In today’s digital age, where online visibility can make or break a business, creating a compelling online presence is essential. One powerful tool that can significantly impact your online presence and search engine rankings is blogging. In this blog post, we’ll explore why you need to write blogs, what they can do for your online ranking, and provide insights on creating engaging content, using tools like AnswerThePublic and AI, incorporating effective call to actions, and repurposing your blog content for newsletters and social media posts.

 

According to a HubSpot study, businesses that consistently publish blogs receive, on average,

55% more website visitors than those that don’t.

 

This increase in traffic is often accompanied by higher lead generation and conversion rates. Blogging helps businesses to rank higher in search engine results, which in turn drives organic traffic and leads to better business outcomes

 

Why Write Blogs?

Blogging has become a cornerstone of digital marketing, and there are several compelling reasons why business owners with in-house marketing teams should consider it:

 

• Establish Authority: Blogs allow you to showcase your expertise and thought leadership in your industry. When you consistently provide valuable information, readers are more likely to trust and respect your brand.
• Drive Organic Traffic: High-quality, well-optimized blog content can draw organic traffic to your website. This is a cost-effective way to reach a broader audience, as it doesn’t require expensive advertising campaigns.
• Improved SEO: Search engines love fresh and relevant content. Regularly publishing blogs helps search engines recognize your website as a valuable resource, boosting your search engine ranking.
• Engage Your Audience: Blogs provide an excellent platform to connect with your target audience. Engaging, informative content can encourage readers to interact with your brand, share your content, and become loyal customers.
• Showcase Products and Services: Blogs give you an opportunity to subtly promote your products or services. Through informative content, you can educate potential customers and help them make informed purchasing decisions.

 

What Blogs Can Do for Your Online Ranking

Now that we’ve established the importance of blogging, let’s delve into what it can do for your online ranking:

 

• Keyword Optimization: Blogs allow you to incorporate relevant keywords naturally. Search engines pick up on these keywords, improving your visibility in search results.
• Backlinks: High-quality, shareable content is more likely to attract backlinks from other websites. These backlinks can significantly boost your website’s authority, improving your ranking.
• Frequent Content Updates: Regularly publishing blogs signals to search engines that your website is actively maintained and provides up-to-date information. This is a significant factor in ranking algorithms.
• Social Signals: Engaging blog content is more likely to be shared on social media platforms. These social signals can indirectly impact your search engine ranking.
• Long-Tail Keywords: Blogs can target specific long-tail keywords that potential customers might use in search queries, making it easier for them to find your website.

 

Important Things to Know About Writing Blogs

Creating effective blog content requires careful planning and attention to detail. Here are some key considerations:

 

• Know Your Audience: Understand your target audience’s needs, pain points, and interests. Tailor your content to address these effectively.
• Quality Over Quantity: It’s better to publish fewer, high-quality blogs than many low-quality ones. Well-researched, informative content will have a more significant impact.
• Optimize for SEO: Incorporate relevant keywords naturally throughout your content, including in the title, headings, and body. Utilize meta descriptions and alt text for images. Utilizing the Yoast SEO plugin can significantly assist in optimizing your blog content, providing valuable recommendations on improving on-page SEO and increasing your chances of higher search engine rankings.”
• Keep it Readable: Use concise, easily digestible paragraphs and headings. Make sure your content is well-structured and free of grammar and spelling errors. Make it skimmable too. 
• Engage with Visuals: Visual elements such as images, infographics, and videos can enhance the reader’s experience and improve the overall engagement with your blog.
• Consistency is Key: Create a calendar to maintain a consistent posting schedule. This helps keep your audience engaged and shows search engines that your site is active.

 

Using Answer the Public to Find your Topic

An essential part of creating engaging blog content is choosing the right topics. AnswerThePublic is a valuable tool for generating content ideas based on real user queries.

Here’s how to use it:

 

• Visit AnswerThePublic.com: Go to the website and enter a relevant keyword or topic related to your industry or niche.
• Explore the Results: AnswerThePublic generates a list of questions and phrases that people are searching for. These can serve as excellent starting points for your blog topics.
• Analyze and Select: Review the list of generated ideas and select the ones that align with your business goals and audience interests.

 

What to Ask AI to Help Create Your Blog

AI tools, like GPT-3.5, can be incredibly valuable for generating content ideas, expanding on topics, and even helping you draft your blog posts. Here’s how to make the most of AI assistance:

 

• Generate Content Ideas: Ask the AI for topic suggestions based on your industry or target keywords.
• Expand on Ideas: Once you have a topic in mind, use AI to provide a brief outline or expand on key points you want to cover in your blog.
• Draft Content: Utilize AI to create the first draft of your blog. It can help you structure the introduction, main content, and even suggest possible conclusions.
• Edit and Refine: After generating the initial draft, make sure to review and refine the content to match your brand’s tone and style.

 

The Importance of Using Call to Action

Every effective blog post should include a call to action (CTA). The CTA guides your readers on what to do next, and it’s a vital element for converting visitors into customers. Here’s how to incorporate a compelling CTA:

 

• Clear and Direct: Make your CTA concise and straightforward. Tell readers precisely what action you want them to take.
• Relevance: Ensure your CTA is related to the content of the blog. If you’re discussing a product or service, encourage readers to learn more or make a purchase.
• Placement: Position your CTA strategically within your blog. Common locations include at the end of the post, within the content, or as a pop-up.

 

How many words Should a Blog be?

The ideal word count for a blog can vary depending on your goals, audience, and the topic you’re covering. However, a common recommendation is to aim for a blog post length of around 1,500 to 2,500 words. This length provides enough space to thoroughly explore a topic, incorporate relevant keywords, and provide valuable insights.

 

Shorter blogs of around 500-1,000 words can be effective for quick updates or concise topics, while longer, in-depth blogs of 2,500 words or more are suitable for comprehensive guides, research-based articles, or topics that require a more detailed discussion.

 

Ultimately, the word count should be secondary to the quality of the content. It’s crucial to focus on providing valuable information and meeting the needs of your audience, rather than fixating solely on word count.

 

How to repurpose the blog into a Newsletter and Social Media posts

Here’s a 6-step process to repurposing your blog for online content marketing. 

 

Step 1: Write the Blog

Choose a Topic: Start by selecting a relevant and engaging topic that your audience is interested in.

Keyword Research: Conduct keyword research to identify key phrases to optimize your blog for SEO.

Write High-Quality Content: Create a comprehensive and informative blog post, ensuring it is well-structured, engaging, and free of errors.

Incorporate Visuals: Add relevant images, infographics, and videos to enhance the content.

Optimize for SEO: Include keywords in the title, headings, and body of the blog. Write a compelling meta description.

Add a Call to Action (CTA): Encourage readers to take a specific action at the end of the blog, such as subscribing or contacting you.

 

Step 2: Repurpose for Social Media

Extract Key Points: Condense key points and highlights from the blog into bite-sized content pieces.

Create Graphics: Design visually appealing graphics or quote cards using tools like Canva.

Schedule Posts: Schedule regular social media posts using the repurposed content.

Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments and engage with your audience to build a community around your content.

 

Step 3: Optimize Google My Business Listing

Update GMB Profile: If applicable, add a summary of your blog content to your Google My Business (GMB) profile.

Include Keywords: Incorporate relevant keywords and phrases that potential customers might search for in your GMB description.

Upload Images: Add images related to your blog topic to make your GMB listing more engaging.

 

Step 4: Share on Facebook and LinkedIn

Create Posts: Write engaging introductions for your blog, along with a link, and share them on your Facebook Page and LinkedIn profile. This can also be done as an article.

Join Relevant Groups: Share your blog in relevant Facebook Groups and LinkedIn Groups to reach a larger and more targeted audience.

Engage with Comments: Respond to comments and questions on your posts to foster discussions.

Step 5: Convert Blog into Live/Video Content

Live/Video Content:

Plan a live video session or recorded video based on your blog content.

This can be uploaded to youtube with correct formatting. 

Summarize key points and engage with your audience by answering questions and providing insights.

Promote the video on social media platforms and your website.

Step 6: Newsletter

Extract the main takeaways from your blog to create a concise and engaging newsletter.

Include links to the blog post and your video content, if applicable.

Schedule the newsletter to be sent to your subscribers.

 

By following this 6-step process, you can maximize the reach and impact of your blog content, reaching a wider audience across multiple platforms, building engagement and trust, and ultimately driving more traffic and conversions for your business.

Blogging is an invaluable tool for business owners with in-house marketing teams to improve their online presence and search engine ranking. 

Are you ready to supercharge your online presence and take your business to new heights? Our experienced marketing strategist Chantal Gerardy is here to help you make the most of your online marketing. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to boost your online visibility, increase conversions, and grow your business.

Book a call and let’s embark on the journey to success together!

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