Does Your Business Need a Blog?

Only if it intends to grow.

Evolution Media: My company's logo.
It is safe to say that most dog groomers have neither time nor inclination to blog. Same goes for real estate brokers, cardiologists, plumbers or just about any type of small business person. Someone who spends 70 hours a week (or more) running a business probably does not want to be bothered with blogging. What, exactly, would be the point in blogging, after all? It's not like anyone gets paid for it (world-renowned blogsters like Yours Truly aside), and time spent blogging is time spent away from the core business, right?

Yes, actually, that is exactly right. Far be it from me to suggest that small business owners neglect their day-to-day business to do something as silly as blogging. I would, however, strongly suggest that they hire a professional business ghost blogger to do it for them.

How will this help your business? Oh, let me count the ways!

1. Build an asset. The intellectual property that your blog represents cannot be overvalued. Over time, your blog will grow to hundreds of posts related to your subject area. These can be re-published or re-packaged in innumerable media.
2. Build trust. Your blog will not contain flagrant marketing messages. It will be chock-full of information useful to your market. This establishes you as an expert, whether you are a dog groomer or a real estate broker.
3. Draw your target market to you. You could put a billboard on the side of the highway and 100,000 people a day might see it, but how many of them will write down your number and call you? Search engine-optimized blog content will ensure that your blog draws people searching for information in your field of expertise. People looking for information generally have problems to solve. Every business is in the business of solving some problem. See?
4. Enhance other verticals. Yes, of course your blog will link to your main website, your videos, your reviews, and whatever else you have out there. If your blog is professionally produced, it will gain a readership and some authority. The links from your blog greatly expand and deepen your digital footprint.
5. Minimize your ad budget. If your blog draws even 100 targeted readers a day, it is likely to drive as much business as any of your other advertising efforts, maybe as much as all of them combined.
6. Deliver your whole message. Have you ever felt like your advertising or PR efforts were not saying everything you wanted to say about your products and services? A blog can put that problem to rest. Just make sure that ads are distinct from content -- that's one reason you need professional business blog development.

Whether you do it yourself or hire a pro, get blogging for your business before your competitors do.