5 Advantages of Blogging for Business

As consumers turn to technology for home improvement tips, there are opportunities for retailers to offer advice before a customer even walks into their business. One easy way is through maintaining a blog.

Blogging is a great tool to use to create a stronger web presence for your business, establish an extra level of expertise and draw customers to your operation to accomplish their DIY goals. Creating and posting on a business blog is easy to start on a free blogging platform, like WordPress or Blogger.

Why is blogging an advantageous endeavor for independent home improvement retailers? For example, when a customer searches something online, search engine optimization (SEO) can help direct them to businesses, like local hardware stores that frequently blog about projects, services or upcoming events.

Blogging can help a consumer find a business easily through online searches. Plus, consistent blogging can help you establish a stronger relationship with customers and encourage them to return to the company website—and visit your store—in the future.

Here are five things blogging can do for your business.

1. Attract Your Target Audience
   Blogging can catch the attention of the customers you want to walk through your doors. By frequently posting new content and sharing it on your social media networks, like Facebook and Twitter, your SEO will increase. This can help improve your online audience, which can lead to physical footsteps or online purchases.
2. Track Business Milestones
   In addition to posting project tips and tricks, a business blog can inadvertently document the life of your business. For example, you could share the process of opening a new building from construction to the ribbon ceremony on your first day of business. Sharing these business achievements makes it a personal experience for your customers and acts like a digital diary for a retailer.
3. Share Your Mission
   Blogging is another beneficial outlet to strengthen your business’s brand identity if you are able to highlight your purpose. If you can connect your audience to something on an emotional level, you will be able to build customer loyalty. A few ways to do this is by showcasing things your business does to improve the community. For example, executives and store associates can donate materials and time to help paint a school or you can host an event to raise proceeds for a local organization. Have someone snap pictures and write blog posts leading up to the event to create interest and recapping it to show everyone how much fun it was. This shows your audience your business cares about giving back to the local community, thus strengthening the bond.
4. Promote Sales and Store Events
   Consider adding sales and promotions on your blog, as it will help drive engagement to your website. If you share these promotions on your social media pages, be sure they link back to your website, especially if you offer e-commerce options or have a buy-online, pickup in store program. However, sharing these types of posts should come in moderation. If there is too much drawn back to sales and product promotions, customers will lose interest and stop visiting your blog.
5. Provide Value and Build Credibility
   Through consistent blogging, you create a place for your customers to find what they’re looking for. If you primarily post project how-to’s, business updates and event recaps, your customers can see that the business is staying busy and has what they’re looking for. Each piece of content should inform, educate or entertain. By providing valuable content, you are able to build your company’s credibility. If a potential customer finds your blog as they search for advice on a DIY project, having multiple posts and a clean looking blog will help provide a sense of credibility in your business.