Is content marketing worth it ??? The benefits of Blogging in an athletic community

                                            

Is content marketing worth it???

The phrase "content is king" was served almost an entire year with experts claiming that blogging is the most effective marketing strategy, but is it really??? 

As we said before and will say it again 'content is king' as the habits of customers all around the world will continue to shift there's only one variable marketing strategy on which marketers can depend 'content marketing'. 

But is the hype around the said strategy and Blogging, real? Let's find out....

Blogging

Today we'll be answering the question: is content marketing worth it? As well as explore the several benefits of blogging 

For smaller businesses, every investment placed on marketing campaigns is a risk. Whether it's a solid-proof strategy or a well-developed campaign, it's all a risk for them. There's always the fear that what worked on other companies may not work with them that's why for a handful of SMEs (Small and Medium enterprises) implementation doesn't come as easy as it does for other ventures. Business owners spend days observing trends, trying to figure out whether it's a long-term thing or not. And one real case of this is the growing demand for content marketing. Over the last few

years, the phrase "content is king" has been thrown around so much that it got everyone convinced that content is everything to today's

consumers despite not having a proper understanding of why it matters. Yet despite the obvious trend of blogging and other forms

of content from businesses, there are still those who are reluctant to wonder whether blogs really are great investments.

And if you're one of those who still don't believe in the magic of blogging, here are a few important statistics you need to keep in mind!

Benefits of blogging

*Among the existing 1.7 billion websites on the internet, 600 million of them have their respective blogs. Why? Because according to a study done by HubSpot this year, more than half of the marketers list blogging as their top inbound marketing priority with at least 70% of them heavily investing in content marketing.

* Another survey conducted by SEMrush states that eight out of ten marketers produce blog posts to meet their marketing goals. The numbers show that blogging is not just a fad, as a matter of fact, it seems like it's here to stay.

 

People read reviews

* A 2019 report from Demand Generation Marketing revealed that six out of ten buyers see value in reading blogs at the start of their purchasing journey. Unlike before, today's generation of consumers would go through intensive research before coming to a purchasing decision. This means going through reviews whether video or written, reading through informative articles on their options.

They want to make informed decisions, ensuring that they're getting their money's worth with everything they buy.

Additionally, there's also a notable shift in how consumers trust ads and brands in general. Fancy advertisements are not enough to gain their trust, businesses that show consistency from their brand promise down to how they communicate with their clients are deemed more trustworthy by consumers than does whose personality shifts in every platform they use.

Consumers want to work with brands they can trust, brands that value the same things they believe in that's the only way businesses can gain their brand loyalty. And what's great about blogging is that it does exactly that and more efficiently!

Is blogging really worth it?

Is blogging really worth it? Definitely! Why? Because it's a strategy that checks out several goals when implemented well.

Here are some of the major advantages of building and maintaining your very own blog!

1. INCREASES VISIBILITY

Increase visibility

Nowadays, if businesses want more people to know about them, they need to be online and not just on social media, you need to be on the internet in general. 

Which means you don't just need a Facebook or Instagram page,

you need an optimized website that introduces prospect leads to your company. And one of the best ways you can improve your website's overall SEO is through blogs! 

While blogging won't ensure you an immediate high ranking, it does help in a number of factors that determine your site's SERP performance. Google has said before and is still saying it until now that high-quality content matters a lot.

If your site has a blog post that shares informative and accurate articles on a regular basis, it can make a huge difference on where your site lands within search engines.

As a business, Google wants to provide their users with the fresh Information that they need. So when a user

finds your website useful and stays there longer, checking out your blog, Google sees this as a signal that your site is actually helpful. And he more helpful a blog is, the higher it ranks and the higher you are on search engines, the more people see you! 

2.BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR CONSUMERS

Customer relationship

Like what we've discussed earlier consumers find informative brands more trustworthy than other companies. The more open a business is to answer a consumer's question or concerns, the more likely they are to build a relationship with them. If brands take the time to listen to their concerns and write informative articles about them in hopes of addressing them, it elicits a feeling of being cared for within consumers.

It means companies are listening to them and are genuinely set to making their lives better and this builds relationships. It ensures them that you really care about them and when faced with the question of picking between you and your competitor, they'll probably pick you because of the relationship you've already built with them. And in the long run, regular posting will only strengthen the bond you've already created with them!

3.ESTABLISHES CREDIBILITY

Credibility

For consumers to see you as a credible authority in your chosen field, you need to prove to them your knowledge of your chosen subject. It'snot enough to claim yourself as a leading source in the market, especially when you're surrounded by sceptical consumers that basically have an entire library of information at the palm of your hand. 

You establish your credibility by sharing your knowledge of your field through well-written informative think pieces.Now, admit it that establishing credibility takes time. It would take a while before your target market sees you as an authority in your chosen field that's why it's best that you start building that blog right now!

4.GENERATES LEADS

Blogs that offer great value to users ultimately generate leads. A recent HubSpot report revealed that marketers who make the most out of blogging are thirteen times more likely to enjoy positive ROI (Return On Investment).

Some incorporate Calls-To-Action or CTAs into their blogs in order to generate prospects leads. On the other hand, there are those who offer exclusive and informative content to their readers. Ultimately, the more content a brand creates for its target market, the keener they become to come back to their site.

Additionally, another

HubSpot report stated that there's a direct correlation between how many blog pages are indexed by search engines and the amount oft traffic site gets.If a site has more pages Google indexes them more which then results in higher traffic!

Based on the several studies done around the effectiveness of blogging, we think it's safe to say that content marketing is one of today's most powerful marketing strategies!

But if you think blogs are all about creating articles around subjects related to your business and your targettedmarket then you're wrong. Blogs that produce the great results we've mentioned earlier had gone through tons of steps beforet theywere published! Here are four necessary steps to starting your very own blog!

STEP 1: Select a niche

Your blog's niche will be a particular topic you'll be targeting, something related to what your company offers or what your target market cares about.Do your research! What are some of the topics your audience loves reading about and what discussions can you have around your services. You can also check out your competitors to see what kind of stuff they're posting.Having a good idea of your niche is detrimental to your blog's success as it easily identifies the kind of content you'll be developing for the next few months or even years!

STEP 2: Target the right keywords 

Targetting keywords

In order to get people on your blog, you need to know where they are which means checking out the stuff they often look for on search engines. Keyword research is one of those essential parts of developing a blog that's often skipped and when it's forgotten, businesses struggle to grab people's attention. Once you've determined your niche, looking for the right keywords should be easier! Choose keywords that have highsearch volumes, meaning tons of people are reading through that topic. You can also go back to your competitors to look into the keywords they're targeting. Finding the proper keywords is key to reaching the right people. Without them, all of the hard work you've put into your blogs will be for nothing if they don't reach the right people.

STEP 3: Understanding google's algorithm

Google's algorithm

 If you think it's enough to know what kind of content your audience likes, you're wrong. The other party that you need to impress is Google's Algorithm. Now if you've been keeping an eye out on SEO, you know how Google's algorithm is constantly updated and changed. This is because, at the end of the day, the search engine is a business that wants to serve its consumers well. Make the time to read through Google's Search Evaluator Guidelines to get a good understanding of the kind ofc contenttheir algorithm likes. Keep in mind that Google sets its own standards for sites meaning that depending on your blog's subject or niche, the goals you need to meet in order to get a high ranking will vary. 

Make mental notes of Google's recommendations and don't be afraid to explore E-A-T (Expertise, Authority and Trust) one of the concepts the search engine uses in ranking sites if needed!

Step 4: Start writing your blog

Now that you've prepared yourself, you can now start developing and building your own blog! Don't forget to revisit your notes from Google's guide to ensure that the algorithm and your people love what you write. Regular posting is a must if you want to establish authority and credibility. And if you already have existing  Social media accounts, promote your blog there and bring more traffic in!

CONCLUSION

Now that every consumer is set in making informed decisions for themselves, blogging has become one of the leading easy ways businesses can showcase how they can help their customers lead a better life!

Ultimately, content marketing is one of those long-term strategies that when conducted well, produces great results!