Even though businesses have a number of online marketing opportunities thanks to the rise and popularity of social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, today's business owners should be sure to have an up-to-date business blog online.
There are many reasons for businesses to have blogs.
First, blogs allow businesses to illustrate their expertise and build a level trust with potential customers.
Through a blog, businesses can talk about changes in the industry, the newest technologies and the most-up-to-date technologies.
Sharing this information on a blog allows businesses to build a level of trust with customers.
Customers can then see that this business keeps up with the industry and has a level of expertise.
This instills trust.
On the other hand, blogs that are started and left to languish online, without being updated on a regular basis, give the appearance of a business that has nothing to say.
Secondly, blogs allow businesses to get feedback from customers.
By offering a comment box on the blog, business can encourage customers to ask questions or make comments, whether positive or negative.
Either way, it allows for interaction between business and customers.
Customers like being heard and they love being responded to.
When business responds to customers, it again builds trust.
This interaction of give and take between business and customer can exist in a variety of ways.
It can be customers asking for customer service help with a problem, can be customers asking about industry changes or it can be customers voicing their experiences with the business, whether good or bad.
Also, this interaction allows businesses to understand what exactly customers want either in product or services.
No matter what the interaction, if the business responds through the blog in a professional tone and manner, the customer feels respected and, again, this builds trust.
Thirdly, the most obvious reason for a business to have a blog is marketing.
Marketing online has become the standard.
Most businesses have a static website that acts as a brochure.
Without more dynamic discussions, fresh content, multiple links, their website will not easily be indexed by the search engines or found by potential customers.
Blogs, which are constantly added to and updated, help provide content and information, driving customers to websites, and bringing business through the door.
With the growth of social media sites, many businesses have ignored the advantages business blogsoffer.
Blogs are an important part of any business' online presence and should be carefully thought about.