Congratulations! You’ve finally started the new business you always dreamed of. You’re making connections and getting yourself seen on social media. You’re building your email list.

But have you started a blog yet?

I’ve done some poking around, and from what I’ve heard from the new business owners I’ve spoken to, most don’t have one. But they intend to… one day.

They say their priority is building their business through social channels: Some have started a Facebook group, and others are being active in others’ Facebook groups. They’re getting onto LinkedIn. They’re focussing on Instagram.

And social media is an unbelievable marketing tool, so I can’t deny you need a social presence for pretty much every type of business.

But did you know that having a blog is one of the most under-utilized tools by business owners today?

A blog is a crucial piece of any content marketing strategy. In fact, it should be one of the first pieces you put into place when you’re creating a content strategy for your coaching business.

And because a blog is an extension of your brand, you’ll need to come up with compelling and engaging blog posts consistently. This is where people can dive deeper into your services, your expertise, and how your methods work.

If you don’t think having a blog for your business is a priority, here are 7 good reasons why you should start one right away:

Attract More Search Engine Traffic

Your blog can be a natural information resource. Sure, you’ll want to have your most recent post come up on the homepage of your website, but you can get it noticed elsewhere, too. And not just for a week or two; a well-written blog post can attract readers indefinitely.

When you optimize your blog copy (which means you include popular keywords and phrases in your text), it helps capture traffic from search engines like Google.

What you end up with is “evergreen” content that ranks higher in the search engine results pages (SERPs). People looking for the information you’ve written about in your blog will find it when they type it into Google or other search engines. And the more people who see it and click on it, the better your chances of staying on the first page of the SERPs.

Keep Your Customers Updated

Marketing your business with a blog gives you a bigger space to talk about what you do.

Long social media posts don’t get a lot of views because there’s just too much competing for your reader’s attention at once.

A Facebook newsfeed is—literally—endless. Dropping a 500-word (or more) social media post in your group or on your Facebook page will usually go unread. At best it might be skimmed. And without being able to add subheads or use other techniques to make your post easier to read, most long posts on social media pages just look like big, solid blocks of text.

And big, solid blocks of text look complicated to readers. They’ll scroll right past.

With a blog, you can talk to your customers about what’s going on behind the scenes at your company. You can talk to them about a specific issue you know they deal with. You have a quiet place to show your expertise—and can do it away from the distraction of social media.

When someone clicks to read your blog post, it’s the only thing on the page. You’ve got their undivided attention—and for much longer than you’d have it on Facebook or Instagram.

Increase Your SEO Potential

Besides improving your search engine ranking, a blog is great for your other web-based marketing efforts.

Each time you add a new blog post, it helps drive more traffic to your site. This means you’ll get more chances to capture new leads.

One of the greatest things about a blog is that you can go back and update old posts to keep them relevant. And when you regularly post new content, Google’s web crawlers have to keep coming back and indexing your new pages. This signals to Google that your website is active (which helps your search engine rankings).

This is especially important for content marketing because you can capitalize on the popularity of different topics and trends with each new blog post. It gives your business a chance to stay relevant in your market.

Generate Leads and Sales

If you’re having a hard time generating leads and marketing your business, content marketing is your best bet.

With a blog, you can capture more leads by adding a sign-up form or some type of opt-in area right at the end of your posts so people who’ve enjoyed your content can be notified about future posts, resources, and offerings.

This gets them on your mailing list, too. A double win!

Generate Traffic to Another Site

Whatever your industry, you can link your blog posts to other resources that may benefit your readers or ones that complement what you do.

A health and wellness coach, for example, could write a blog that includes links to studies or other sites that deal with sleep, meditation, or mental health services. Let your blog help you connect with other bloggers. These connections will serve you well as you work to grow your online presence and reputation.

Get to Know Your Customers

Blogging helps you get more insight into your customer base and understand what your followers are looking for.

Use your blog to track the demographics of your readers. What types of content do they like best? What posts are attracting the most attention and comments?

Blog posts also make it easier to track what keywords are being used most for searches in your industry.

Get People Excited About Your Business

Creating a blog will generate more energy and excitement around your company, courses, and industry.

Think about it: The more posts you write, and the more you attract comments and connections with other bloggers, the more your visitors will get a feel for who you are and what you do.

This is, of course, in addition to them being able to see—through your posts—that you’re an expert in what you do.

Plus, regular blogging can keep you on top of trends in your industry. That’s a great way to get inspired about new innovations, releases, and marketing campaigns.

Final Thoughts…

If you’re a new business owner—and even if you’re not—a blog is an important piece of your content marketing strategy if you want to set yourself apart from others in your field.

It’s not just about acquiring new clients; a blog can keep you connected with your existing clients, the ones who are still on the fence about working with you, and others who are tied to your industry. And a blog allows you to stay relevant in an ever-changing marketplace.

Need some help coming up with blog topic ideas? Send me a message through my Contact page and I can help you brainstorm.