In a recent meeting with a potential client, I was asked if blogging really helped a website rank better in searches. I enthusiastically told them, “Yes, and the sooner you start your blog, the better!”
How Google Looks at Websites
Providing a good search experience for its users is what really drives Google. To keep users coming back to their search engine, the search results must contain sites that are relevant to the search and contain useful and current content.
Therefore, Google’s search algorithm wants to see new and current content on your website. The theory behind this is that if you are a credible source of information, you will continually update your site with new and current content.
If your site is not regularly updated, you won’t rank well.
Ranking For More Keywords
For Google to rank your website, you need to prove, through your site’s content, that you are an authority in your industry. That means your page content will be focused around topics that are relevant to what you do. That focused content results in a limited amount of keywords.
But if you want to beat your competition in the search rankings, you will need to make your content wider reaching. Your blog is the way to do this. Writing about topics that are related to what you do, but not necessarily exactly what you do, opens up your website to be found with additional keywords.
Create blog articles around topics and questions that consumers are interested in before they begin researching to buy. For example, if you sell lawn mowers, a possible topic might be, “What are the pros and cons of electric lawn mowers.” You’ve not only provided useful information to a potential buyer, but you’ve also created top-of-mind awareness.
This strategy will not only help you rank higher, but it can also give you multiple listings on the search engine result pages. This increases the likelihood that someone will click through to your website.
Blog Budget Concerns
As with any marketing endeavor, there is a cost associated with blogging. Whether it’s your own time, an employee or an outside vendor, you will pay to have that blog article produced. But that investment is one that will pay you dividends in the future. Investing in your blog today will repay you with in enhanced search rankings and a wider search availability later.
The Wrap
If your goal is to have your business website rank higher and be found, then there is only one decision you can make: You have to blog on a regular basis. But blogging also builds your brand. It helps to establish your industry expertise in the mind of the reader and creates top-of-mind awareness when it’s time to a buy. Those are lasting, valuable, intangible assets that also make the decision to blog easier to make.
If you have questions about digital marketing, call me at 513-237-5530.
Bob Turner is a Digital Marketing Consultant in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Bob Turner - Digital Marketing Thoughts 
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