6 Signs Your Small Business Needs a Blog

I’m pretty enthusiastic about the benefits that blogging can have for small businesses.

But I will also admit that a blog is not 100% right for every business.

In fact, one time I client hired me to write a regular blog for them, and after a couple months I ended up suggesting that they ix-nay the blog and start a newsletter instead. It ended up being a much better choice for their audience, who enjoyed the feel of being “exclusive subscribers” to something high-end, rather than just being one of many blog readers.

But for other businesses, a blog can provide a lot of help.

So how do you know which to pick?

How can you tell if blogging is the right marketing choice for your small business?

1. You want to improve your Google search rankings

Your website is obviously supposed to be the place customers find you online.

Good SEO on your main website pages can do a lot towards helping that happen. But there’s only so much you can fit on any given webpage without making your website (a) cluttered, or (b) unreadable.

That’s where a blog comes in.

You might also like: How to Turn Your Blog Into a Stellar Marketing Tool

Creating a blog for your small business allows you to target new keywords, add more information, and reach out to your customers in a way that makes your website much more likely to turn up in search results.

For example, if you are a business coach, you can write posts about work-life balance or growing your audience — both topics that your ideal customers will be searching for online. With each blog post, you can focus on a new keyword or search term, which hugely expands the reach of your website and improves your SEO.

2. You never know what to share on social media

Social media is a difficult form of marketing, and easy place to feel like you’re sharing too much or too little and none of it quite right.

And while there are ways to improve your general social media strategy, you still need to have things to share that aren’t just “we’re having a sale!”

Because no one wants 50 “50% off” notifications showing up in their Twitter feed in a row.

If you’re struggling with what to share on social media, blog posts are a great place to start. They provide content that:

is relevant to your audience
has variety
needs graphics and images
is highly shareable
directs followers back to your own website

A single blog post can be used on multiple social media platforms: teased on Facebook, promoted with hashtags on Twitter, given an eye-catching image on Instagram, introduced on LinkedIn, turned into a video for YouTube…

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Blog posts provide a great jumping off point for social media marketing, giving you interesting, varied content to share with your audience and redirect their attention toward your website.

3. You’re not sure how to launch new products or services

It can be tough to get the word out when you have a new product or service to sell.

Yes, you can share it once it’s released and encourage customers to buy it.

But a blog can begin generating buzz several weeks before your launch happens.

You can lead up to the launch of a new product with a series of related blog posts: posts that are on-topic, relevant to your product, and in fact encourage customers to think, “Hey, I need that in my life!”

Sarah, the blogger behind Yes & Yes, did a great job of this when she launched her “Put Your Money Where Your Happy Is” course. In the weeks leading up to her launch, she shared blog posts like “Money Doesn’t Matter If Everything Else Sucks” and “9 Surprising Ways to Avoid Buyers Remorse.”

These posts were advertising for her course, but they were also interesting, actionable, well-written, and full of real advice — exactly what she needed to show readers that she knew what she was talking about and that the product she was launching would be worthwhile.

You don’t even have to be sneaky about what you’re doing — in fact, it’s better not to be! At the end of each post, let readers know that your launch is coming up. Tell them, “If you liked this, you’ll love X Upcoming Product!” Then give them a place to sign up for your list so they can be notified the moment it launches.

Blog posts help you do more than release a new service. They give you a way to advertise to an already interested audience in a way that shows off why your new product is worthwhile.

Psst! Need a little more guidance on the whole editorial calendar thing? Or maybe you just like everything to be super organized and systematized?

Grab my free template to help you plan every blog post by clicking on the graphic or right here, right now.

4. You want to establish authority

Showing your authority is one of the best ways to stand out from the competition.

Authority builds recognition in your industry. It establishes trust with your audience. It turns your small business into a brand.

A well-written blog is one of the best ways to begin establishing authority.

Blog posts are a way that you can show off what you know. You can share your expertise and experience.

For example, I don’t just tell potential clients “I know about marketing!” I write blog posts that help them understand making sales through their email list and improving their Facebook ads.

Blog posts help your authority go from abstract to tangible, showing definite ways that your skills are applicable to your readers’ problems.

You might also like: The Big, Bad Blogging Mistake That’s Hurting Your Business

Yes, blog posts mean you are giving information away. But you know what readers will think in response?

“If she is sharing that for free on her blog, imagine how good the stuff she charges for is going to be!”

Establishing your authority through helpful, well-written blog posts makes customers more likely to invest their money in your products and services.

5. Your business needs a voice

Of course, in addition to authority, your small business also needs to connect and communicate with your audience.

A blog can help you there, too, by establishing your brand’s voice, setting you apart from competitors and establishing a niche for your business within your industry.

You might also like: How to Outsource Blog Posts Without Losing Your Voice

Are you…

quirky and irreverent, selling products like cat calendars and funky socks?
polished and professional, giving advice on financial matters?
a new best friend, solving relationship problems and work challenges?
dreamy and whimsical, styling romantic weddings and beautiful events?

A small business blog can help you establish the voice of your brand, communicating your style and skills to readers in a consistent and relatable way.

6. Your competitors are blogging

This one may seem like a throwaway, but it’s actually critical.

If your competitors are blogging, they’re taking advantages of everything that a blog provides for their business.

They’re creating a brand and establishing a voice, showing off their authority and connecting with readers. They’re teasing new products and services, generating buzz and excitement before a new launch. They’re improving their SEO and increasing the chances that customers will find them in Google searches.

Your business needs those things too!

If your competitors are blogging, they’re interacting with customers in a way that your small business isn’t.

But when you start a small business blog, you create a way for customers to read, learn, interact, and — eventually! — commit.

6 signs that a blog will help market your small business. Click through to read now or pin to save for later!

Know you need a business blog, but not sure how to fit writing into your already busy schedule?

No Hassle Blogging might be exactly what you need!

Imagine a whole month’s worth of professionally researched and written blog posts — crafted specifically for your business and audience — delivered directly to your inbox.

And then imagine that they came with images AND social media updates already prepared and ready for your to schedule!

But don’t just take my word for it.

“Katharine is a wonderful writer who is also reliable and detail-oriented — an editor or blog manager’s dream! I wholeheartedly recommend Katharine as lifestyle blogger and writer and hope to continue working with her in the future.”

-Alexandra Zamorski, Founder & Owner, Calamus Works, LLC

“Launching a start-up can be a daunting task both for the editor and the writer. When we launched Trazee Travel, lots of writers showed interest, but Katharine’s work, resume and qualifications stood out from the bunch. We were lucky to have a punctual, reliable and talented writer like Katharine to help us get started. It is a pleasure working with her.”