Why Your Brand Needs a Blog, Like, Yesterday

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At CollectivEdge HQ, we’re big fans of blogs. The clue is in the title really… Our mixed backgrounds cover social media, marketing, PR and blogging, with many of us running blogs in our spare time. And we’re convinced that every single brand should have a blog.

Not to be confused with a website, which is equally essential, a blog is a space where you can share up-to-date information with your customers, give them an insight into the workings behind your business, and demonstrate your knowledge and thought leadership.

Simplicity

A blog doesn’t have to be a complex entity with endless functions and pages – it can be as simple as you like. There are numerous free platforms out there that are easy to use, customisable and loaded with support forums. You can link your blog up to your website, or create a dedicated blog within your site.

Exposure

If you blog regularly, customers and one-time visitors to your website have a reason to return again and again.  Your insight, industry knowledge and opinions are important to your customers, so don’t be afraid to share them on a blog. While you should have company guidelines in place for all blogging and social media activity, the language you use can be more relaxed and less promotional. This will put readers and customers at ease, and it’s an effective tool to sell yourself without using too much marketing waffle.

More leads and sales

This study of 700 businesses suggests that companies who blog 15 or more times per month get five times more traffic than companies that don’t blog at all. B2B companies that blog only once or twice per month generate 70% more leads than those that don’t blog at all. If that’s not a reason in itself to start blogging, we don’t know what is.

Behind the scenes

One of the best bits of a blog is that it has the potential to delve a little deeper into your world and show your readers more about the inner workings of your company. Perhaps you shot a short video at an industry event, went to a really interesting conference or you’ve recently hired a new member of staff – all these snippets of company life would make great blog posts. Essentially you don’t need to go far to find great blog content, just look within your company.

Business blogging heroes

From small start-ups to multinational corporations, there are numerous company websites that offer engaging content. If we’ve convinced you dip your toes in the water but you still need a little push, check out the following company blogs for inspiration.

Innocent drinks have a very unique voice and that translates to their blog, too. If animals in knitted hats are a little too quirky for you, visit Oh My Disney, one of the many Disney blogs that promises animated content (sorry!) and a canny knack of applying Disney solutions to real life issues, such as job hunting, relationship advice and how to make an entrance like Prince Ali.

For a more corporate-focused but still engaging blog, recruitment consultancy Office Angels are getting it right, with a blog that’s regularly updated with competitions, surveys and thought-led opinion pieces on motivation in the workplace.

Now you have the inspiration and the know-how, go forth and start blogging! We promise you’ll love it!