Does your business still need a blog? You bet.

Do businesses really need a blog?

It’s a lot of work, right? And there are so many other things you could be doing to bring revenue into the business. Do blogs matter? Are they worth the time that it takes to write 400 words for some unknown reader?

In this increasingly digital world, where content marketing is playing a greater role than ever before, the answer is an absolute yes. Consider for a moment the impact any given blog may have on you, even in subtle ways. The truth is, once you publish content, it can have a lasting impact on the reader and help foster positive feelings toward your brand. Especially when they’re centered around evergreen content, blogs work with both the short- and long-tail approach to content marketing.

Needless to say, blog content can have a significant impact on people’s perception of your company, and be well worth the investment of time. Here are our top three reasons why you should put your creative juices to work to create a blog for your business.

1. Blogs establish you as a thought leader. When you share your expertise in a blog post, you are positioning yourself as an authority on a topic. Blogs build brand awareness and highlight your industry knowledge. Customers like working with people who know their stuff.
2. Blogs increase your online searchability. When you publish a post, you get a quick boost in traffic. Over time, you reap the reward of ongoing search engine traffic because every time someone searches for a particular bit of information, your post comes up. Even better, blog posts can be repurposed into other forms of content such as ebooks and presentations.
3. Blogs create conversation. With comments and social sharing buttons, look for opportunities to interact directly with customers, prospects and other industry professionals. You may do this directly on your website. We love to take that conversation to LinkedIn, where longer-length content is part of the professional culture. Make your comments professional but informal. And let complainers know you’ll follow up with them offline to keep things upbeat and positive.

Ready for a business blog? Or are you considering it? We’d love to hear your thoughts on business blogging. Tell us what you’re doing (or not!) and why.