Benefits of Blogs For Business Marketing | Business Marketing

After the advent of the World Wide Web the next big fad was blogging. Suddenly everybody from home-makers, young mothers, businessmen, and grandparents were blogging. Personal blogs sprung up dime a dozen all over the internet, leading to a blogging network of similar blogs and bloggers. The word ?blog? sprung from the term ?web log? coined by Jorn Barger in 1997. The blogging boom began with the appearance of easy-to-use blogging software developed in 1999.

What exactly is a blog?

A blog is an online journal that can be updated at your convenience. You can have a personal blog, like keeping a diary open for public viewing or a business blog maintained in order to have a platform to discuss business-related topics and share your expertise online with potential customers, interested clients, or your employees.

7 Marketing benefits of having a business blog

Having a business blog can have several advantages for a small business on a tight marketing budget. If you do not have web designing know-how, a blog is a great alternative that offers free setup and easy maintenance.

You can offer helpful hints and promote your own products, upload instructional or demonstrational videos on to your blog. You can build a subscriber base using your blog, and generate leads by notifying your followers when you have new content up. Google?s Blogger allows for Google AdWords to post ads on related products or services in your blogging space, giving you the option of passive earnings through affiliate marketing. Listed here are 7 important benefits blogging offers to business marketing:

1. Low-cost internet marketing tool: Opening a blogging account on Blogger or WordPress is free and you have the required software to be all set in a few hours. However, it is important to host your own blog even if you use free blogging software. Registering your own domain name and having your blog on your own server space gives you better visibility in search engine rankings.

2. Drive web traffic to your business website: When you have a blog and a regular following it is like having another website, but with reduced functionality. Your blog will rely on SEO articles, images, or videos. Your followers can be redirected to your business website if you have one, with the goal of converting interest or leads into sales.

Make an SEO keyword list for your niche market and base your articles and videos on these keywords. This will drive both natural and paid search to your blog. Include your blog URL in your social networking site profiles encouraging friends or fans to follow your business blog. This will drive traffic if you have a reputation for great information or expertise in chosen your niche.

3. Build your product or brand image: You can build your brand imageusing your blog. People reading your blog maybe interested to know what you do ? add your business widget or button to your blog. Write a product description or post an infomercial.

4. Maintain a customer dialog: Blogs are interactive, which means that your readers can interact with you through posted comments and questions on the blog (which can be moderated). This is your chance to weigh customer opinion, suggestions, and comments.

5. Gain new customers: Some followers may recommend your blog to others bringing you new business prospects.

6. Network with other similar businesses: All businesses run on internal and external networks. Keeping up with similar blogs and their articles can give you an opportunity to comment on their articles while adding value to them presenting your knowledge on the subject. A reader interested in their blog may click-through to yours to read more! These kinds of click-throughs are free and generate more traffic to your blog.

7. Great public relations outlet: In case, your business runs into some bad press your blog can be your chance to demonstrate a clean slate. You can make your stand clear or challenge a public opinion. As regular readers are aware of who you are and know you from regular online interaction, you have a better chance to garner support through viral means.

Source: http://www.a2ft.org/294-benefits-of-blogs-for-business-marketing.html

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