Today, everyone has a website to showcase their products or services. However, have you found that nobody is visiting yours, let alone proceeding to an enquiry or a purchase?
What is going wrong? Well, it is not easy to stand out in the crowded online space. If you have a static website, with no new content, it will stay low in search rankings and anyone who does find it will have no reason to return.
The solution is to add extra content to your website regularly. This is favoured by search engines, pushing your website up the rankings, as well as providing a reason for prospective customers to come back.
Adding a blog to your website is a quick and easy way to upload this fresh content.
Make your blog informative and useful
Make sure that the content you post is informative and useful to visitors. Nobody wants to read a sales pitch. Your objective should be to build a rapport with your audience and show your expertise. After all, you are an expert in your business and what it provides, so share your knowledge. Each blog post will build your online profile as someone who knows what they are doing, which also builds trust with site visitors.
As your range of blogs and topics grows, more web searchers will see your blogs appear in organic searches, increasing awareness of your company and what it does. They may be drawn in by a blog on one topic and then be tempted to read more across the website. Your blogs can capture their attention and that is the first step towards building a relationship with your brand. The more people you attract, the more likely you are to draw them from an interest in what you do to a desire to buy and, finally, making a purchase.
Amplify your message
Alongside each blog post, consider how you can amplify your message. A box on your website providing an easy newsletter sign-up can start to build a database of people who are interested enough to opt in to hear more. You can send them a regular newsletter featuring links to all the latest news and blogs on the website – again encouraging them to spend time on your site. The more familiar they become with your website, the more they will see you as an authority in your sector and the more they will trust your brand.
Social media sharing
Each blog post also provides and opportunity to share on social media. This could be via one channel, or several, depending which are most relevant to your business and customers. For example, you could tweet the title of the latest blog initially, with a link back to it on your site, followed by further tweets later on drawing out pertinent points that people will find interesting.
A slow burn
Nobody is saying that your blogs will draw a crowd to your website immediately. However, if you commit to a schedule of regular, informative posting, backed with social media sharing, your presence online will grow. When visitors reach your website, they will find it vibrant and useful and they will want to revisit. Over time, they will progress from awareness, to interest, to trust, to purchase. They could even become ambassadors for your brand if they feel your blogs have supported them with valuable insights. When choosing topics to cover, remember it is all about the customers and what will benefit them.