5 Reasons Blog Writing Helps Your Business Offline

Adding a blog to your web site is a good way to increase web traffic and perform better in searches. A blog adds fresh content and new pages to your web site which are then searched and indexed by Google. It gives a hook for people to link to your site.

All of these are important reasons to start a blog. But they are limited to thinking only about building web traffic.

Here are 5 more reasons to consider adding a blog to your web site to help market and build your business offline.

1. Increase visibility: Last month, I was asked to speak at the Social Media Breakfast’s meeting. How did this happen? My blog post on Social Media for Non-Profits was found online. This is actually the second time I’ve been asked to present to the organization, and both were spurred by blog posts.
2. Build trust: Recently, my name was given to a potential client. When I met the prospect for the first time, she told me she had just spent over an hour engrossed in my blog. I had built credibility and trust before I even met the prospect, and easily won the business. (And I know for a fact that I was not the lowest bid.)
3. Show expertise: Many times when a client or prospect asks my opinion about something related to web site design, branding, graphic design, printing, etc. I can refer them to a blog post. I’m able to send a link in an email response, or as a follow up to a conversation. Having a well-thought-out, already-written response is very helpful. It’s also something the client or prospect can read on their own time.
4. Become a better communicator: Organizing and writing a blog post is a very effective way to improve your writing skills. Those basic skills of building an argument, providing specific examples and articulating your thoughts clearly are skills we can all improve. This new confidence in writing will continue as you become better able to organize and articulate your position both in writing and in speech.
5. Understand the pain of your clients and the benefits you offer. Before I started writing my blog (in Jan 2009), I thought that I was able to persuasively tell a prospect why they should consider hiring a professional graphic designer, or what the benefits were of working with Visible Logic for their web site design, logo design or print design. But having written 136 posts (yes, I just checked) I have much more confidence and many more examples as I talk about the benefits of professional design. I am able to express my position from many, many different angles.

Some business owners will wonder if a blog will be worth all the time and work. (And yes, it does take time to do well.) As you start to consider adding a blog to your web site design, it’s important to consider the benefits that are greater than just improving web traffic.