I’m A Blog Writer That’s Not Obsessed With SEO – Here’s Why
At the risk of being one of those people that shares ~hot takes~ and ~unpopular opinions~ as an attempt to hook you in and potentially create engagement, I’m about to say something that a lot of people really probably do disagree with…
And it might sound confusing at first because after all, I’m a blog writer.
And blogs automatically make people think of SEO.
So what’s a blog writer doing telling people that SEO actually isn’t THE most important reason you should have a blog in your business?
It’s true. I don’t think that SEO (search engine optimization) is the main reason that you should implement blog content in your business.
Don’t get me wrong, populating higher in Google search results for your industry is great and there’s nothing wrong with that being a goal of yours, but it seems like the online business world has gotten it twisted somewhere along the way.
Blog content isn’t just for the rankings.
Blog content isn’t just something you do because you want to get on page 1 of Google.
Blog content isn’t just for SEO.
It’s about SO much more than that!
The cool part though is when you implement blog content strategically in your business, SEO benefits become the cherry on top of everything else. 🍒
Here’s what I mean. ⬇️
5 Reasons You Should Have A Blog Beyond *Just* SEO
Blogs grow your thought leadership.
Thought leadership is one of those things that you hear about in the online business world that sounds fancy, but honestly it’s just a formal way of saying “go-to person.”
By consistently publishing insightful and valuable blog content, you actively establish yourself as a thought leader – aka a go-to person – in your industry.
For example, let’s say you’re a copywriter for service providers and you have a blog that’s full of information and education about copywriting. When a service provider has a question or wants to know something about copywriting, they’ll know that they can go to YOU for the answer – or at least some tips or advice around the topic.
(Speaking of copywriters who have established themself as a thought leader in the industry – Sara at BTL Copy has done this insanely well and her blog is fulllll of good stuff!)
Overall, thought leadership is about providing unique perspectives and expert opinions that inspire and inform your audience. Through high-quality blog posts, you can address industry trends, share innovative ideas, and offer solutions to common problems, positioning your business as a go-to resource for knowledge and expertise.
Blogs build your authority and credibility.
In addition to growing your thought leadership, blogs also allow you to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in your industry which will naturally build your authority and credibility.
When choosing to work with someone, people first want to know that you know your stuff. And one of the best ways to convey that you do indeed know your stuff is through consistent blog content.
When you regularly publish well-researched and accurate content, you show your audience that you understand your industry on another level. This credibility encourages trust, making potential customers more likely to choose your products or services over those of competitors who do not have a strong content presence.
Blogs help you sell.
One of the biggest misconceptions about blog content is that the sole purpose is to nurture your audience – aka educate, inspire, motivate, etc. And while it’s true that your blog content DOES do all of those things, your blog content can also help you SELL!
I believe that blogs can be a huge part of your buyer journey for potential customers when you do it strategically.
Through educational and persuasive content, you can address common objections, provide detailed information about your products or services, and showcase customer testimonials and case studies.
This not only helps in nurturing leads but also in converting them into paying customers by providing them with the necessary information and confidence to make a purchase decision.
(My friend Emelie at Pass The Queso does this SO well – check her guest expert blog here for How To Sell Your Offer with Evergreen Blog Content!)
Blogs serve as an education hub for your audience.
What I love so much about blog content is that you’re ultimately building a HUGE content bank for your audience to refer to whenever they need.
Unlike social media content, your blog content truly lasts forever – so you could publish a blog post today and it could still be easily found 1 year, 5 years, or even 10 years from now.
Social content just doesn’t work that way. You can have THE most amazing content, but the truth of the matter is that all of that content gets buried sooooo quickly.
This is why I always preach a blogs first, socials second approach!
It’s not because I don’t like social media or I don’t think that it’s valuable. Of course it is! I love Instagram as much as the next person and it’s been a great tool that’s introduced me to so many people AND has been a great lead generator for my business.
But it’s not the end all be all and it’s not something that I prioritize before anything else. Instead, I start with my blog content FIRST and let that content guide everything else that I do using this content marketing funnel.
Ultimately, my take on content is this: if you’re going to spend the time creating valuable content that your audience truly needs, don’t you want that content to continue serving them (and you!) beyond the day you post it?!
I know I do.
Blogs help you work smarter, not harder on other marketing channels.
Speaking of that content marketing funnel, the best part of blogs IMO is that they help you work smarter, NOT harder everywhere else.
As business owners, it’s soooo tempting to feel like you need to show up everywhere – Instagram, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, Email, Podcast, the list goes on.
The truth is that you really don’t HAVE to be on all of those platforms to be successful, but if you WANT to be on all of those (or at least some of them!), the good news is that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
Your blogs can help you generate content for all of the other platforms that you want to consistently show up on. And no, it’s not just about repurposing.
The idea here isn’t to post the exact same content everywhere – what fun would that be?!
The idea is to simply let your long form content (in this case blogs) inspire what you do everywhere else.
For example, this blog post inspired this social media post. And most of my weekly blog posts inspire my weekly newsletters.
Not only does this approach help you work smarter, not harder, it ALSO ensures consistency in your messaging, which means if someone stumbles upon your Instagram and then they go read your blog and then they subscribe to your newsletter, ALL of the content would be seamlessly connected!
Overall, by leveraging your blog content across multiple platforms, you can maintain a strong presence and engage with your audience more effectively without having to constantly create new material from scratch.
Natty Write’s Blog Philosophy
With all of this in mind, at Natty Writes my blog philosophy is pretty simple:
Your blog is like your content house (not an apartment!) meaning you OWN it and your best content lives there. 🏡
The rooms inside that house, like a bedroom, living room, or kitchen, are like the categories or pillars that you create content around. 🛌 🛋
Each of those rooms are filled with unique items, like fancy lamps and cute mirrors, and those items are like the actual topics that you create long form blog posts for. 📚
The cool part about this house is that it comes with a really good cleaning lady, which means that all of your content is very organized and searchable for your audience. 🧼
And even better, ALL roads lead to home! This means that all of your other content from various platforms, like Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, email, etc. leads your audience back to the platform that you own (your blog!) so they can receive ultimate value and easily be guided into their next step! 🛣
Your home is truly THE place to be. It’s like the friend in high school that had the designated hangout house? The one with the cool snacks, pool, and a movie theater – you know the one. That’s your blog! You are always prepared and you greet new-comers with an inviting energy. 🥂
New to my world? Nice to virtually meet ya. 👋 I’m Natalie, but everyone calls me Natty (you can too) – blog and email writer for creative business owners and service providers.
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