Many clients ask why maintaining a blog is important for their business. Having a blog on your website isn’t in and of itself a ranking factor. Just like social media, blogging on a regular basis helps you engage and educate your audience while building an online presence to promote your products and services.
Every business owner wants their website to appear in the top listings of all major search engines. This can’t be done without organic/unpaid or inorganic/paid Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Organic search is most often the primary source of website traffic and blogging is the best way to increase organic traffic.
Blogging helps keep your website fresh and current. Search engines like Google want to deliver its user updated information. They determine which websites are the most useful and relevant by using complex search algorithms. Updating content regularly gives search engines algorithms more reason to index your website more often.
Below are the top 4 reasons why blogging is important for SEO:
1. Helps you target long-tail keywords
Focusing on long-tail keywords is a great SEO tactic. Long-tail keywords are keyword phrases that aim to capture search traffic from a specific search query. Identify and target 3 and 4 keyword phrases that are very specific to your industry and what you are selling. The purpose of long-tail keywords is to attract niche demographics rather than mass audiences.
2. Opportunity for internal linking
Internal links connect content and give Google an idea of the structure of your website. They can establish a hierarchy on your site, allowing you to give the most important pages and posts more link value than other, less valuable pages. So using the right internal linking strategy can boost your SEO.
3. Quality blogs give other sites more reasons to link back to your site
The hardest part of SEO is earning external links. For Google to see your website as trustworthy and authoritative, top, respected sites have to link back to yours. It is not unheard of to get external links without a blog, but it’s a lot more challenging.
4. Keeps people on your website longer
Someone who comes to your website from a blog post that shows up in a search result is going to have more reason to stick around and read the whole post than someone who lands on a page with less relevant information.
Entrepreneur magazine states that between 70% to 96% of your website visitors will never return once they leave after that initial browsing session. The easiest way to increase your chances of generating conversions is by getting those visitors to stick around. The longer a person stays on your website, the better chance you have to convert them into a customer.
Blogging is an inexpensive, powerful tool for all types of business owners. It’s the best way to leverage content and drive traffic to your website. It allows you to make connections and start a continued relationship with the people you want to reach. With the aid of unique content, long-tailed keywords, internal, and external linking, your blog will enhance inbound marketing efforts and attract more prospective customers.