Blogging has been around for longer than social media and it’s consistently proven to offer a high ROI, particularly to businesses with a limited marketing budget. But with reports that the global attention span is lowering and web users increasingly favoring video and more interactive contact formats, is business blogging still worth it in 2023 and beyond?
As a content agency, our clients tell us that they’re continuing to benefit from the SEO boost, lead generation, and relationship-nurturing opportunities that blogging provides. But we wanted to get some outsider opinions on the future of blogging and whether it’s still a worthwhile marketing strategy.
To explore the role of blogging in modern business, we asked several experienced marketing experts for their thoughts and predictions for the year ahead. We hope these valuable insights will give you some direction and inspiration for your own marketing strategy going forward.
Blogging is absolutely a viable strategy for businesses in 2023, if done correctly.
Long gone are the days when a business can write about whatever they think is important that day and expect to get any meaningful traffic out of it. Businesses should have a well-thought-out content strategy, with blogging as a core component.
Where it makes sense, perhaps as you grow, those blog posts can be used for reaching audiences off-site, on social platforms, video platforms, and even traditional print media.
I’ll always remember the first blog I wrote. It felt like my teenage diary had finally gone digital and I couldn’t wait for people to read it. Fast forward to the world of business, my skills in blogging soon earned the title of content writer and I grew my career as a writer using best practices for SEO, smart placement of backlinks, and helping businesses place contributor articles. Suddenly, a so-called blogger was a well-paid content professional who would know no bounds.
However, today’s consumers have spoken. They don’t have the desire or need to spend time on your website hoping that it’s properly optimized for mobile, or read an 800-word blog intended to sell them on a business or idea. They want content that enriches their lives. Every moment that a business shares a blog read by their end user, consumers are considering the ROI. They’re investing their time and want to feel that they’re walking away with valuable information and feeling something.
That’s right … your work needs to give your reader “the feels,” which is why influencer marketing has taken the world by storm. Influencer marketing is your best friend telling you about their favorite (insert product or service here) — that is, if your best friend was an influencer making a killing on TikTok, Instagram, or even utilizing LinkedIn.
How does this relate to blogging? Well, it means that while A.I. tools help you provide the internet with more words to make blogging easier than ever, a successful blog will reach people on multiple levels. Your content writer is no longer a blogger — they’re a personality with a story to tell about your business. Adding the voice and recommendation of seasoned professionals to your piece will give it authority. While this might feel like more work (as it is), the first page of Google is a competitive place to live.
Your best blogs will move to multiple platform promotion and become social posts that your audience wants to read or share.
Blogging is the creation and curation of content to be published online, usually, onto a primary website belonging to a company or individual. Content may include articles, photos, statistics, infographics, market trends, etc. Content may also include opinions and testimonials.
Blogging will always be a valuable strategy for business if quality content is provided regularly over time because it builds credibility, trust, and visibility. Companies and individuals can leverage blogs to build, brand, and control their online identities. Information should engage audiences and, ultimately, foster supportive communities.
Other benefits of blogging include:
- Directing traffic to websites
- Generating leads and conversions
- Educating customers
- Building thought leadership in an industry
- Unlocking opportunities for collaborations
- Strengthening brand recognition
- Sharing news and announcements
- Improving long-term SEO
Blogging is an effective way to reach and engage audiences, but it does not, and should not, be the only method utilized. Content can, and should be, repurposed for other facets of a larger campaign, which would include major platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Be sure to tailor and adjust content for each social media network.
In the fast-paced digital era, businesses are constantly seeking the most effective ways to reach and engage their target audience. While video content and interactive formats have gained immense popularity, there is still a strong case for blogging as a valuable strategy for businesses.
Indeed, videos and interactive content have proven to be attention-grabbers, attracting people from all over the world. However, it is essential to recognize that blog posts continue to play a significant role in building an effective SEO strategy. A well-structured blogging approach is often the key to unlocking organic traffic success.
It is true that simply writing a blog post and waiting for an avalanche of readers is an outdated approach. Today, businesses must invest time and effort in promoting their content and ensuring it is SEO-friendly. By combining high-quality content with strategic promotion, businesses can attract the readers they desire and effectively compete with other forms of content.
Blogging remains a valuable strategy for businesses, as it complements other content formats and contributes to overall digital marketing success. A well-executed blogging plan, combined with a focus on promotion and SEO, can help businesses reach and engage their target audience in meaningful ways.
May 17, 2023
Rachel
I’m an online marketing professional with over 10 years of experience. I have a background in web development and SEO, which I leverage to provide high-quality content strategy and content creation for businesses.