Whether you’re a long-time business owner branching out into online marketing for the first time or a newbie dipping your toe into these unfamiliar waters, it shouldn’t be news to you that blogging is an essential regular activity for any brand looking to make its mark digitally.

A natural extension of any company website, a dedicated blog is the ultimate platform for an expert content hub – whatever your business’s specialist subject may be.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re able to make time once a week, once a month or once a quarter – the bottom line is every brand should be making a concerted effort to blog, and we’re exploring why in this pocket guide to the primary benefits of blogging.

Define your brand voice

If you’ve ever participated in a branding workshop of any kind in the past, you’ll likely have a fairly tight grip on your company’s brand voice – but the truth is that so many elegantly thought-out brand identities gather dust once they’re pinned down, rather than being put to their intended use. Making the decision to begin blogging as a brand gives you a prime opportunity to showcase your unique brand voice, illustrating the multifaceted personality behind your surface-level brand image.

Share opinions

As an individual or a brand entity, you may well have some passionate opinions on your sector as a whole that you’d like to share with anyone who’ll listen. Perhaps you want to praise innovation in your industry, or bust some common myths associated with your sector, or share your market trend predictions for the year ahead. Whatever your intentions, one of the ultimate benefits of blogging is creating a home where you can these opinions – meaning you can become more of an active participant in your sector, rather than a mere spectator.

Impart knowledge

As well as making your opinions heard via your company blog, you’ll also want to demonstrate your authority and expertise in order to earn the trust of current and potential customers. With your website’s landing pages likely dedicated to promoting your products or services, your blog can serve as a powerful platform for educating your customers on topics associated with these products or services. From delivering practical how-tos to providing the theory behind any complex industry concepts, the world’s your oyster when it comes to knowledge-sharing.

Join the conversation

Whatever your sector, we’re willing to bet there’s the occasional heated debate surrounding, say, a particular market player, a new piece of relevant government legislation or emerging shopping behaviours in your industry. To remain relevant in the long term, use your brand blog to offer your two cents on these hot topics, sharing genuine insights to show your readership you’re committed to keeping your finger on the pulse.

Build a community

Done right, blogging can be your key to amassing a large and engaged readership of users who’ll make a point of returning to your site without being prompted. This is the mother of online marketing success: a genuine brand community. By ensuring the topics you cover (and the approaches you take to these topics) are always timely, engaging and unique, you can lead users to rely on your blog for a high-quality take on your sector and keep them coming back for more.

Refine your conversion funnel

Last but certainly not least, one of the greatest benefits of blogging as a business is the ability to use your blog content as a path towards conversions. By drawing in users via top-of-the-funnel topics (think informational or lifestyle-related pieces that educate or engage without being outwardly promotional), you can begin to bring interested readers into your inner circle who can, ultimately, be nurtured into becoming paying customers or clients.

At Six Circles, our community engagement platform features practical brand-building assets galore, including the potential for your own news and resource area, where you can take the first step towards a living, breathing brand blog. Reap the benefits of blogging by getting in touch today to discuss your options with a community engagement expert.