So what are the benefits of a Blog for a Local Business?
You might argue that blogs are for online business only as their customer base can be anywhere in the world. You as a local business can only draw customers from a limited area. While that is true to a certain extent, please hear me out. Let’s check out some surprising facts and ways this valuable asset can work for you.
1: Your Blog is Hosted on Your own Real estate not rented land
Your website is the ONLY online real estate you own and control. You don’t own or control your Social Media accounts. By posting only on your Socials you are at the mercy of the algorithms which decide who gets to see your content and when. You are also at risk of having any of these accounts shut down or limited for any reason without notice. Leaving you with no online presence at all and losing 100% of your valuable marketing content. Meanwhile your online house (website) remains in place rock solid as ever. Your updated articles remain accessible for all your customers to read.
While the argument here is pro blog, that does NOT mean you should not be posting regularly on Social. Just don’t put all your marketing eggs in that one basket. Instead see Social Media as fun and engaging additions to your solid online foundation.
2: Longevity of blogs vs Social Media Posts
For this section I think this infographic below says it all.
Source: Content Hacker If you want to dive deeper into these stats then please check out Content Hacker’s Post on the subject. To sum it up however, Social Media Posts are fleeting at best. Add to that, only a small number of your followers will ever get to see your latest creation as it gets buried in the endless scroll. Blogs on the other hand remain searchable and findable for years on your site and on Google if written well. Again you might argue that your blog won’t end up in a potential customer’s feed like a Facebook Post but it may show up in Google search when your ideal local customer is looking for a service you offer. Why not have the best of both worlds by posting a link to your latest blog on your Socials as well? 💡
3: Local Business Blogs help Build Trust and Authority for Your Brand
Posting regular content on your Blog is a great way to build authority in your area of expertise. This is especially true if your topics relate to what your customer is looking for or is experiencing. Through regular blogging your business can become a trusted source of helpful information which means customers are more likely to contact your business first if they are looking for a solution to a problem.
4: Your Local Business Blog is an Opportunity to Stand Out and Differentiate yourself from the Competition
Ask yourself this question. Would you rather visit a Dental Practice which has loads of useful information on its website blog which answers your questions and gives great advice on dental care? OR one that has a website that only lists the services it offers and opening times?I think you’ll agree that even if you haven’t visited either yet, you’d most likely feel more drawn to the one with the helpful information.Because … they seem to know their stuff and are speaking directly to my problem.The same applies to your customers. How is your online content stacking up against your competitors?
The added bonus here is that people will be prepared to drive longer distances for businesses they have gotten to know and trust. This means you have the perfect opportunity to expand your geographical service catchment area.
My personal experience in this area proves this works. Especially if your business offers something unique that your competitor’s in that area don’t.
5: Your Local Business Blog can show up in Google search
Imagine YOUR local business showering up on the first page of Google search results.All because of a fantastic SEO friendly blog you wrote. 🎉 The benefit of a customer finding you through search engines is that they are already looking for a solution to a problem they have. This means they are already more motivated to buy as opposed to someone who is not yet interested in your offerings. (We call these a “warm” audience) This means they are more likely to call you for more information or book an appointment with your business. This is a perfect scenario. It doesn’t matter if it shows up for customers who don’t live in your area. The important thing is that you’re showing up for those who live locally as well. Organic Social Media Posts randomly target everyone which means it would be rare to have the perfect post show up in your ideal customer’s feed at exactly the right time they are looking for this information.
6: Your Local Business Blog can help drive Referrals from Existing Customers
When customers have a great experience dealing with your company then they are very likely to refer others to you. So why not make it easy for them to do just that! Having a content rich website for them to point to will help expand the trust factor and drive more new business to your door.
7: Local Business Blogs can help start a conversation and stay top of mind when they need you in the future
Finally (and I think this is the best one yet) your blog can contain a variety of different content types. You can easily add pictures, videos or even audio to it to make it even more engaging and interesting for your readers. You can also turn blogs into an ongoing communication channel by adding a Subscribe button to your regular email newsletters OR by adding a downloadable resource that supports the article. This could be in the form of a checklist, guide, Video explainer or other handy resource. Offering additional resources in exchange for a customer’s email is another great way to continue the conversation via regular emails or even text messages.
Are these good enough reasons for starting a blog for Your Local Business?
I hope this has given you some insight into the benefits of blogging for your local business even if you can’t physically serve all the customers in the world.
FAQ’s and Extra Resources
Remember – always do your own research to decide what works best for you and your business.
Do people still read blogs?
📌Ref:42 Blogging Statistics to know
Can Blogs lead to buyers?
📌Ref:Do Blogs Lead to Purchases. [New Data] Hubspot
Lifetime Value of Content
📌Ref: Lifetime Value of a Blog Post
📌Ref: How long is your content relevant?
