When you start your business, you may think a website and Facebook page are sufficient enough for your online presence. The truth is – while you need both of those – blogging consistently will help grow your business much quicker. Here are three reasons why:

Blogging Helps with Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) is important for a small businesses because the higher your site ranks when someone searches for you or your area of business, the more likely your site will be visited. Blogging helps with SEO because site links are a very important aspect of ranking. When you blog, you will most likely be sharing some links to other sites, and eventually people will be putting links to your blog on their site. The more links you have (without going overboard), the better chance you have of being ranked higher in search engines.

Blogging also helps with search engine optimization because you are writing about things related to your niche. You are also tagging your posts and giving them categories, and the more keywords related to your niche you have on your site or blog, the higher your site will be ranked in search engines.

Blogging Helps Grow Connections with Customers

When you’re reading through a website, you might be able to catch a little bit about the business owner’s personality or style but you can’t form much of a connection by reading their list of services.

When you add a blog to your website, you are sharing your life, your thoughts and your ideas with anyone who comes across your site. They get to know who you are and what your interests are which helps them form a connection with you. People don’t connect with static websites, they connect with feelings, emotions and experiences. Sharing yours on a blog will help you form better connections with your current and potential customers, which will lead to more sales in the long run.

Blogging Makes You an Expert in Your Field (Or Look Like One)

If someone sees your business name and Googles you, the more stuff that shows up in the results, the more professional and well known you look to them (if that stuff is good stuff). As I mentioned earlier, having a blog will help you increase your search ranking and results. People will more likely choose your business over someone in your niche who has very little results in a search listing because you look like the expert in your field.

Another way having a blog makes you look like an expert is the free content you’re providing to your potential customers. If you make jewelry and write blog posts about how to keep your jewelry organized, how to clean it and what the hottest jewelry trends for the season are, potential customers will most likely choose you over someone who just has a static website or Etsy shop. You’re giving them free advice, and people appreciate that.

So there you have it – three reasons why you should start a blog for your business. Next month I’ll show you how you can come up with a ton of ideas for blog posts and how to make sure they actually get scheduled and written.

About the author: Mariah is a Graphic Designer/Wedding Stylist who has a passion for helping creative entrepreneurs turn their passion into profit.