"Business Blogging Basics for SEO - Part 1" is the first in a four-part newsletter series that we're sending out to SEM Zen clients to provide some foundational tips on creating and using a business blog to generate online marketing success. We'll publish one installment on planning website content each month, and we welcome any comments or questions you might have.
Google continues to make revisions to its Panda search algorithm, and the latest change involves measuring the "freshness" of content. Essentially, Google is saying that
it believes internet users want to see the most up-to-date content, so relevant, current blog sites are now more likely to appear higher in search results.
WHY BLOG?
Statistically...
- Companies that blog have 55% more website visitors
- B2C (business-to-consumer) companies that blog get 88% more leads/month than those that don't
- B2B (business-to-business) companies that blog get 67% more leads/month than those that don't
And quantitatively, blogging...
- Strengthens your SEO efforts. The more blog posts you publish, the more pages Google will be able to index and display in its organic, industry-specific, search engine results.
- Establishes you as an industry expert and thought leader. Sharing industry-specific information will keep you top-of-mind while earning readers' trust.
- Earns customer trust. As many as 71% of buyers have said that blogs affect their purchase decisions.
- Helps you in engage in two-way dialogue with customers, so you can learn more about their preferences and needs, likes and dislikes.
But remember:
- Frequency matters. Businesses that blog 4-5 times a week have benefited from twice the website traffic as those that blog once a week or less.
- Optimize. Be sure your blog posts utilize titles that contain your targeted, industry-specific keywords. Is there a keyword phrase you haven't blogged about yet? Use it as your blog title and write about it. Take advantage of the power that blogs have in driving search engine traffic.
- Solve problems. Begin with a specific problem in mind and write a post that provides practical solutions – without selling your product or service. Solve your potential customers' problems with unique, sharable content.
- Build thought leadership. Showcase your expertise on a given subject. Communicate your knowledge and distinguish yourself and your brand from the competition.
- Engage. Create a space for calls-to-action. Your intention should always be to retain your readers and further engage them. Be sure your content and calls-to-action match. Hyperlink keywords to contextual areas of your site and create an easy-to-follow and pleasurable user experience.
Next month: We'll explore possible sources for content and time management considerations.