Publishing Blogs on your Small Business’s Website can make a significant impact to your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) ranking and improves search visibility. But, as much as people preach the benefits of blogging, is it all worth it in terms of SEO?
It’s a conundrum for all Small Business Owners with a Website, especially those who are cost-conscious, strapped for time and low on resources. More often than not, the battle between producing products for customers, versus producing content for Blogs on a regular basis, is won by the former.
However, if your Small Business wants to make the most of its Online presence, then taking the time to write your Blogs should be a priority as it really will boost your rankings by a significant amount!
But just how are Blogs so effective when it comes to gaining those elusive ‘top spots’ in Google? And why are they something that YOU, as a savvy Small Business Owner, should indeed dedicate time to? Well, read on to find out…
Blogs Will Increase Traffic and Keywords
In terms of Search Engine Rankings, the more content that you add to your Website, the more chance you have of Google picking up these pages and listing them in Search Engines. This improves organic search visibility and increases Website traffic.
Blogs will also allow you to expand on your Keywords, which will improve Search Engine rankings. Popular Search Engines such as Google use complex algorithms to show the most relevant content to their users. Blogs improve your Search Engine rankings by displaying your Small Business’s specialities through fresh, relevant content full of keywords.
Attracts External and Internal Links
When Search Engines probe the Web for results, one of the things they take into consideration is the number of external sites linking to your Website. External links prove that your Website is providing helpful, relevant information. A well-written and vibrant Blog makes for great link bait that other Websites will be inclined to reference, creating important external links that make your Website more appealing to Google.
Blogs also serve the critical function of providing internal links to pages that are deep within your Website. Search Engines want to see that your pages reference each other and are coherently tied together. Blogs can reference your product, service and Business pages, and help create that internal linking structure.
Improves Customer Engagement
While good quality Website content has its benefits in terms of drawing visitors to your product and services, a Blog post adds a personal touch to your Small Business and allows you to address any questions that your audience may be asking regarding your industry.
For example, if you sell headphones, a common question amongst potential buyers might be, “Do wireless headphones have a longer service life than traditional headphones?” By creating a blog post about this topic, you not only educate the customer, but you also increase the chances of that person keeping your Business in mind when it comes time to purchase. It also serves to make you look like an authority within your industry.
Blogging provides another avenue to highlight issues and concerns to interested prospects, while also sharing what you and your staff are about. Blogs can also inject a bit of a voice and personality into your Small Business, building up trust and connecting with your customers all without the face-to-face discussion. The more visitors that are drawn to your Blogs, the more it will prove beneficial towards your SEO ranking.
Blogs Align Well with Social Media
It’s difficult to maintain an active Social Media presence without regular access to high-quality content. While sharing other people’s content on Social Media is great, the main objective should be directing those leads to your Small Business Website. In this way, the more your Blog posts are shared on Social Media, the more you increase traffic toward your Website.
In addition, Blogs provide content for newsletters or other online Marketing campaigns such as Electronic Direct Mail (EDM). If the EDM strategy makes sense for your Small Business, then create newsletters that share and promote your best Blog content over a particular period. This will get your brand out there and keep your readers or customers engaged. The more your Blogs are shared on Social Media, the more likely it is that Search Engines will pick it up and see your Business Website as a trusted source of information. And this means higher in SEO rankings.
Improves Conversion Rates
A Small Business that consistently updates its Blogs shows visitors that its cares deeply about its market and educating its customers. A Blog with high-quality content also helps build brand loyalty, further increasing your conversion rates.
According to statistics, overall return on investment is more likely to increase for Small Businesses that blog. The logic here is the more you’re Blogging, the more visitors will be engaged and that means a higher SEO ranking.
Google Snippets Your Blog
Creating a Blog will increase the chances of your content appearing for featured snippets and quick answers, which can appear at the top of Google’s search results page.
The benefit of a featured snippet is that even if your page doesn’t rank number one overall, it can still appear above all other search results — just like this Small Business below that specialises in making donuts!
Ideally, at the most basic level, your Blogs provide an expert level of knowledge about your products, services and the industry they cater to. On top of this, a Blog will also give your Small Business the best possible chance of ranking highly in Google’s search results page. So if you’re really wanting to make an impact in those Search Rankings, it’s time to get writing!