Hopefully you’ve read a few of my blog posts, and maybe have even noticed lately that I’ve been posting more often. This may have lead you to wonder: Why does Jim devote so much time to blogging? Is it really that important? Should I have my own blog?
Let me answer that right out of the gate: YES!
Blogging is an incredible tool that allows you to reach your target market in a new and exciting way. There are blogs from all kinds of different people: from pop stars, to large corporations, to me! Blogging is such a unique tool that most people and companies are jumping on board.
So what is so great about blogging, concretely speaking?
1. Blogging allows you to speak with your target market
Fifty years ago the only way a company could really speak to their target market was through paid advertising and if you were going to spend your precious marketing dollars on advertising, you had better be talking about how great your product is and why people should buy it. Today, you can speak to your target market in a non-branded, non-selling way that helps you become recognized as an industry expert and helps you gain trust within your target market. A blog is not just another selling tool (even if the goal in mind is to increase sales). A blog allows you to converse with your target market, talking to them about issues relevant to them and their lives (not just about how great you are).
2. Blogging makes you seem more human
Companies and corporations can often come across as inhuman — like a machine trying to sell you more products or push their services upon you — when in reality a company is made up of unique and talented people who are also consumers! Blogging helps to place the emphasis on the people of your corporation and on the humanity of your corporation, shedding a new light on your business. When people feel familiar with your company and view you as someone there to help them through life, not just as a salesman, you are more likely to establish a relationship with them. Blogging is the perfect tool to develop that relationship with the consumer, gaining their trust and respect. 
Are you convinced that blogging is a necessary tool for effective marketing in today’s world? Here are some quick steps to get a blog up and running:
- Create the domain for your blog. It should be something like yourcompanywebsite.com/blog
- Create two or three posts before pushing it live so that you have something to post
- Post an introductory blog post about what kind of things you will be posting
- Post your blogs to all your social media channels to help drive traffic
- Always include a Call-To-Action in each post
Blogging is a great way to optimize your website for search since many search engines scan for content, not just specific keywords. Want to learn more ways to enhance your search engine optimization? Download our eBook: 17 SEO Myths to Leave Behind in 2016 today!
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