What Is the Purpose of a Blog? A Guide for SMBs and Agencies

“Blogging? That’s for lifestyle influencers and mommy bloggers, right? Not for serious businesses like mine.”

If that’s what you’re thinking, get ready to change your mind. Blogging isn’t just about sharing your thoughts online—this format of writing attracts customers, builds trust, and is a conversion powerhouse (if you enjoy it and do it right).

What is the Purpose of Blogging?

Imagine this: Your ideal customer is Googling a problem they’re facing. They scroll past ads, click on a result, and land on…your blog. A well-crafted, informative post that not only answers their question but also subtly showcases your expertise. Suddenly, you’re not just another business vying for their attention—you’re the solution they’ve been searching for.

That’s the power of blogging done right. It’s about turning curious searchers into loyal customers, building trust through valuable content, and positioning your brand as the go-to authority in your industry.

Just be warned: blogging isn’t for everyone…

Is Blogging Right for Your Business? A Reality Check

Okay, before diving headlong into a career of writing, here’s a big, fat caveat for you: Blogging isn’t some magical solution that will instantly transform your business overnight. Oh, no. It takes time, effort, and consistency to see real results. Are you ready to commit to regularly publishing high-quality content? If not, then blogging might not be the most effective way to reach your target audience.

Speaking of your audience, let’s make sure they’re interested in reading blogs in the first place.

Do your research: Where do your ideal customers hang out online?

Do they subscribe to email newsletters or engage with long-form content?

Or are they more interested in social media? Do they prefer short-form videos over written guides and tutorials?

If your audience is the latter and isn’t the blog-reading type, then your efforts might be better spent creating other forms of content.

This content type isn’t for you if:

• You’re looking for instant gratification. SEO takes time, and so does building an audience for a blog. If you’re expecting overnight results, trust me, blogging isn’t your thing.
• You’re not willing to invest time and resources. If you don’t enjoy writing, then dedicating the time or resources to blogging is going to be a complete drag. Eventually, you’ll crash and burn and wish you’d walked a different path.
• Your audience isn’t interested in reading blogs. If your ideal customer prefers videos or social media, focus your energy there and don’t waste your time here. You can’t get blood out of stone, after all.

Beyond Traffic: The REAL Benefits of Blogging for Business

If you didn’t hit the back button after reading the last section, kudos to you. You’re a real one—ready to gut this thing out and sell your soul to the keyboard gods.

So, let’s go from the bad to the good. Apart from building trust, blogging also:

• Generates leads: This is where the rubber meets the road. By creating content that solves your ideal customer’s problems, you’re not just attracting organic traffic—you’re pulling in qualified leads. A well-placed call to action (CTA) in your blog post can turn curious readers into subscribers, demo requests, or even sales.
• Establishes your business as a go-to resource: Blogging isn’t just about selling—it’s about sharing your knowledge. When you consistently publish high-quality, informative content, you build credibility. Credibility that transforms you from just another business into the go-to expert in your field.
• Builds customer connections and loyalty: A blog gives you a platform to have conversations with your customers. Respond to comments, answer questions, and build relationships. This level of engagement fosters loyalty and creates brand advocates who will sing your praises.

Those are just the obvious benefits. Blogging can even:

• Boost employee morale: Empower your team by inviting them to share their knowledge on the blog.
• Spark product innovation: Researching new topics often reveals market gaps or unmet needs that your business could address.

Blogging Tips for Non-Writers

…and also writers. Yes, there are tips here that you’ll find valuable, too. Promise 🤞.

DIY or Call in the Experts? The Blogging Dilemma for Businesses

Running a business is already a juggling act. Adding “content creator” to your overflowing plate might seem like a recipe for burnout. If this resonates, let’s explore your options: DIY-ing it or bringing in a professional team. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, as the best approach depends on your unique goals, resources, and priorities.

DIY Blogging: The Freedom and The Frustration

If you’re a smaller business with a tight budget, DIY blogging can be a great way to save money. You have complete control over your content, crafting messages that perfectly capture your brand voice. Plus, if you enjoy writing, it can be a fun way to connect with your audience.

But let’s not sugarcoat it—blogging takes time. A lot of time. From brainstorming topics, implementing SEO best practices, and conducting research to writing, editing, and promoting your posts, it can easily eat up precious hours. And if writing isn’t your strong suit, consistently producing high-quality content can feel like a daunting task.

Outsourcing: The Pros and Cons for Agencies and SMBs

Hiring a professional blogger or content team can be a lifesaver. For agencies, it’s a way to scale your services without stretching your resources thin. For small business owners, it’s a way to get expert content without becoming a marketing guru overnight. Either way, you get to tap into the expertise of seasoned writers who understand SEO, know how to craft engaging headlines, and can tailor the content to your specific target audience.

However, outsourcing comes at a cost. Professional content writing services can be expensive, and with so many options out there, it can be hard to find the right partner. Make sure they understand your industry, your brand voice, and your specific goals. After all, you don’t want to end up with generic content that misses the mark.

Heads up: If you feel outsourcing is your best option, why not check out our blog writing services? We might just be the blogging partner you’re searching for.

Write Blog Posts People Actually Want to Read

Nobody’s got time for boring blog posts. If you want people to actually read what you write (and maybe even share it), your content needs to be engaging, informative, and get to the point fast.

Here’s the recipe for blog posts that hook readers and leave them wanting more:

• Hook ’em from the start: Ditch those generic intros. Your first few sentences should grab your readers by the eyeballs and make them think, “This is exactly what I’ve been searching for!”
• Skimmable is key: Nobody reads every word. Use eye-catching headings, short paragraphs, and bullet points to make it easy for readers to find the good stuff.
• Write like a human: Ditch the jargon and the fluff. Your blog should sound like a conversation with your ideal customer.
• Visuals, visuals, visuals: Break up those walls of text with images, infographics, or even videos. A little eye candy goes a long way.
• Edit like a ninja: Be ruthless with your words. Cut out the fluff, clarify any confusing sentences, and proofread, proofread, proofread before hitting publish.

Tools to Make Blogging a Breeze

You don’t have to do this thing alone. There are a ton of great tools that’ll get your writing from “meh” to “damn, that’s some great advice.”

Here’s every good writer’s tech-stack:

• Grammarly is an AI-powered tool that checks your spelling, grammar, and even offers suggestions for improving your writing style.
• Google Docs is a free service offered by Google. It’s easy to use and allows for real-time collaboration. Perfect for teams working on blog posts together.
• Trello and Asana are project management tools that allow you to track content ideas, assign tasks to different team members, and monitor progress. No more missed deadlines or last-minute scrambles.
• SurferSEO isn’t your average keyword tool. It analyzes top-ranking pages to reveal exactly what content structure, word count, and even specific phrases are needed to compete. No more guessing, just data-backed optimizations.
• Clearscope is similar to Surfer, however, it gives you real-time guidance as you write, ensuring your content is hitting all the right notes for both readers and search engines. It comes at a premium, but if you can swing it, there’s no doubt this is one of the best writing tools on the market.

SEO Boost: How Blogs Help You Rank (and Monetize)

Okay, the crux of this entire topic…the payoff—ranking your blog posts and turning those readers into customers. Here’s how:

Boosting Your SEO Game

Sure, page views and social shares are nice little ego boosts. But let’s talk about the real power of a blog for SEO:

• Fresh content = fresh rankings: Google crawlers are constantly looking for new content. Regular blog posts keep your site fresh and signal to Google that you’re an active and relevant source of information.
• Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T): Google wants to show its users the best answers possible. High-quality blog content that demonstrates your expertise and experience builds E-E-A-T signals, helping your website rank higher for relevant searches.
• Engage, engage, engage: When visitors stick around to read your posts, share them on social media, or leave comments, it shows Google that your content is resonating with your audience. Engagement metrics indirectly influence your rankings by signaling that your site is a valuable resource.

Optimizing Your Blog for Success

Your clients and customers care about results. Show them you know your stuff with blog content that’s not just well-written but strategically designed to rank.

• Keyword research done right: Identify those high-value keywords your clients’ customers are actually searching for. Use tools like Semrush or Ahrefs to uncover hidden opportunities and find those sweet-spot topics that combine search volume with low competition.
• On-page optimization made easy: Craft catchy, click-bait titles that use the right keywords naturally and meta descriptions that make people want to click. Remember, the goal is to attract the right audience, not just any traffic.
• Promotion that actually works: Your clients want to see results, so help them amplify their content’s reach. Develop a promotion plan that includes social media shares, email newsletters, and outreach to relevant websites.

FYI: We offer SEO services that are sure to have that new blog of yours ranking.

Monetizing Your Blog

Let’s ditch the “starving artist” stereotype and explore how to turn your content into cold, hard cash:

• Affiliate marketing: Recommend products or services relevant to your client’s niche and earn a commission on each sale made through their blog. Prewarning: Many blog posting affiliates have been hit hard by Google’s Helpful Content Update (HCU) and 2024 March Core Update. I’m not saying affiliate marketing isn’t a viable way to monetize a blog; however, proceed with caution.
• Sponsored content opportunities: Partner with brands to create valuable sponsored content for your clients’ blogs.
• Ads: If your blog is attracting a decent amount of traffic, displaying ads can be a way to generate passive income. Platforms like Google AdSense, Mediavine, and Ezoic make it easy to get started—they handle finding the advertisers, so you can focus on creating great content.

Conclusion and Next Steps

And there you have it—a 30,000-foot overview into the many facets of blogging and why it’s more than just words on a page. Of course, there’s much more to learn, but that comes with experience. If you truly want to sink your teeth into blogging, there’s nothing better than putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard).

If you still feel you’re over your head, no matter. That’s where little old us, Loganix, comes in.

We’re not just another content mill. Instead, we’ll handle everything from crafting a data-driven blog strategy to creating engaging, SEO-optimized content that speaks directly to your target audience.

🚀 Reach out to our team today, and let’s transform your website into a lead-generating machine. 🚀