When it comes to your content marketing strategy, blogging should be home base.
The fact that there are 105 types of content is unsettling. As if we needed to be overwhelmed today. It's time to get back to our storytelling roots. It's time to blog.
Here are 15 reasons your content strategy must include blogging:
- You'll generate 3x more leads via blogs than through ads
- Blogging is perfect for SEO
- Blogging provides 4x the likelihood of being found in organic search
- 52% of marketers agree that blogging is the most critical marketing tactic
- Blogging magnifies your brand
- Blog posts help build a long-lasting content machine
- Your blogs are an opportunity for transparency
- Blogging showcases your WHY
- Google likes blogging as a content marketing strategy
- Short-form content still works well in many industries
- Summarizing key takeaways pleases your audience and boosts SEO
- Blogging is a long term strategy that isn't going away any time soon
- Blogging gives influencers in your niche something to share from your brand
- Blogging is affordable
- Blogging supports your other content strategies
Now, if you're still asking, "Why do I need blogging to be a part of my content marketing strategy?" Here are the top 15 reasons why, in more detail...
1. You'll generate 3x more leads via blogs than through ads
If you have an effective content marketing strategy, then the results you get from blogging will far surpass any short-term traffic from temporary search ads.
Yes. You'll generate THREE TIMES more leads via blogs than through ads.
So why break the bank when you can bang on your keyboard and flex those brain cells on the path to content creation?!
2. Blogging drives traffic to your website and is perfect for SEO.
Blogging helps you drive traffic to your website from social media and from SEO. Blogs give people a reason to return to your website over and over again.
We've got a Content Writing Checklist to help you optimize your blog content in every way possible.
3. Blogging provides 4x the likelihood of being found in organic search
You can't afford not to have a quality blog for your business. Companies that blog are 4x more likely to be found high in organic search results.
Plus, companies that blog have 97% more inbound links. More inbound links means a greater domain authority, which means all of your upcoming content has a higher chance of ranking via search too. Woo hoo!
4. 52% of marketers agree that blogging is the most critical marketing tactic
In a recent content marketing survey of 2,562 marketers worldwide, 52% of markters defined blogging as their most critical marketing tactic.
Interestingly, only 40% of marketers determined that email marketing and social media were critical. What about video? It was voted as "critical" by just 30% of marketers. So go ahead and buy into the video hype if you want, but don't ditch blogging.
Given the fact that there are 105 documented "content marketing tactics" to begin with, blogging coming in at #1 is a true testament to the power of the blog!
5. Blogging magnifies your brand
If you've got your finger on the pulse of industry trends and your clients' needs, then you already know that your company blog is the perfect platform to remain true to your brand.
In our recent content marketing teardown, we talked all about how Drift's content is as perfectly branded as their product. While blogging can help you acquire organic traffic with a variety of reader intents and awareness levels, it can also serve to solidify your brand on every channel where you share content.
6. Blog posts help build a long-lasting content machine
There's a reason why blogs like Hubspot's gets over a million visits through organic search engine results alone.
They've invested in their blogging and powered their way through to an SEO-driven content library, and now their blogs are working for them while they sleep.
Yes, you do need to prevent your organic search results from decaying overtime, but when you compare blogs with almost every other marketing strategy, they really do stand the test of time.
In order to keep your content fresh in the eyes of your readers and Google, you should:
- Use Google Analytics and/or Revive to find posts that are losing rankings and search traffic
- Update these posts with new images (including alt tags), add 100 - 500 words, and edit or remove any parts that are no longer accurate or up to date.
7. Your blogs are an opportunity for transparency
Among other things, Buffer is known for their transparency and willingness to share best practices. There's no better way to show your company's core values than through honest two-way communication, which blogging affords you from the get-go.
If you're a startup, then get on the path to sharing and starting those conversations early on.
Standuply is a prime example of how humble beginnings and failures along the way.
Mistakes happen, and can help build a community. Just ask Gleb Dvoryatkin, Artem Borodin, and Alex Kistenev (photo: left to right).
Authenticity matters. It matters to prospects and it matters to your existing client base.
8. Blogging showcases your WHY
Every brand has a "why" for existing. Why do you offer the product or service that you do? What do you hope to bring to the market? Why do you care? These values should be a part of your brand, and they should be infused in your website, but your blog gives you an opportunity to take it one step further.
Blogging can help you showcase your passion for the problem you solve.
You can do this best with:
- Employee or customer thought leadership
- Customer interviews or spotlights
- CEO thought leadership
- Manifestos or more revolutionary / call-to-arms style posts
9. Google likes blogging as a content marketing strategy
It's true.
Google decided years ago that longer blogging posts should rank more favorably because of the opportunities for relevant backlinks in evergreen content (serving as your blog's cornerstones).
The reader would have to, in turn, stay on said page longer in order to read the in-depth content, therefore establishing credibility for the site.
It's no wonder that bloggers are increasingly opting for long-form content.
10. Short-form content still works well in many industries
Yes long posts are great for SEO, but in many niches, short-form can still work, so don't feel downtrodden if you're not verbose.
Blogs of 500 words or less are still quite effective too. They can be easier to read, and are more standard in certain industries. Especially in B2C company blogs, or with blogs that feature a lot of images, you don't have to write long posts.
And FYI, StoryChief stays on top of Google algorithms and recommendations for you so you don't have to. Just create your stories and follow the guidelines along the way. Plus, AMP and Instant Articles are the way to go.
Story Chief will never lead you astray!
11. Summarizing keyt akeaways helps please your audience and boosts SEO
The "TLDR" has been widely adopted as a blogging trick of the trade as of late.
Much like social media, TLDR isn't going away anytime soon. So you might as well embrace it.
Urban legends tell the tale of the origins of the TLDR dating back to as far as 2003, which for modern day tweens are ancient times. The initialism stood for "too long didn't read," and was used by high schoolers as a text message reply indicating that one was far too busy to even justify a response more than "TLDR."
Oh, the travesty.
But all jokes aside, TLDR plays dual roles.
- It helps summarize your blog post into succinct one-liners for those people out there who don't always have the time or attention span to read long-form content
- It's an opportunity to jam in a few more long-tail keywords for your on-page SEO
12. Blogging is a long term strategy that isn't going away anytime soon
Despite rumors to the contrary, people do read blogs. They always have.
The fruits of your content marketing labor will be be worth it in the long run. Thought leadership takes time. So build up your credibility and be at the top of everyone's mind for in-depth material.
They'll even link back to your content as a credible source.
Inbound links are priceless. As important as it is to include some hyperlinks of your own in your SEO writing, the number of backlinks that your blog receives may be your lifeline to blogging survival.
13. Blogging gives influencers in your niche something to share from your brand
Influencers are busy people. They want to share great content, and they keep their social media feeds active by mastering the art of content curation. So why not provide them with something to share, so you tap into their audience too? Blogging gives you fresh content that others can share.
There are several ways to extend your reach, including but not limited to:
- The goldmine to be found in your personal and professional circles.
- Opening your blog to allow customer guest posts like Thomas Cook or Neckermann do.
- Inviting subject matter experts to guest blog for you.
StoryChief makes it possible to increase your blog's reach by 14 times with its referral marketing system built right in.
Never underestimate the power of the word of mouth.
14. Blogging is affordable
Yes, whether or not you decide to use the free blog provided by StoryChief, it is still possible in this day and age to blog for free on other platforms.
Level up your inbound marketing game by investing in high quality blogging. Not only will you drive traffic your way but you'll be able to repurpose your content so you're not constantly reinventing the wheel.
For content marketing teams, blogging is much more manageable and affordable than other types of content like YouTube videos or webinars.
15. Blogging supports your other content strategies
Think of all your forms of content as investment strategies, and your library of content as your investment portfolio. Sure, you have to diversify, but be sure to make blogging your primary investment.
Why? Your blog is like a content hub. You can use it to share the other types of content your're creating, like a podcast.
If you do create YouTube videos, you can also embed those in your blog posts.
There are so many other different types of content you might want to create, but blogging is still the pinnacle. It's the hub at the center of the wheel. Without a high quality blog, you miss out on the chance to grow your brand, increase website traffic, and promote your offers.
