5 Reasons to Blog for Business

By Matt Laddin

Blogs are like puppies.  Getting one seems like such a great idea.  You get one, and reality takes hold.  You’re left amazed at how much work, time, and attention they take up.  So should you blog?
Certainly, just as every home doesn’t need a dog, every business doesn’t need a blog.  But if you determine that it makes sense to take the plunge and become one with the blogosphere, the benefits can be significant.  Here are five reasons why you should.
Get Found.  
Developing good blog content helps with discoverability.  Search engines are notorious for changing their criteria for SEO.  Good, relevant, and ongoing content is a great bet for coming up high in search engines regardless of all the never-ending tweaking they do.  If you blog using WordPress, pull in an SEO optimizer and it’ll rate each of your posts for discoverability.

5 Reasons to Blog for Business

Your blogging workstation.

Who Are You?
Blogging works wonders at showing the world your business persona.  Your customers want to work with people, and your blog allows them to gain insight into how you think.  Don’t be afraid to show your personality.  Certainly, you’ll keep it professional, but you’ll attract more attention by humanizing your approach.
You’re the Authority. 
You work hard to know your stuff.  Blogs allow you to showcase what you know.  Let your prospects know you are the real deal.
Showcase Your Multi-Dimensional Business.
In most cases, there’s more than a single differentiator for your product or service.  Blogging is a great way to clearly define your most important attributes over and over again in ways that marketing pieces simply don’t allow.
Interruptions Be Gone.  
Want to make enemies fast?  Use “interruption” marketing tactics that annoy your prospects.  That leads to doors closing, and locks being engaged.  Blogging is a form of permission marketing and soft-selling.  Used as one part of an integrated approach, it can have significant value.
So are you going to blog?  Ask yourself what you’re trying to achieve.  When you start, make sure you write frequently.  It takes time to get noticed. Good luck, and if you take the plunge, keep on writing!

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