Blogging is the most critical content marketing tactic for 2018-2019.
52% of respondents on a recent content marketing survey agreed that blogging is their most critical content marketing tactic.
Blogging was followed by email newsletters (40%), social media content (40%), then ebooks, in-person events, and webinars. And video? Only 30% of respondents consider video to be vital.
The lesson here? Blogging is one-up on social.
Interacting with your customers doesn't have to be done exclusively on social media. Your blog offers a great opportunity for you to start discussions with your readers.
Some great ways to start a conversation are:
· Have an open comments section. This allows your audience to comment and give feedback on the blog posts themselves. You can learn how to configure your HubSpot blog comments here.
· Encourage your readers to share a post they like. This can be enabled with options to share on social media or email to a friend/colleague.
· Link to forums. If comment sections aren't a viable option, then linking to a forum enables peer-to-peer discussions on related topics.
BUT…Blogging is also essential for successful social.
Blogging and social media were once two different animals. Blogging was where you crafted your long-form, serious content. Social media was where you were less serious. Two different types of content.
Now your blog informs your social media posts. You promote your blog there, enriching your followers' experience with articles and other content.
Without a blog to promote on social, you're missing an opportunity to drive high quality engagement with your audience.
And let’s not forget your website…
Blogs have evolved into far more than a company mouthpiece for marketing agenda. Readers now expect candid, transparent storytelling on your blog.
They want to find great content that provides them with valuable information.
Where better to find this than from you and your website??
Blogging drives traffic to your website.
Your blog is an evolving collection of articles, keywords, and expertise that any reliable search engine optimization (SEO) campaign demands.
And you’ve heard this statistic before…as a matter of fact…we’re all guilty of it:
So featuring on page one of Google, and other search engines, is important. The more you feature in search engine results, the more traffic you get to your website. And you get there by using keywords and blogging. A lot.
The SEO industry couldn’t survive without words. Your blog is where your words go.
Not sure how you can produce search engine optimized blog posts? Contact me for help.