Is Blogging Really Still a Thing?
And Why Should I do it?
Yes, blogging is still a thing. It may now share space with vlogs (video blogs), TikToks, etc., but it has stayed the course over these many years. Think about the last time you did a Google search for a question – as opposed to a product or company name. Chances are, search results served up several blog posts after Wikipedia. They might be called articles or insights, but it’s the same idea.
Why do companies and professional individuals write them, and why should you? One reason is that searches will serve up your content. But also to build credibility, explain what they do in-depth, and generate social media fodder. The result is they generate marketing materials that can be used in many different ways, establish them as an authority, and even be easier to refer to. All this can be yours, too.
A Chance to Elaborate
Every time I work with clients on websites, they have way more to say about what they do than could reasonably be put on the usual About and Services pages. And rightly so – they are experienced and knowledgeable with much to share. But these pages are meant for people just getting to know us, to get the lowdown and decide if they want to know more, so they’re best when short and sweet. A blog post is an opportunity to say all that. Services can explained in a relatable way with stories. Why we do things a certain way or what’s important to us about our industry can augment learning the basics about us. I can often be heard to say ‘write a blog post about it’ when they protest all my chopping. You can even link to the posts from your About and Services pages once published.
Prove That You Know What You’re Talking About
Pros often have a really hard time conveying why they are great at what they do and why clients should choose them. But it needs to be done if you want to be chosen in a competitive market. Just saying I’m the best won’t cut it. Blogs and articles are great ways to demonstrate knowledge. They can be weighing in on issues, explaining changes to regulations, telling stories about how you solved a particular challenge for someone or even a how-to. Sidebar: don’t worry about giving away the farm with how-to posts. Chances are they’ll still buy the cow and hire you to milk it. Readers who’d do it themselves were never going to hire you anyway.
One Post = Multiple Ways To Stay Visible
A blog post can and should be shared. We need to stay on people’s radar for the day they need our services or have someone ask them, “By the way, do you happen to know anyone who does X, Y, Z?” Many of us struggle with excuses to get back in touch with people or to come up with something not too salesy to say on social media. Blog posts can be used to populate newsletters, as social media posts (one blog can yield many posts), or re-purposed (not identically) on knowledge hubs like LinkedIn. Imagine reconnecting with a prospect with “Hi there. I just wrote an article about that issue we talked about at our last meeting” when asking for the sale may be premature. Or, the follow-up email from a networking conversation, “Here’s that article I promised you.” They also make it easy for others to refer us – with something demonstrative to pass on. I’d be more likely to contact a referral if there were something to help me buy into them.
It's Not Easy, But So Worth It!
When people invest a little time and effort (maybe money, if they need help), blog writing can deliver a lot of ROI. They not only provide opportunities for human beings to find your content when searching on Google, but adding tasty snacks for search robots and keeping your website fresh will increase your overall website ranking. They can be used to position ourselves as experts in our field simply by sharing experiences and saying all the details that are inappropriate on other parts of a website. A single article can be used in many ways and may even help solve challenges in other areas of self-promotion and the sales cycle. These posts could even be turned into a book one day.
Don’t gate-keep all that brilliance. Let it loose on the world.