Read my top 10 reasons why you need a business blog in 2024

Does this blog title sound a little familiar? If you read my blogs on a regular basis, it should! Just two years ago I posted a blog that shared the three reasons why your website needs a blog, and yet here I am in January 2024 with something rather similar. So why should you take the time to read this? It’s because digital marketing moves fast AND more and more people than ever before are using the internet. So, there are a whopping 10 good reasons why you need a blog in 2024. And the last one might not be what you expect. I’ve been guilty in the past for letting my blog posting lapse a little, but if you can carve out the time to write and upload blogs, you will reap rewards. Let’s take a closer look!

1. Blogging will help SEO

So, you have a website? Great! But if someone hasn’t heard of your brand before, how will they find you when they need products or services like the ones you sell? You need to appear as close to the top as possible in SERPs – search engine results pages. And that means working on SEO – search engine optimisation. 

This is where blogging can prove its mettle. Search engines adore fresh, relevant content so you need to update your website – unless you want your site to simply act as a shop front for your business then people only find by typing in your URL. If you consistently produce high-quality blog posts, you’re signalling to search engines that your website is active and authoritative. Use the right keywords too and you’ll move higher in those SERPs. Blogging is your sales executive in the online world… 

2. Use your blog to generate leads

Once someone lands on your website (hopefully because they’ve found you thanks to your SEO efforts) you need to turn them from a visitor into a lead. Every well-crafted blog post is an opportunity to convert someone into a customer. You can help overcome their pain points, make sure they see you as an authority in the sector and even answer FAQs. Try strategically incorporating calls-to-action (CTAs) so that you guide your audience towards the next steps, whether it’s signing up for a newsletter or exploring your product offerings. Blogs, when utilised effectively, become a powerful lead generation tool.

3. Use your blog build backlinks

Cast your mind back to point one – that blogging boosts your SEO. Search engines value backlinks, which is when you link to and from other reputable sites. Blogging provides the perfect platform to create shareable content that encourages others to link back to your website. Plus, you can offer to guest blog on other people’s sites and host guest blogs on yours. This not only improves your search engine ranking but also broadens your online reach.

4. Blogging can help boost brand trust

Fourth on our list of 10 reasons why you need a blog in 2024 is that blogging can help boost brand trust. When people search for goods and services online, they need reassurance that you’re trustworthy. In the pre-internet era, they could simply chat to the owner of the business and get a feel for you. Now, they need to judge you online and they may need to see your brand multiple times before they will buy from you. Blogs allow you to share your expertise, provide insights into your industry and showcase the human side of your brand. This transparency builds trust, a cornerstone of long-term customer relationships.

5. Blog to build industry authority 

If you’re smart, your blogging will also establish you as an industry authority. By consistently delivering content that’s valuable to your audience, you position yourself as a reliable source of information. Your blogs could even establish you as the go-to resource for helpful information within your sector. When customers see you as an expert, they’re more likely to turn to you when making purchasing decisions.

6. A blog could improve audience engagement

Try not to think of blogs as just a one-way street; they can also create a space for deeper dialogue with your network. I love writing opinion pieces and personal content for my website as well as more formal blogs with advice and FAQs. The more human stuff invites my audience to share their thoughts and they often do, sometimes by emailing me or by sending a DM on social media. Responding to those comments and starting a conversation can turn my casual readers into customers.

7. Use your blog to set you apart from the competition

If you operate in a busy market, you need to tell potential customers why you’re different and better than everyone else. Your blog is the perfect place to do that! You can share behind-the-scenes information such as staff profiles and your back story, or case studies and client testimonials. Anything that helps you tell people why they should work with you rather than your competitors. 

8. Blogs give you oodles of content to repurpose

Don’t just look at the time or money (if you outsource writing) that’s spent on a blog and think that’s all you’re getting for your investment. Make sure you blog content for social media updates, newsletter content, podcasts and more. Spending some time tweaking your content a little for different platforms will ensure you get excellent value, and it has two further benefits. Firstly, it ensures that your message reaches a broader audience through various channels and secondly it helps ensure consistent messaging across your marketing efforts.

9. Blogs are the gift that keep giving

Unlike some forms of content that have a short shelf life, blogs have a compounding effect. They stay on your website improving your SEO and helping convert visitors. The more content you have, the more opportunities you create for people to discover your brand. Over time, your blog becomes a valuable asset, continuously attracting new visitors and turning them into leads for you…

10. Blogs make you look at your business from the outside 

Whether you write your own content or outsource to someone like me, I bet the process makes you see your business differently. That might be because you spend time pondering your opinion on an industry talking point or because you have to think about how to share advice to someone coming to your zone of genius cold. But long story short, I never, EVER write a blog for Claydon Leveret and don’t think of a new angle for or message about my brand. It might not always change my direction or marketing strategy, but it can inform client onboarding or sales! 

So there you have it: my 10 reasons why you need a blog in 2024. In conclusion, if you haven’t started a blog yet, this is the year to do it. From SEO benefits to lead generation and brand building, regular blogging will enhance your online presence. If you’d like some help to leverage the power of words and take your brand to new heights, drop me a line!