In this first part of a three-part series, read about the top four benefits of blogging and discover how to start your own insurance blog.
The days of marketing your business solely through word-of-mouth and print advertising have long since passed. Today, insurance agencies know that in order to compete and thrive, they need an online presence, too.
If you’re like a lot of agents, you might think that means having a robust, easy-to-use website — and that’s it. Unfortunately, for today’s tech-savvy consumers, that’s just part of the online marketing equation.
To continue to attract new clients (and retain current clients), you need to provide solutions that resonate with your audience — and to do that, you really need a blog.
In this first of a 3-part series, we go over the top four benefits of B2B blogging and how to get started with your own blog.
4 BENEFITS OF B2B BLOGGING
Blogging offers lots of advantages for businesses, including these four major benefits:
You’ll rank better in search results
Google uses complex algorithms to determine which sites show up first following a search. Since few searchers venture beyond the first page of results, it’s important to do all you can to make sure your site lands — and stays — on that first page.
While we may not know exactly how Google determines its search result rankings, one thing we know is that those algorithms prefer sites with fresh content. Since blogs are designed to be “refreshed” with new content on a regular basis, they’re a great way to make sure your site gets the attention it deserves from Google — and from customers.
You’ll attract more visitors to your site
A recent HubSpot survey found businesses that blog regularly attract 55% more customers than those that don’t blog.
The reason is simple: Blogging lets you “talk” to your customers in an engaging and informative manner — in short, in a way that speaks directly to their lives and their concerns.
While your landing pages may be devoted to your products and services, your blog is a real chance to show current and potential clients why you’re a better agent than your competitors.
Specifically, taking the time to connect in a way that’s meaningful and relevant to your clients shows you have their best interests at heart — and that goes a long way toward building trust, not to mention building your brand’s authority.
You’ll generate more leads
No question about it: businesses that blog tend to attract a lot more leads than their non-blogging competitors. In fact, one survey found two-thirds of businesses that blog generate more leads than sites that don’t have blogs.
What’s more, businesses that use blogging as a marketing tool are about 13 times more likely to see a positive ROI for their digital marketing efforts compared to sites without blogs.
With the right content, your blog can increase your agency’s visibility and help you grow your business with a minimal investment of time.
You’ll develop a stronger brand
Today’s customers expect businesses to have a robust online presence, and that typically includes both an easy-to-use website and a blog (and usually social media accounts, too).
A blog doesn’t just let you connect with customers and grow your company’s online presence. It also helps your business look more professional and successful, and that means you can compete a lot more effectively within your specific marketplace and within the industry as a whole.
HOW TO GET STARTED
Adding a blog to your site is a lot simpler than you may think. If you work with a digital marketing company, they can add a dedicated blogging “space” for you. If you manage your website in-house, your web manager can incorporate a blog into a separate “section” of your site.
Depending on your preference, you can add new blog content on your own, or you can delegate that task to a marketing company or someone on your staff. Typically, adding new blog content isn’t much more difficult than copying and pasting your written content into the blog editor and publishing it with a few mouse clicks.
Still, not everyone has the time to post their own blog content. If you find yourself too busy (or too intimidated), there are plenty of digital marketing agencies that will be happy to help.
Once you’ve got the space set up for your blog, the next step is creating blog content — and that starts with figuring out the type of content that’s going to attract readers while also promoting your brand. Part two of this three-part blog will delve a bit deeper into what it takes for your blog to be successful.
