Should every business have a blog? Why or why not?

The Business Imperative of Blogging

There has been a genuine shift in how businesses communicate with their customers and clients in the 21st Century. No longer reliant on traditional forms of media such as print and television advertisements, businesses have developed a growing appetite for running blogs. You might ask: Should every business have a blog? Well, let’s delve into the matter.

Before we jump straight into the pros and cons, I want you to pace a little and chew over some facts. Recent studies underline the fact that businesses which blog receive 97% more links to their websites. Also, on average, businesses yield a 67% increase in lead generation if they actively blog compared to those who don’t. Astonishing, isn't it? Now, let’s communicate a bit more and get those creative cells rolling!

Blogs: Why They’re a Business Booster

Simply put, a blog serves as the 'voice' of your brand. Your blog is a platform where you can disseminate important and relevant information, share insights, and foster discussions in a conversational tone. This helps to humanize your brand, build rapport, and strengthen relationships with your target audience.

Here's an interesting fact for you: Do you know the term ‘Weblog’ was coined by Jorn Barger in December 1997? The term got shortened to ‘blog’ later in 1999 by Peter Merholz who jokingly broke the word weblog into 'we blog'. A little bit of historical fun there, wasn't it?

Blogs: An SEO Goldmine

From an SEO point of view, blogs work wonders. Search engines love fresh, unique content and blogs are the perfect avenue for that. Regularly updating your blog with high-quality content significantly enhances your visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs). When you play your keyword cards right, blogs can aid you in organically climbing up the SERPs ladder, bringing more eyeballs and traffic to your website. There’s the magic of blogging for you!

Let me share a quick story here. I assisted a client with their blog strategy a while back when they were struggling to get noticed online. We mapped out a content plan, incorporated SEO, and within six months, their website dramatically rose in ranking and their organic traffic hiked by over 50%. The look on their faces when we presented the data, priceless!

Against the Tide: The Drawbacks of Business Blogging

No doubt, blogging for a business presents tons of perks, but it doesn’t come without its share of potential pitfalls. Blogging requires a significant investment of time, effort, and creativity. Blogs need to be regularly updated with fresh content, which means someone has to spend the time writing, editing, and posting that content. If you don't have the resources or the bandwidth, running a blog may end up being a burden more than anything else.

Moreover, there can be issues with managing reader comments and dealing with potential backlash or negative feedback. An ignored comment or poorly handled customer concern can escalate quickly in the public forum that a blog provides, potentially turning into a PR nightmare.

Walking the Tightrope: Making a Decision on Business Blogging

Gauging both sides of the coin, the decision to run a blog for your business shouldn’t be made lightly. It requires careful consideration and planning. If you decide to jump onboard, you should ensure you have adequate resources available and a plan of action. But if you do it well, the rewards can far outweigh the investment of time and effort.

As someone who has been walking, running, and sometimes tripping in the world of blogging and content for over eight years, I find that the positives outweigh the negatives. But every business is unique and you have to choose the path that best suits your scenario. To blog or not to blog, that is indeed the question for businesses in our contemporary digital age. No matter your choice, remember that the purpose of your business is to create a customer. And there's no denying the power of communication and connection in achieving that purpose.