Many small business owners dismiss the thought of incorporating a company blog into their marketing strategy. While there are several common objections to writing off a company blog all together, one comment remains consistent: no one will read my blog, anyway.
This unfortunate (and entirely false) mindset can seriously set back business owners from reaching the full potential of a company blog. It’s true that you may have few readers at first, but consistent blogging is one of the elements that brings new readers coming back for more.
And you’re right: no one will read your company blog at all if you never start blogging to begin with.
So, who really will read your company blog? And why does it matter to you?
Search Engines
Search engines don’t absorb information in the same way as your human readers. From a technical aspect, though, they do read your blog. Search engines select the most relevant keywords from your post and use them to place you in the search engines and help drive traffic. They also evaluate your company blog to determine if it’s relevant enough to place in the search engines, and how your content can help answer reader questions.
There is one key factor to keep in mind for search engines reading your blog; you must never write your blog solely for the search engines—write to engage and educate your customers. Your readers can tell the difference between over-optimized blog posts and content that’s made to connect with real people. And guess what else? Google can tell the difference, too.
Finding the balance between writing search engine friendly content and blogs that satisfy humans is a balancing act. But either way, search engines are one of the many readers of your blog. Feed them with juicy content and watch your web traffic grow.
The Media
Before your skip this one in disbelief, think about it for a minute. Let’s say you are a local home improvement company, and a big storm recently blew through town causing extensive damage. From blown out windows to shredded vinyl siding, news anchors might look to interview local construction companies on their perspective of the damage.
If the newsroom doesn’t already have a connection to a home improvement professional, guess where they are going to look? Google. While they are browsing through websites for potential interview candidates, guess what they will probably click on? Your blog.
If your blog is informative and makes you stand out as a true professional, chances are you will get that call from the media.
There doesn’t have to be a disaster in your hometown for the media to recognize your blog. Journalists are researchers, and they’re always looking for the best source to dig up relevant and credible professionals. Even if you are contacted for a couple of quick and general questions, your blog can provide expert insight that the local media is looking to get.
Customers Who Are Comparing You to Competitors
In-depth product or service research can involve background checks, so to speak, on the companies in question. Customers who are on the fence about buying from your company or a competitor will likely browse around on your website to find what sets you apart.
A company blog is the perfect pedestal to differentiate yourself from the competition. You can showcase your industry knowledge and expertise on your blog, offer advice, and conduct yourself as the true expert in your area.
Not only that, but customers can get to know you through your blog before they even pick up the phone. We’ve discussed before with how blogs are powerful and influential tools that convert readers to customers, and this absolutely applies to snatching customers away from the competition.
Your Competitors
Be prepared for competitors to read your blog. When you have a solid blogging strategy in place, you’ll be giving your competitors a run for their money. They’ll have to strategize new ways to match your online presence and keep up with your content that reaches new business.
Competitors might use your blog to check up on you, but it’s a good way to keep them on their toes.
Product Researchers
If you target the right keywords for your company blog, customers can land on your blog while they are browsing for general product information. If your blog content is informative and engaging, it will keep those researchers on your blog for a longer period of time, which can help push readers through the funnel to buy from your brand.
Customers will look to your blog to provide credible and relevant data for the product in question. Add as much expertise and insight on the product as you can to help establish credibility.
Solution Seekers
While Google is a go-to tool for problem solving, your blog can offer the actual solution for your customers. Let’s say that you are a local cleaning company, and a customer is looking for an easy cleaning schedule that they can stick to every week. Your blog can outline a quick cleaning schedule that covers cleaning every room in the house Monday through Friday. This free and easy-to-follow schedule will give a quick solution, but the key here is to give your readers something valuable that they can start using today.
And when your readers are ready for a deep cleaning service or decide they don’t have the time to clean everything themselves, guess who they’re going to call?
Cost Inquirers
Some customers want to cut to the chase and get to the cost of your product or service. Understandably, sometimes this isn’t so cut and dry in some industries. There are multiple variables, different features, and upgrade options that can impact the final price.
To satisfy your reader’s curiosity (when your pricing isn’t straightforward), offer a general base price of your product that increases by a percentage (e.g. 10-20%) with each upgrade. This will provide some ballpark numbers on your blog that your readers can use as a guide.
The best part is that if you’re in the same ballpark with product and price, you might just score a sale.
Option Weighers: Pros and Cons
There’s a laundry list of search inquiries that include pros and cons of products and services. Customers might be considering your product or service, but need to learn information from different angles to make a sound decision.
For example, real estate agents can blog about the pros and cons of living in Atlanta, Georgia. Using their expertise, the agent can provide insights on the positives and negatives of different Atlanta neighborhoods. The potential homebuyer can use this information to choose a neighborhood that’s right for their family, while ultimately contacting that agency to purchase a home.
Customers Who Are Analyzing Buyer Benefits
Above all else, your customers want to know how your product or solution will help them solve problems or improve their life. They will look to your blog to research the “why” of your product, and discover how your company is the answer to their needs.
As you can see, there are customers from all walks of life who will read your blog. This list isn’t all-inclusive, but it gives business owners a solid of idea of who will be reading their blog. Now that you know that people are actually reading, you can start building your own blog that attracts these readers and convert them into customers.
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