If you’re running your own business online these days, you need to be blogging and using social media. These two tools go hand in hand and can make all the difference to your conversion rates. If you’re not sure how to use these tools, you’re in the right place. This guide will show you how these tools work together, and how you can use them for your business’ benefit.
How Blogging and Social Media Differ
On the surface, blogging and social media look very much alike. You’re creating new content, containing text and images, that you’re looking to get your audience to share. It’s true that they are very similar, but the difference is where the content is posted. Social media refers to sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, where users communicate with each other and share posts. Blogging usually happens on your own website, although you’ll include sharing tools that allow readers to share that blog on their social media.
How Blogging Improves your Business
There are several ways in that blogging can help give your business a boost. Here are some of the reasons why you should be using it to bring in customers:
It Improves your SEO: If you’re regularly posting good quality, useful posts, then your SEO will improve. Google algorithms will see that you’re a current site that’s constantly updated, and so your site will rise up through the rankings.
Establish a Brand Voice: Part of your marketing is deciding on the image you want to put out to your audience. Are you more of a fun or wacky company, or a more conservative one? Whatever the answer is, writing a blog can help establish that voice and image for you.
Showcase your Products: You want your customers to see your products being used in the real world, and your blog can be the perfect place to do that. Go in-depth on what your products do, and how they can help your customers with the problem you’re looking to solve.
How Social Media Can Benefit you
Social media is the other tool you should be used when marketing your business. Here’s why you’ve got to be using it:
Wider Reach: There’s no bigger audience than that on social media. You can create posts for a huge audience, and introduce yourself to people who may have never otherwise have heard of you.
Lets you see What Others Are Saying: Thanks to the way sites such as Twitter allow tagging in posts, it’s easier than ever to see what people are saying about you. It can be the easiest way to see what your audience’s feelings are towards you at any given time.
Allows you to Talk to Your Customers: One of the best things about social media is that it allows you to talk one on one with anyone who wants to talk to you. It makes you much more personable and approachable as a business.
How to Use Blogging and Social Media to Improve Your Business
Now you have the basics of both blogging and social media, you can use them both to boost your business and really bring the customers in. Here’s how you can use them in conjunction to market yourself:
Add Sharing Buttons: On your blog, you want to include sharing buttons. These can be easily implemented with any blogging platform you use. This is vital if you’re looking to combine both blogging and social media. These will encourage readers to share your blog on their own page, increasing awareness of your brand.
Share Your Own Blogs on Social Media: It’s a good idea to share your blogs on every platform you use when they go live. This helps your audience see when new posts go up and will drive traffic to your site.
Use Calls To Action: A Call To Action is one of the most powerful tools you can use. This works especially well at the end of blogs. Whether it’s ‘click this link’ or download this eBook’, these tools will help you increase conversion rates with just the click of a mouse.
Build up Trust: Both your blog and your social media feeds can help build trust in you as a company. Listen to your audience, and pay attention to what they have to say. If you’re taking their suggestions into account, they’ll see it in your posts.
Learn About Your Customers: Use social media to understand the wants and needs of your audience, and use that information in your posts. This helps you write much more useful content that they’ll want.
Blogging and social media are both important tools that you need to be using if you’re looking to get ahead online. Use this guide to use them properly, and you’ll be amazed how much conversion increases.