Everyone and their cat has a blog, it seems. So why should you be blogging, too?
When you think of blogging, if you’re a business owner, you probably think of all the marketing coaches and social networkers who keep telling you that you need a blog for marketing purposes.
But a blog is more than a marketing tool. For conscious entrepreneurs it’s a way to express ourselves and move toward our purpose in life.
Yes, a blog can help you get more eyes on your offers, more ears on your teleseminars, more bodies in your coaching programs and more dollars in your bank account.
But it can also give you a path to freely help the world around you, show the heart of your business, and connect with others.
The Numbers…
If you’re building your own small business online, here’s some stats you want to know. Websites with blogs average:
- 55% more visitors
- 97% more inbound links
- 434% more indexed pages
But Beyond the Numbers…
You have a unique voice and perspective to add!
For many of us who blog, making money or building our businesses is great, but it’s not the goal on top of our list or the main motivation that gets our fingers flying across the keyboard.
If you’ve been resisting blogging because it feels like just one more thing to add to do your to do list, another task you’ve got to do even though you dread it, maybe it’s time to think of it a little bit differently.
What if, through a blog you could reach out and help someone with your special gifts at the exact moment that they were seeking that help?
And, better yet, it didn’t involve you getting a phone call at 3 am or going out and finding that person who needs you? Instead you took a few minutes out of a day, when it was convenient for you, to write up a few paragraphs on how to change or solve something, put it on your blog, and then for weeks, months, years, that post was there waiting to be of service when someone put their challenge or problem into a search engine and found your site.
You can be the answer for dozens or even more and all it ?costs is a little time. Fringe benefits? Those answer seekers will not only find what they need, but they’ll find you, and some may go on to share you with their friends, or hire you later.
Plus, you’ll be creating great content for your website that will help you get traffic from the search engines and that you can repurpose. And you’ll be establishing your expertise and authority.
(If this resonates with you, you’ll want to grab a free copy of my guide to blogging from the heart here: https://michelleshaeffer.com/learn-how-to-create-a-blog-that-helps-you-help-others/)
What are the Benefits of Blogging?
Personal Benefits:
- Express yourself and share what you care about
- Improves your writing skills
- Improves your copywriting skills
- Challenges your thinking
- Become a better researcher
Branding Benefits:
- Increase your credibility
- Demonstrate your authority
Connection Benefits:
- Build connections with other bloggers
- Be motivated by your readers
- Share information, get feedback
Website Benefits:
- Builds links
- Boosts traffic
- Simplifies SEO
- Cheap way to get online
Marketing Benefits:
- Home base for content generation
- Makes your other marketing easier (you’ve always got content to share on social networks, article directories, in your ezine, etc)
Cool Bonuses:
- Recognition as a blogger with an audience
- VIP access / review copies
- Invitations to JV with other professionals
What other benefits come with blogging?
If you’re a blogger, I’d love to hear what’s come out of blogging so far for you! Share in the comments below.
Image Credit: Mikko/StockFresh
This is a great benefit list! It’s crazy how the numbers are for blogging too. I’ve been on Hubspot’s mailing list for a few months now and I saw some of the charts so this was just another kick in my pants to get me more focused and in gear to start building my blog more into something that could bring in some monies ;) I enjoy blogging — writing in general. I just need to do it more often.
I have met some great people from the blogging challenges I have joined over the past year or so. And I am learning so much from others that I can use for my own business and blog through blogging and networking with other bloggers than I have searching through the internet.
A lot of that credit I give to you, Michelle! I would not have even known about the challenges if I was not a loyal patron of your blog :) Thank you so much for everything I have learned over the past several years since I found your site so long ago!!!
I’m so glad we connected, Kimberly. :) And HubSpot’s mailing list is a must-read for sure. They put out tons of quality content.
Self expression is what I enjoy most about blogging Michelle. Writing, letting me out on paper, it’s something I never dreamed I would enjoy so much. I am excited to write a post each day. Writer’s block is never an issue since I have about 50 ideas kicking around in my mind at each moment ;)
The business/prospering side of things is nice too. Growing my gifting team quickly and leveraging my presence is a bonus but expressing myself and helping others to do the same is the most enjoyable aspect of blogging for me.
Thanks for sharing!
RB
I can’t imagine you with writer’s block, Ryan. Blogging does become exciting when we’re able to express ourselves and help others succeed.
Great, you get so much benefits from blogging then there is no point to miss it. Though I don’t have blog for my business website, I’ll now start it very soon as you need quality contents at first before starting your blog.
Yes, the content is important. :) It’s worth the investment of time/energy to create though.
The list are exactly why I blog.. Especially the growing of connections part.
It’s awesome being able to connect with so many other bloggers and entrepreneurs, Corinne. Some I’ve ended up connecting with in real life after getting to know each other through our blogs.
Thanks for rounding up those figures Michelle – I hadn’t realised they were quite that compelling. There are LOTS of self employed business owners where I live (rural Wales) – they think I’m mad for banging on about the benefits of blogging for business growth, but I think some are gradually realising I might not be quite so potty when I show them my alexa rank, and links etc
enjoyed your first class last night (my time!) by the way – you have a lovely easy manner about your teaching :-)
cheers
Tanya
Hello Michelle. This is sure a high value post that could very well be an article one wants to link to. I just said to someone on a blog that I don’t know how a website expects to survive, or get any play online, without including a blog in their online strategy. A blog is also great for building a personal brand, as I’m sure you were able to do over the years. I’ve seen many people do it successfully.
Michelle,
Writing my blog helps me to crystalize my thinking. The time I invest in researching or going deeper into a topic – always helps me go deeper in my own thinking. So, having a blog for me – It’s a personal development tool.
Reading your blog – that’s another one. ;)
I have always kept a journal and fancied myself a writer. What I love about blogging is that I can write with an interactive audience!
Hi Michelle
For me, blogging has many benefits. For myself, I take pride in my work. I also take pride in getting a good reception and a lot of hits. I also get a kick out of helping others to improve their business and for me it’s more than just a business activity – it is something that I really love to do.
I hope you’re having an awesome day.
Your friend across the pond
David
Hi, just came across this post. And I’m in agreement. In fact, I just wrote about why business owners should be blogging on my own blog yesterday. Great minds think alike? :)
Great post… Blogging for me at first is a habit.. But these days, blogging can give me good income so I consider it as my career. I agree that businesses should engage into blogging since this will help them promote their businesses. Thank you for sharing…
It’s a start of everything…from being known to the world to making money for yourself…
i love blogging because i love to write
wanted to be a journalist after highschool so this is back to the roots.
the challenges of the subject
the increasing language skills
the interaction with so many people
and reading blogs of other people
getting in touch with new ideas
making friends
Hey Michelle,
Great post. You covered the benefits of blogging very well there.
I have had static sites for years now, and I have started to change a lot of them to blogs. I find that the medium makes interaction with readers much easier. You can also rattle off a post whenever it suits you without having to worry about where it fits within your overall navigation, site structure etc.
All things considered, I wish I had made the move to blogs much sooner.