Blogs work for businesses of all kinds, mainly when they contain valuable information which helps customers make more informed buying decisions. When done right, blogs increase customer engagement, build trust, and generate leads by driving more traffic to the merchant website. In fact, in a recent post from HubSpot, it was found that businesses that blog 16 or more times a month generate 3.5 times more traffic than those which post 4 or fewer blogs.
The uptick in traffic for B2C businesses is even higher. Specifically, B2C companies that blog 11 or more times a month generate four times as many leads as those that blog 4 or fewer times. Blogs are also a great way to engage with customers beyond the selling and buying relationship. In the same post from HubSpot, almost half of customers say they read blog posts from companies they frequently visited.
An eCommerce Blog Helps Customers Make Critical Purchasing Decisions
A common misconception is that customers do not care about a company blogs. However, a well-constructed blog will humanize a business, engage customers and give them valuable information they need to make a purchase. For example, Inc. points out the perks of an eCommerce blog:
“It is no secret that business blogs do a lot for increasing online traffic to standard website platforms, but they also have several other benefits that specifically benefit e-commerce sites. What is even better is the fact that because many e-commerce sites are not taking advantage of having a business blog, this can be the one aspect that sets a site away from the rest.”
A blog gets the attention of search engines and then by new customers. A new blog might even catch the attention of competitors. If competing merchants haven’t caught on to the value of blogging, now’s a good time to get ahead and create a new valuable space for customers.
An eCommerce blog, that delivers valuable information, helps eCommerce businesses to increase sales in four ways.
Search Engine Optimization
Search engines like Google rank websites based on the value those sites provide to internet users. Because blogs typically contain useful information, they tend to rank well in search engines and therefore improve organic search rankings. Search engines also base rank on the number of pages they can index on a site. A blog, because it adds more pages, attracts the attention of search engines which results in higher rankings and more site traffic.
Build trust with customers
Product descriptions and reviews help shoppers decide what products to buy. However, a blog, goes one step further, by providing valuable information to help customers make more prudent buying decisions. Because a well-crafted blog emphasizes help rather than sales, it increases the trust customers feel about a company. In other words, the more merchants help customers, the more customers trust companies, and the more likely they’ll be to make purchases.
Be the go-to site to solve problems
Once customers start to realize the value in an eCommerce blog, they’ll be more likely to go back to it the next time they need help. Engagement increases the so-called “stickiness” of a website. The more blog posts, the more problems solved or questions answered will continually attract new and repeat customers. When blogs are well-organized, customers quickly learn they can use it to get the answers they need. That means more repeat traffic and more sales.
Humanize Business
Customers are noting more that they don’t like to buy from businesses. Instead, they want to buy from people. The more an eCommerce site resembles a trusted friend, the more likely it is that customers will trust a company and want to do business with them. A blog is an excellent way to build trust and humanize a business. Blogs are a great way to create an alternative platform to be creative and add personality to a brand. For example, when companies write in a colloquial, conversational style that customers can easily relate to, the tone can humanize a company. However, the tone of voice will, of course, differ slightly depending on the nature of a business and brand. Simply put, blogs increase the “human factor” by telling relatable stories, offering advice, and bringing customers into the site.
A Blog Shows Companies Care about Their Customers
Lastly, a thoughtful blog shows customers that companies care about more than just profits. With helpful content, companies show they care enough to help customers solve their most pressing problems, save money, and make informed buying decisions. For the merchant, an eCommerce blog drives more site traffic, increases consumer trust, builds loyalty and repeat traffic, and puts a human face on a business.
To learn more about integrating a blog into Magento or more about how SEO marketing services can help boost sales and grow business, contact us today.