To Blog, or Not To Blog…

That is the question.That is the question.

Here’s a question often asked by business owners when we are talking about internet marketing: “Do I really need to blog to grow my business?” Business owners are wondering if blogging is worth the time and effort.The answer is Yes and No.“No, you don’t really need to.” You can utilize other marketing strategies and tools. There are hundreds of ways you can market your business and blogging is just one of them. However…

The answer is “Yes, if you want a marketing tool that is relatively inexpensive yet very effective.”Obviously, I am biased and I highly recommend blogging. I have been blogging for years and it has proven to help businesses grow in their marketing efforts.First, what is a blog? A blog is a regularly updated website or webpage, typically run by an individual or a small group that is written in an informal conversational style. I will not go into the details or steps on blogging. We will save that for another day. What I would like to “talk story” about right now are the benefits of blogging for your business. Here they are:

1. Blogging will drive traffic to your website. By “traffic” I mean people who are cruising the internet searching for specific information, products or services. Technically speaking, blogging helps boost your Search Engine Optimization (SEO). The idea is, the more people that visit your website, the more potential customers and clients you will have.

2. Blogging will set you apart. By blogging, you will help educate your customers and/or clients. You will be seen as the authority and expert in your field. You will establish your business as the industry leader. Speaking of educating your readers, you as the blogger will also educate yourself.

3. Blogging creates opportunities for sharing. Every time you blog, you create an opportunity for your audience to share. Whether they link to your blog post, tweet it, or email it to others, it is free marketing and it further validates your business.

4. Blogging will connect people to your brand. It facilitates open communication and long lasting relationships with your customers and clients. Blog posting allows you to show a personal side of your business that customers don’t usually see using other marketing tools. It gives others a sense of the personality and values of your business.I have been blogging at “A Maui Blog” for more than 10 years now, and I also have been coaching other business owners on blogging for their businesses. The best way to blog is to “tell a story.” For example, “How did your product come about?” “What was the experience of your customer when they first used your product?”Blogging does take time but in my opinion, it is worth the effort. Have you tried blogging before? Are you blogging for your business at this time? Share your experiences with us. Mag-kwento-kuwentuhan tayo.

Liza Pierce of A Maui Blog is an Interactive Media Strategist in Hawai‘i. She started blogging in 2006 and she loves talking story online and spreading aloha around the world. She’s been living on Maui since 1994 and considers Maui her home. A wife, a mother, a friend…and so much more. She loves Jesus; Maui Sunsets Catcher; Crazy About Rainbows; End Alzheimer’s Advocate. Her life is full and exciting here on the island of Maui.

Liza is currently the Interactive Media Strategist with Wailea Realty Corp.