Learn how blogging can help your business by connecting with your audience and increasing SEO.
2020 is almost over. Surely, people aren’t still reading blogs! If you’re reading this, then you know that’s not true. And OneStopWriter is here to dispel this myth once and for all.
Are blogs still relevant?
It’s a common misconception that blogging is dead. Many believe blogging reached its heyday circa 2008 and that it’s been downhill ever since. However, a live look at WordPress, one of the world’s leading blogging platforms, reveals a constant stream of global activity. Every month, 409 million WordPress users view over 20 billion pages. Yes, you read that right – BILLIONS! These statistics reveal that current internet users are consuming, creating and engaging with online content more than ever.
In a digital landscape flooded with paid sponsorships and endless advertising, it has become a bit like TV – we start to ignore the annoying interruptions. In response, organically created content has become one of the most effective ways to engage with your audience in a meaningful way. Words written for humans, by humans (just like the blog you are reading right now) continuously prove to be one of the most effective marketing tools.
Online marketers see relevant, engaging and fresh content creation as one of the most effective SEO tactics. Although we admit it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Blogging, much like everything else on the internet, has changed drastically over the past decade. The sheer number of blogs floating around online can create a sense of overwhelming competition. Even this blog about blogs isn’t unique – but our viewpoint is.
And, with an increased focus on video content, it might seem that less people want to read anything in writing. Well, we know this isn’t true. In response to such a saturated market, writers and creators have been forced to change their tactics by including videos in their online content.
Embedding video and social media elements has been extremely successful in driving user engagement. This multiplatform approach gives readers the best of both worlds – engaging and relevant content, written with integrity. Embracing other platforms has ensured that blogging continues to evolve,
rather than fade away.
Who do blogs target?
Simply put, blogs should target anyone who wants to learn. They are designed to give visitors in-depth information on any given topic. Primarily, blogs target those seeking longer-form content which teaches them relevant information about their search topic. In the eCommerce world, there is a dependency on digital platforms to reach customers. Therefore, blogs can be used to talk about your product and business, however, they should focus on providing your
customers with valuable information.
Providing current and useful information via blogging will make both customers and Google look at your website more favourably, although the potential benefits of blogging goes far beyond a marketing tool. Writing blogs for those seeking to up-skill is consistently popular. “How to,” is the third most common search phrase entered into Google, following “What is,” and “Who is.”
Blogging can also target those who wish to engage with longer form content and start a conversation. Such engagement can boost the ranking of your website substantially.
Why do people read blogs?
Blogs are an excellent way to answer common questions and solve potential problems for your readers. Providing information to your readers that is relevant
AND compelling is excellent. People want to be entertained and they want to learn. Write engaging and useful content that is relevant to your readers and they are more likely to stick around.
Additionally, when speaking to your audience in a conversational tone, they are much more likely to engage with what you’re telling them and follow through on the call to action.
Blogs are also an easy way to access up to date opinion and information. By posting regularly, your content will look more appealing to your audience as it’s recent. Users are more likely to trust a blog written in the past few months than one from two years ago. Successful blogs often repurpose and refurbish content to keep it current.
Moreover, internet users are increasingly distrustful of sponsored posts, advertisements and press releases. Statistics show that 70% of consumers would
prefer to get information about a company through a blog rather than advertisements (99 Firms). Therefore, blogging can become a handy tool for
online marketers to provide their customers with reliable and trustworthy information. They’re also used to start a conversation, especially if there is an
open comments section. This allows readers to feel part of a community and more likely to engage with future content.
How do blogs rate with Google SEO?
Blogging is one of the fundamentals of content creation that can directly influence your search engine optimisation (SEO). Yet, it is essential to note that not all blogs are created equal in terms of their optimisation.
Simply put, Google will penalise blogs that are poorly written and stuffed with keywords. Always write for humans, not what you think Google bots want.
Avoid the mistake of jamming in too many keywords. You’ll lose readers if your blog posts are just an incomprehensible brainstorm of buzz words.
If you really want to get on top of your SEO, it’s important to know what Google is currently penalising, and what they are looking favourably upon.
However, this is not to discount the power of SEO to boost your blog’s readership. When used correctly, blogs can become one of the most powerful tools to boost your SEO. Trawling through written content and digesting this information is one of the main tools Google bots use to pick up keywords and relevant content.
Great blogs read in a more conversational tone. They are either current or updated and aim to provide genuinely relevant content to their audiences. This type of content includes naturally embedded keywords, and when combined with the more technical aspects of your website (including hosting, domain,
and site speed to name a few) can significantly increase SEO ranking.
Quality blogs which provide relevant information (whatever your niche may be) will always get better results in terms of SEO rather than generic content overflowing with buzz words that turn away readers.
Updating your website regularly with quality content is another way to drive up SEO. Featured blog posts on other websites can also boost your SEO by
increasing your backlinks. Including other digital platforms, namely video, is another way to increase engagement. Online video consumption is growing globally and YouTube has now become the second largest search engine, following Google.
Graph from Marketing Charts
This impacts the optimisation of blogs significantly as those including visual content trend much better than blogs containing words alone.
So, are you blogging yet?
It’s clear to see that blogging isn’t dead – it’s simply evolving.
Blogging is still a powerful tool to boost engagement and connect with your audience. The relevance of blogging in 2021 and beyond lies with its construction.
Writing an effective business blog is as much about playing the online marketing game (embedding video elements, optimising for Google) as it is about writing engaging and useful content.
If you haven’t already, start blogging to boost your online presence and increase your website’s overall engagement.
If you want help getting started, book in a free 30 minute consultation with OneStopWriter HERE.
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