Why you need to start a blog

If you don't have a blog, you are already behind the times as far as internet marketing goes. Every online marketing campaign must include a blog, without it you will lose out on establishing your reputation and building relationships with customers. There is a lot of power in blogging; here are a few reasons why you need to start your own blog:

• Increased web site traffic and improved search engine rankings


• Increased attention from customers and media members


• Free publicity


• Expanded audience


• Building trust between your company and your customers


• Improved brand identity


• Reduced risk (less of an investment so you will not lose as much as you could with other types of online marketing)


• Make online sales without hiring a salesmen to generate leads


• Create customer loyalty

As you can see there are numerous reasons to join the blogging world. For most companies, blogs are simply a cheap way to generate leads and make sales. To become successful with blogging, identify your target audience. Keep them updated when you post new blogs. Have your existing customers sign up for an e-mail list so they can receive updated information and provide you with feedback. The blogs you post should answer the questions and needs of your customers. Gaining a relationship with your customers through blogs is a great way to keep them as a life-long customer.

Another great part about blogging is that you can post comments on other blogs and immediately increase your inbound links. This is a great way to boost site traffic and raise your internet page rankings with the search engines. As you post new blogs, look for certain keywords that will be useful in selling your products to your customers. The tiles to your blogs will also play an important role in your ability to boost your internet rankings.

To be successful with blogs, you need to post often. Some companies post daily while others stick to weekly blogging. It helps to post at least 2-3 times a week so your customers can find new information and so they don't dismiss your blog as outdated. The blog must also be well-designed. If you post on multiple topics, provide a side navigation bar where customers can search through the different previous posts and find the information they need.

A blog should be thought of as an extension to your existing web site, not another web site. You need to devote enough time to it as your customers demand. This means you must read through the comments and reply to their questions. Using the comments can also help you find new topics to post on in the future.

The power of blogs is that it can take an ordinary lead and turn them into a customer. You really don't need to do anything except post valid information that your customers deem useful. Even if you aren't using the blog to gain new customers, you can use it to build your company reputation. The media can turn to your blog when they are doing research for a news story. Other companies in your industry will turn to your blog when they need extra insight into certain topics.

Blogging really is a win-win situation, it won't cost you anything to invest in and the customers or clients can get all the information they want for free. If you are struggling to establish a blog, you can purchase blog software that will help or you can use a web site like Blogger.com to help you post your blogs. Everything is already designed in templates so all you need to do is post your information.