Many business-to-business (B2B) companies believe blogging is still optional or even worse, that some poor entry-level marketing person can do it in their spare time. That is just a recipe for failure.
In most cases, the executive team does not understand the long-term implications of blogging and they don’t see immediate value. As a result, they do not allocate the resources necessary for it to be successful.
Then, something happens.
Out of seemingly nowhere, competitors begin to win more deals, startups begin to drive the industry conversation, and your company is not invited as often to the deal table.
This is a big wake-up call. Your competitors have used a digital strategy as a strategic weapon to raise brand awareness, drive the industry conversation and generate leads --and it worked! Now your company is behind the eight ball and you need to catch up.
Blogging is one of the most valuable tools that businesses have to engage with customers and prospects. Blogging drives visibility and leads by bringing more traffic to the website, increasing your company’s visibility with search engines. It also provides you a platform to educate your prospects and position you as an industry leader, developing better customer relationships by becoming a trusted source of information.
Consider this data from HubSpot:
- B2B marketers who use blogs get more than half (67%) more leads than those who do not.
- Marketers who have prioritized blogging are 13 timesmore likely to enjoy positive ROI.
- Companies that blog receive 97% more links to their website.
- Blogs have been rated as the fifth most trusted source for accurate online information.
What Makes A Blog Award-Winning?
This sounds very cliché, but it is all about the content. To create a great B2B blog you need to take a multipronged approach to developing your content — consistently integrating new and emerging topics with evergreen topics. Evergreen content is content that is always relevant to readers. It typically looks at a topic in depth and in different ways.
Don’t wait to get started. The business case for blogging is compelling, and your competition is likely getting a head start. Aim for originality and value, and you will quickly grow a following.
This article was originally published in Forbes, click here to learn about the eight steps to creating an award-winning B2B blog.
