Nearly half (47%) of B2B buyers read 3-5 blog posts or pieces of content prior to talking with a salesperson. But what if your website doesn’t have a blog? Unfortunately, you may be losing sales while also missing out on opportunities to clarify information, educate customers on your value proposition and showcase your expertise. Whether your business is a service provider, product manufacturer or a non-profit, it’s important to have a web presence. A compelling website is step number one, but a regularly updated and well-planned blog is a close second.
There are many advantages to developing and maintaining a blog, including:
Position your company as an expert with insightful industry content that addresses your customers’ pain points and helps them solve issues.
Building keywords into your content helps you maximize organic search rankings and organic traffic so that you don’t have to fully rely on paid search to do the heavy lifting.
Before making a purchase, buyers gather information in order to carefully evaluate their options. By providing educational and thought-provoking content on your blog, you can help customers as they move closer towards the purchase phase.
Sharing blogs on your organization’s social media channels – like LinkedIn, Facebook and even Pinterest – allows followers and even those who don’t follow your brand to see and share your content, thereby expanding its total reach. The more your messaging spreads, the greater chance you have to secure new leads.
There are several considerations that will help in driving the success of your blog. Consider the following recommendations on how to write a B2B blog:
Research demonstrates that companies that post frequently generate more organic traffic and leads. Post new content to the blog at least once per month. However, it’s best to post more frequently if you have the time to write and add new content. Consider a bi-weekly or weekly blogging schedule to ensure your customers, employees and prospects always have access to fresh content. Regular blogging also allows you to address the latest trends and response to news impacting the industries you serve.
Your blog should address topics that are of interest to your target audience. Develop an organized editorial calendar that includes a mix of tried and true topics along with trending issues that will resonate with your readers and offer insights that support their businesses. For example, you may want to highlight how to overcome operational challenges, debunk myths and misconceptions or clarify technical concepts. Having a detailed schedule will help you stay on track, but remember that you can be flexible in case breaking news arises that might influence an upcoming blog topic.
Whether in the call to action at the blog’s conclusion or linked within the piece, it’s important to guide readers to other useful resources that can further their learning and position your organization as an expert. For instance, direct them to a gated white paper, infographic, troubleshooting video or even a product landing page.
You can also link readers to external resources developed by credible sources like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. These federal agencies publish helpful guides and keep the public informed on key issues.
Your blog posts must incorporate keywords and phrases to capitalize on SEO. Conduct keyword research using a platform such as Moz to ensure you are using phrases that are clear, concise and search friendly. Doing so has the potential to increase your search engine rankings on websites like Google, which can drive more traffic to your blog and ensure that your content is seen by the right audience. Be sure to maintain a delicate balance. You don’t want your blog to seem overpacked with keywords to the point that it impacts comprehension. Your blog’s main priority should be to inform and educate, and its second goal should be to enhance SEO.
Many readers will skim your blog posts. Underlined subheadings and bulleted lists make skimming easier, as readers can quickly scan and understand the main points and takeaways.
Launching a corporate blog offers numerous benefits, including enhancing organic search, building your reputation as a thought leader and allowing your company to showcase its core values and personality. With the above best practices in place, your blog will soon be a go-to resource for your prospects and customers, helping to strengthen loyalty among your target audience, drive leads and conversions and differentiate your business from its competitors.
Set your brand apart through consistent B2B blogging. Contact us to execute the above best practices to enhance thought leadership and SEO for your brand.
Jess Messenger is an Account Director at Mulberry Marketing Communications, an award-winning full-service B2B communications agency based in Chicago, London, and Australia. She enjoys developing PR campaign strategies and writing for B2B audiences across numerous verticals such as retail, food service, and healthcare.