Have you posted on your business blog today?

I read a blog post today by one of my favorite people, Rich Brooks, about why businesses need to make time to blog. It made me think I might need to remind you WHY you need to be blogging for your business (and post often!).

You know my primary message is that your business blog is and should be your hub or home base for your online activity.  The reasons why could create many blog posts so I'm going to just make a few points:

• A well-optimized business blog will:
• Create Massive visibility
• Reverse the client chase - help you reach a new audience
• Engage customers
• Get feedback
• Hone your unique voice
• Market for you 24/7 - Search engine magnet
• BLOG = Better Listings On Google (I can't remember where I heard this)
• Attract clients to call YOU, already pre-sold

Remember the Technorati report: Professional bloggers (including self-employed) stated the following benefits of blogging (reinforces everything I've been telling you for the last 5 years!):

• 71% have greater visibility in their industry
• 63% said clients have purchased products and services
• 56% say their company is now regarded as a thought leader
• 40% asked to speak at conferences

1. Using your blog as your hub, not only provides a presence on the web where you can go deep and intimate with your prospects and customers, it's also a money-saving tool.  A blog is far, far less expensive to build, design and maintain than a traditional static website that may cost thousands of dollars and tie you to a webmaster who holds you hostage, charging you for every update and making you wait until they have time to help you.

2. As I said your blog is your home base. This is where you create your point of distinction in the marketplace. Where you have the opportunity to demonstrate your expertise, expose your personality which gives your audience the chance to get to know, then like and finally trust you as you share valuable, useful content that makes their lives better. This is the forum to foster interaction through commenting and guide the public conversation toward private connections (email and client engagement).

3. And finally the third point flows from the second. When your readers like and trust you, they start to take action. They subscribe to get updates, they trade their email address for a free report or to get your ezine and then, when you have something to offer - a product or service - they are now much more inclined to buy. My business exploded when I started blogging. Because I was attracting more traffic, readers were getting involved with me, they liked what I had to say and they trusted me enough to take out their credit cards. This is the power of blogging for your business.

But it takes more than putting up a blog for it to be successful. Anyone can set up a blog but not everyone gets great results. Without a plan, you may think blogs don't work and that, frankly, would be untrue.

You've got to be consistent and constant and MAKE TIME to market your business with your blog.

So, have you posted on your business blog today?

Related Post:

Business Blogging Tip: You Have to MAKE Time to Blog (video)

Comments

[Earn Through Blogs]

Nice article about business blogging and it is very useful for better blogging.

[Bret Simmons]

Stellar advice. More small business folks need to be blogging. Just the fact that their competition is probably NOT blogging would be reason enough for me. Keep up the good work.

[Mike Consol]

Yes ... HONE YOUR UNIQUE VOICE.

There are so many companies without a story to tell, so many executives who haven't found their mojo. Blogging brings eloquence with time, and eloquence is sorely missing among the business set.

[Mike]

Great advice. I've long thought the blogging platform outshines the basic website format.

As for VOICE; it's a new concept for most biz owners, especially those new to the internet and social networking. It's just not something talked about in the offline world where most businesses still don't communicate regularly with their customers. I think the knowledge you bring to these people is vital.

[bebo Kobo]

I think business blogging is the tool to promote the story of your business online. Simply it's a matter of choice, the way you want your business to be...