Blogging is a content marketing tactic that provides businesses with a platform to share content and discuss topics that are of interest to their target audience whilst also growing brand awareness at the same time.

If you’re thinking of starting a blog or are curious about what benefits this could bring to your business then this post highlights 3 direct benefits that blogging can have on your digital marketing strategy.

1. Blogging Boosts Search Engine Optimisation
Business blogging ultimately adds content and additional pages to your website, something that search engines, such as Google, love.

These search engines regularly ‘scan’ websites for new content and if a site is being updated regularly then they will typically ‘rank’ the site higher than those that have been lying idle with little or no content updates.

Not only will your site be ranked higher due to an increase in keywords, but it will become more appealing to visitors helping to boost brand awareness and online visibility.

Anyone can set up a blog either via an individual blog platform such as Wordpress or by adding a dedicated page to their website which is solely for blog content. However, it is important to remain consistent with content uploads and ensure blogs are based on topical conversations that people are discussing as this will help to increase traction and grow organic search.

2. Drives Traffic to Your Website
Similar to boosting your SEO, blogging will expand your online presence meaning there is a higher chance of people finding your site online. This in turn, will result in an increase of brand awareness and more opportunity to reach potential customers.

Unlike advertising, blogging is not a tool that will immediately turn website visitors into conversions, however if blogging is consistent, then businesses can analyse their website traffic data and use this key information towards planning an effective marketing strategy.

3. Helps Your Business Remain Competitive
Taking into account both points noted above, if your website/blog is being ranked higher on search engines and more traffic is being driven to your website as a result of generating regular blog content then this will ultimately result in your business gaining a competitive advantage against those other businesses operating in the same market.

Additionally, as most businesses are aware of the benefits of blogging, you may find many of your competitors will already be taking advantage of this tool and so if you are not currently running a blog or creating content of some sort then this could put your business on the back foot.

So you want to start blogging but aren’t sure where to begin?

If your business is based in Scotland reach out to your local Business Gateway office as many run free workshops on how to set up and run a blog effectively and will also be able to help with advice on SEO and increasing website traffic/conversions. Alternatively do some research online to find the best platform that would work for you, begin brainstorming some ideas and creating a schedule and you’re good to go – it’s as simple as that!