience, this provides the unique opportunity for you to continue developing your brand.

Just as your business continues to grow and expand, your brand can change, too. Your brand is the face of your company, and it is how your audience learns to recognize you in your market. Blogging creates the chance for you to continue developing and fleshing out your brand, determining exactly what you want to provide to your audience, and better understanding your own vision.

Want more information?

Do you want to know more about the best steps you can take to build your business into something that will last? At Graphicwise, we’re the experts—with over twenty years of experience in digital marketing and branding and a true passion for what we do, we’re happy to help create your vision with you. Book a consultation today to see how we can help.