Blogging may seem so 2006, but new research from Bloglovin' shows that bloggers still have a strong influence on their female readers. Bloglovin’s Consumer Survey Report 2016 found that 53 percent of female readers purchased a product or service after reading an influencer’s post. If that’s not a good reason to sit down and blog, we don’t know what is.
If you still need more convincing, we asked digital marketing experts and our favorite bloggers to find out why it's worth the investment.
Why Bother Blogging?
It’s clear that blogging can influence customers, but it can also improve a site’s search engine optimization, the never-ending rat race to be at the top — or at least on the first page — of Google search results. To get to that first page, your site needs to show Google that it’s not spam, and the best way to do that is through regular, quality blog posts, says Joe Pulizzi, founder of the Content Marketing Institute.
“The more you become a credible site to Google by providing valuable information, the more your content will surface [and] the more that other sites link to your page,” he says. “It does take time, but it works.”
Credibility means building a positive reputation not only with Google, but with customers as well. A blog, Pulizzi says, builds a rapport with customers, and it’s a great way to encourage them to sign up for email newsletters and establish a larger customer database. Readers may not need your showroom or design services right away, but when they’re ready, they’ll know where to find you.
“People who buy design services want to know that the person they hire is the best, is credible, and is an industry leader,” Pulizzi says. “If you deliver information through a blog that positions your company as a leader and a credible expert, it will only help the decision-making process in your direction.”
Best Blogging Tips
Stylist, life coach and blogger Carrie Leskowitz of Carrie’s Design Musings says blogging has enriched her life in ways she never imagined, but it’s definitely hard work. In the beginning, finding time to post several times a week stressed her out, but as her following grew, she began posting just once a week.
“Whenever I discover something or I’m thinking about something new or I’m researching something new, there’s a blog post,” she says.
Fewer posts on a consistent schedule may be more effective. Nate Ross, Communications Manager at Haute Living in Chicago, says he and his team plan out blog topics each month to correspond with their weekly eblasts. Planning at the beginning of the month allows them to be flexible as new products launch and promotional events change. Leskowitz doesn’t like to schedule or plan blogs, but for new bloggers, doing so may help them find their stride.
“You don’t have to plan out a full year like publications do,” Ross explains, “but to do so monthly is a good way to organize.”
More than anything, have fun with your blog. Pulizzi recommends tackling topics other design blogs ignore to differentiate your work. Ross says blogging just once a week is “frequent enough to remain on our audience’s minds, but not too frequent so as to be considered ‘aggressive’ or ‘heavy-handed.’” Leskowitz networks with other bloggers and home decor professionals, and she’s made plenty of new friends along the way.
“There used to be a time where if you didn’t have a website, you didn’t have an identity,” she says. “Now, I think if you have a blog, you have a voice.”
