Have you heard? Approximately 81% of America’s online consumers trust the information they read in blogs.

I just read that in a blog post, and I absolutely believe it.

Come to think of it, I just reread my last sentence – and I absolutely believe that, too. See? Blogs are nothing if not trustworthy.

Check out these equally impressive stats:

• Companies that blog enjoy 97% more inbound links to their websites.
• Marketers who blog receive 67% more leads than those who blow it off.
• 61% of American online consumers have been persuaded to buy something after reading a blog post.
• Blogs make 60% of consumers feel more positive about a company – and more likely to seek out its products.

These jaw-dropping figures have been widely reported – and repeated – on various blogs, in America, so their integrity simply cannot be denied (unless you’re one of those naysaying 19-percenters – in which case, why have you even read this far?)

I’m being facetious, of course, but it is food for thought if your company has not yet taken the plunge and launched a blog of its own.  Better yet, ask yourself this – assuming these numbers are accurate, can you really afford not to?

The importance of blogging cannot be understated. It is an extremely versatile means of content marketing that is essential to build online engagement with your brand. It’s all about establishing your presence and broadcasting your purpose while delivering informative and relevant content in a voice that only you can provide. The message may not be new, per se (quick fact – as of 2013, there were more than 152 million blogs being written throughout the world) – but the messenger is one-of-a-kind.

So, again – we ask: Are you blogging? You should be.

Here are some additional tidbits to stoke that writing flame:

• Blogging goes hand in hand with SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Composing quality content with viable keywords that boost your search ranking will drive more traffic to your site – guaranteed.
• Blogging gives you the inside track. Take a gander at what subjects your readers are gravitating toward – and market accordingly. Blogging also provides an opportunity for you to reach out to readers and ask them what kind of content they would like to see on your site. Which leads us to…
• Blogging builds trust and credibility by putting your humanity on display. Sing some Streisand with me: “People… People who read … people…”  Yours may be a company or corporate blog, but it’s being written by a person – not an automaton. Clients like that. Blogging allows you to reveal a little bit of the man – or woman – behind the curtain, and gives customers something they can relate to. To that end, you should keep things informational, but conversational. Use layman’s terms, when possible, not industry-speak. In short, keep it real.
• Blogging allows you to push your call to action: While your blog is not an advertisement, and should never appear to be one, it does provide a unique platform for you to make a call to action. This can be any number of things, from inviting the reader to call your office, fill out a form, or make a purchase. Use it sparingly, however. Overdo the pitch and you risk appearing salesy and disingenuous.

Consistency, of course, is the key. To see results, you must stay current, and keep posting fresh content. The only activity a stagnant site ever experiences is when former customers swiftly delete it from their browser history.

You say you fully realize the importance of blogging, but you simply don’t have time? IMPACT Marketing & Public Relations just so happens to have an in-house copywriter that can tackle those responsibilities for you. Contact us today and let us put some choice words in your mouth, and on your site.

– Nathan Oravec, Copywriter