By Maura Mazurowski

Every small business owner does things a little differently. There are many nuances to share about your business, how it works, and the value you can bring to customers. If you want to engage and grow a loyal customer base, regular blog posts can help you share that intricate and detailed message It can also create a foundation for an efficient content creation strategy. By “efficient,” we mean it saves you time and money.

We knew you’d like the sound of that.

Reason #1: You’re creating tons of content

When you create a blog post, you’re doing all kinds of research. That may include interviews with experts or clients, photography, and data mining. At the end, you have hundreds of words, dozens of photos and cool stats you can break down and use for other content. We’re talking social media posts, web graphics, and appeal letter themes. Think of it as a bank of material that you’re adding to. If you’re strategic, you’re creating blog posts way ahead of campaigns you typically scramble to collect content for.

Blogging helps reduce overall marketing spend by more than 60% – Lyft Marketing

Got a holiday campaign you’re pushing out in December? Work in October and November on blog posts that will force you to collect content related to the campaign. Not only will your blog posts set the stage for your clients, but it will fill your toolbox when it’s time to create those emails, update your Facebook banner, and develop click-worthy squares for Instagram.

TIP: For some people, blogging on a consistent basis means posting daily. That’s not likely in the cards for small businesses and nonprofits. It may mean one post a week or event one post a month. The key is to remain consistent so your audience has a rhythm and cadence they can rely on. They’ll learn to expect and trust the information. And you.

Reason #2: It shows that you care + you’re an expert 

Current and potential clients need help making the most of your products and services–just like you! Think of your blog posts as an ongoing “Help” center. Here, your readers will feel cared about beyond the phone calls and “FAQ” sections of your site. That consistency and quality will help them know that you are authentic; that you are passionate about the services you write about and that you hope your followers are, too. 

Businesses that publish regular content receive 8x more traffic

Authenticity on social media continues to be more and more important. It makes you, the business, seem more approachable, and in turn builds trust between you and your customers. Trust leads to a relationship. A strong relationship stays alive through constant care and communication.  

This constant care and communication does another thing: it makes your readers rely on you. You are the expert when it comes to their services and products. You are the expert on the subject matter your business addresses. If they think of you as the expert, why would they take their business anywhere else?

Tip: A dedicated blogger on or off staff will help you remain consistent. They’ll develop a knowledge base and a work flow you can rely on outside of day-to-day marketing needs. Together, plan on a realistic posting schedule you know you support consistently and take action from there! 

Reason #3: Google likes to keep it fresh 

Google is all about fresh content. They like to see visitors take time exploring a webpage, rather than click on a link and immediately leave. Readers are more likely to spend some time on your website if you regularly have new, engaging content to share. This is true for both new and long-time readers of your blog. Newcomers will want a wide array of content to scroll through, while loyal followers are likely to stay focused on your blog longer if they know they won’t be reading the same thing twice. 

Tip: Place links to other content on your blog within your posts. This will both help your readers explore your site seamlessly and keep viewers on your page for longer periods of time. 

So, how much consistency are you putting into your blog? If you need more tips and tricks on how to be consistent — or if you want to launch a blog of your own but don’t know where to start — we’re here to help.

Email [email protected] for help on all things content.