I’m writing this blog post past my deadline. Why am I late? It doesn’t matter. It’s a weekly post. I should be able to get it done far in advance, so as not to worry people like Ben, the poor guy who has to keep me on track and post it.
But everything in that above paragraph is exactly what we face as business professionals, no matter where we are in the organization. We have too many conflicting priorities. We are busy. So why, then, should we bother blogging?
WHY BOTHER?
Frankly, maybe you shouldn’t. Maybe there are other good ways to get the word out about your company, about your products, about the kinds of people and thought leadership that should help your organization out. Maybe blogging’s just a waste of time for you. I’m not even being facetious. It’s not for everyone.
The plus sides of blogging are pretty darned good, though: you are the media, so you don’t have to wait for permission to post an article that is of importance to you. Blogging makes for great organic search engine optimization (SEO), so Google can find you easier, and thus, help your prospects find you. Blogging lets you get your thoughts out and gives others a chance to see what’s inside your head, thus giving you the chance to connect with someone of like minds.
BLOGGING BRINGS LEADS…
If you’re doing it for marketing purposes, blogging is a great way to see what ideas resonate. It’s a great way to engage people in the comments section. It’s a wonderful way to see who’s coming and what intrigued them. If you’re using a bunch of measurement tools like Hubspot or SAS’s Social Media Analytics toolset, you’ll have even more of a sense of how far and wide your blog ideas have gone for you.
Blogging makes for some really great lead generation.
…BUT IT TAKES TIME
There’s no avoiding this part. Blogging (well) requires time. I am a bit unique in that I’ve written for a few decades, and I’ve blogged for over 11 years. I can crack open a text file, write a bit here and there, and have a post in not very long.
Blogging that way is the best, for me, by the way. I just throw open a file, add bits that make sense to me, edit here and there, and do my best to give you some value.
BLOG IF YOU CAN
Given a choice, I think there’s more to gain from blogging than there is to lose. Yes, it requires some time. However, I think the benefits outweigh the frustrations.
What do you think about it? How does content promote contact? What’s blogging doing for your business?
