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Is Blogging Worth Your Time in 2021?
For this guest blog, I tapped into the infinite knowledge of Pam Foley, Amazon bestselling author, and CEO of AOU Creative. Pam is a multi-time entrepreneur with an extensive business background. Thank you, Pam!
Should you spend hours writing if no one will see the results?
In short, yes. Though I say that with a few limitations that you should be aware of if you are thinking of starting out blogging or if you are getting back at it after a time off.
First, let’s define what a blog is in 2021. A blog is an article, written to share valuable (I hope) information with its readers. It is designed to tell a story, inspire, educate or even entertain. Most of the time, a blog is around 1,000 words, or it should be for best SEO results.
It should be optimized, include targeted keywords (relatively sparingly), and a call to action.
Done well, it is something that a reader will benefit from reading. Done really well, it can inspire action, newsletter opt-ins, conversions, and higher revenue.
Though a blog can be a sales tool, it shouldn’t be used for sales.
Let me explain.
A blog tells your reader about your work and brand. It creates a relationship with your readers and in time, that will lead to sales and customer loyalty.
It can help make you a thought leader in your industry.
A blog should not be a sales pitch.
Readers (or anyone really) do not want to be sold to when they are looking for answers to their most pressing issues.
You know the old story about the used car salesman that lunges at a customer as soon as they enter the lot?
Don’t be that guy.
When you jump right to sales and push your offer, your reader will feel that you are desperate to make a sale. That is not the image you want to create in their minds.
Better to share and let your expertise speak for itself. When you do, people are more attracted to you and are more likely to buy from you.
So, back to the initial question, is it worth it to blog now?
For all of the reasons above, yes! But you need to understand a few basics of SEO (search engine optimization) to make blog writing work for you.
As an entrepreneur, your goals revolve around selling your products and offerings to as many clients as possible. You’ve heard the term SEO and probably know that you should have a strategy.
After all, your customers must be able to find your blog in the vast sea of the 2 billion blogs online today.
SEO is the answer to that need. Using simple tools, you can optimize your work for search engines, making it more likely that it will be found online.
Here are the 5 things you need to know now to get started with your blog's SEO:
1. What is SEO?
Search engine optimization, or SEO, is the process of optimizing your online content so that a search engine will show it as a top result for searches of a certain keyword.
Search engines take into account several factors when determining rank. These include the use of keywords in a customer search, customer intent, and clicks of the result.
When you understand what your customer is searching for, and position your product to be the answer to their problems, you rise to the top of the search. This, in turn, leads to higher sales.
2. What are keywords?
According to Moz, “keywords are ideas and topics that define what your content is about. In terms of SEO, they're the words and phrases that searchers enter into search engines."
Keywords are the actual words and phrases that your customers enter into a search bar to find products.
Identifying the search terms that are being used by your potential customers is an essential part of an SEO strategy and one that can lead to increased revenue for your business.
3. Consider customer intent
In addition to keywords, a search engine also takes into account the intent of a person searching.
Customers come to a search engine for one of three reasons, to research, to do something, or to buy.
Search engine algorithms determine customer intent by analyzing the terms used in a search. For example, a person who types in “best jacket for cold weather” might be researching options, whereas a “buy a jacket for cold weather” search tells the search engine that the purchase is imminent.
Customer intent is one of the determining factors in ranking. This element of SEO is influenced by the total sales of a product and even reviews.
4. Searching versus converting
The goal of optimization is to have your content match, as closely as possible, the terms used by your potential customers in a search for products like yours.
When customers enter terms into the search bar, they do so with intent. That intent is, in part, evident in the words chosen.
It is the challenge of the marketer to select valuable keywords to optimize that match the intent of their customer.
The search engine produces results based on matches of relevant phrases between a search and a product description.
Descriptions that match the search, and inspire action from buyers are the ones that savvy marketers select as keywords. These words and phrases lead potential buyers to become converting customers and are the key to growing a business.
5. The dangers of keyword stuffing
Once sellers understand the need for optimization on a search engine, it is often tempting to fill a description with all of the terms that a potential buyer might use to find a product.
This is termed “keyword stuffing” and is penalized by search engines.
The main focus of a search engine is to offer information to a potential customer. The algorithm gives credit to results that it believes offer relevant information in an authentic voice.
The authenticity factor in search rankings is the danger of keyword stuffing. Create content that is readable, optimized, and natural for the best results.
Once you understand the basics of SEO, you can create blogs that will inspire, educate and convert new leads for your business.
Writing a blog consistently will help build your brand. It will create customer loyalty that ad spends cannot buy, and you will become a thought leader in your niche.
The trick in 2021 is to be consistent and valuable.
Taking the time to write a blog (and other content) is not only worth it in 2021, it is essential for building SEO and ranking in search engine results.
Doing this can change the bottom line of your business as it generates new leads, greater revenue, and higher conversion rates.
Want to learn more about how the magic of technology (SEO) and the power of story (your blog) intersect to transform business? Contact us at info@aoucreative.com or 720-560-9568.
