Why is blogging necessary when running an Online Store?
Why Blog?
There are so many options for getting your business out there in this modern digital world. There are chatbots, Facebook ads, email marketing campaigns, autoresponders, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. So with all of these options available, why blogging? Why is this method so essential to your marketing strategy?
Blogging does 4 key things for your business:
- Brings traffic to your website
- Improves your SEO rankings
- Shows you are an expert in your field
- Builds a relationship of trust with your customers
Website Traffic
For any online store to be a success, you need eyes on your website. You can't sell anything if people don’t know your products and services exist. So, that means you need to get people to visit your website. But the process is a little more complicated than simply running an advertisement saying ‘you should buy my products’.
People are bombarded with so many offers every day, why should they choose your store over another? Well, they should choose your store because you are providing interesting and valuable content as well as great products. You can share this great content on social media to increase the number of people who might see it. Once they click your link to read your article, it is automatic traffic to your website.
Picture this: Your average online shopper is surfing the internet and they stumble across a blog of yours. The content speaks to them so they read it. Suddenly they are on your website and looking around. They may even be tempted to buy something, or at least join your mailing list. You have successfully captured a lead from your blog.
Social media is just one part of the puzzle. The more crucial element is your SEO...
SEO Rankings
Getting to page one on Google is the ultimate goal of most online businesses. But for popular industries, there are so many brands trying to rank for the same search terms. However, every blog that you produce is another page on your website, and another chance to capitalise on a different search term. The great thing with blogging, is that you can easily incorporate long-tail keywords - these are the more specific phrases or questions your ideal client might type into a search bar - to increase your chances of being found.
By using the right keywords in your content, you will ensure that your target market can find you. That means your content will be more effective at generating leads because the right people are reading it.
Even if you have a small audience, we would still recommend blogging. Once people start reading your content and sharing it, Google will respond by improving your page ranking. Your content must be good if people are sharing it right? Posting a regular blog article will also prove that your site is active, again improving your rankings. Suddenly, your business is in front of more people and you are building a larger audience.
Showing Expertise
Now that you have the traffic, you need to prove to them that your business is worth their attention. You can use your blog to demonstrate your knowledge of your industry. A blog is the perfect place to post How-To Guides, an in depth explanation of your most frequently asked questions, tips and tricks for efficiency and how to solve common problems.
The content you produce should be relevant to your business and the products or services that you offer. It should also be interesting and engaging. Try not to overly emphasise your products as this does not make for great reading. You can subtly weave them into your content, but your main focus should be providing value.
People will read your content, implement your advice, and realise that it really does work. By generously providing valuable information and helping, they will soon see that you know what you are talking about. When they have need for your products or services, you will be an obvious choice to buy from because you are clearly an expert.
Building Trust
It can take between 5 and 12 contact points before someone is ready to buy from you. So you need to form a relationship of trust with your prospective clients. A great way to do this is by providing consistent blog content.
Having new articles to read every week or month gives your prospects a solid reason to return to your website again and again. Every time they land there they find out a little bit more about what you do and how you can help them. They are also getting helpful advice, or implementable tips every time they read your blogs. You are slowly but surely earning their trust.
People are far more likely to buy from someone they trust as opposed to a stranger. Playing the long game will work out better for you in the end. While it might take a while to build that initial relationship, you will see the benefits long term. If they have said yes to your business once, then it is so much easier to say yes again. You will find that you create long-standing returning customers with this method.
After reading all of that, do you really need to ask the question ‘why blogging’ anymore? Not only does it help to drive people to your website that might not have found you otherwise, but it also gives you a way to build a relationship with them.
CONTACT FUEL ABOUT ADDING A BLOG TO YOUR WEBSITE.