You’ve heard people say writing a blog is important for growing your business. So you write some posts, put them out there, and wait. Nothing happens. Then you start to wonder: is anybody even reading this?

And then you might start wondering: Why blog if nobody reads it?

Researching, writing, editing, and publishing a blog post takes lots of time, energy, and effort. So it can be frustrating and disheartening when nobody reads it – especially in the early days when you are just starting out (I talk from experience). So, I’m here to encourage you to keep going. Here’s why:

It takes time to build an audience

A successful blog rarely happens overnight; therefore it’s best to think of blogging as a long-term strategy for building your customer base. It takes time for people to find you and build recognition in your industry.

You’re probably asking at this point: But how long will it take? There’s no hard and fast rule for this; however, John Espirian, author of Content DNA, notes that “it can take 30 months for content creation to have a significant impact on your business.” So you can see writing a blog takes time and grit.

Consistency is a key ingredient

Blogging also requires consistency, which is something I learnt the hard way. I used to publish hap-hazzardly, and not very often (one year I only published one blog post – shocking, I know!). I used the excuse that I was busy getting on with running my business. However, this wasn’t really helping me to grow my business. Since publishing more consistently, I’ve been seeing a gradual increase in readers.

People like to know what to expect and when. Also, creating regular content will hold people’s interest as there will be new stuff to read. Set a realistic schedule that will work for you – and commit to it. That’s not to say things are set in stone; if circumstances change later on, you can always adjust accordingly. The key is to start with a goal that you know you can realistically achieve. Two blogs a month works perfectly for me at the moment. If I manage more – bonus!

Additionally, posting regularly not only helps you to build an audience, but keeps you in front of them. So when they are looking for someone with your skills or products, they are more likely to think of you.

Blogging helps you build your brand

Writing a blog provides an opportunity to share useful information with your target audience and place your business as the go-to for your products or services.

As you build your audience, you’ll build more awareness around your brand, which will help you to grow your business. Hubspot reported that “Companies with blogs produce an average of 67% more leads monthly than companies that don’t blog.” That’s a good reason to keep going with your blog.

A blog builds trust in your brand

People prefer to buy from brands that they trust. Producing consistently helpful content that your readers enjoy will go a long way towards creating that trust.

Over time, you’ll create a back-catalogue of posts for people to view, which makes you more trustworthy as it shows you’ve been around a while. (It doesn’t matter that nobody is reading them right now.)

To create useful content that your readers will love, remember to keep your readers in mind. Ask yourself: how can I help my readers?

Here are some tips for building trust with your audience:

• Be authentic: be honest and transparent; give your own thoughts and opinions, not just follow a trend or jump on a bandwagon.
• Be useful: what information are your readers looking for? How will your content improve their lives?
• Be relatable: people will more likely engage with your content.
• Don’t just try to hawk your wares.

Someone who finds one piece of content helpful or entertaining is more likely to check out what else you have to offer. The more good posts they find, and the more time they spend reading them, the more they’ll regard and trust you.

Blogs help people find you

Google (and other search engines) like an up-to-date website with fresh content. Posting regular blogs shows Google your website (and therefore your business) is active. This in turn helps with search engine rankings, meaning people are more likely to find you in search results. Again, this takes time and your readership will increase gradually as more people find you.

Additionally, blog posts can act like landing pages. People who find your post in search results can then explore other parts of your website and what you have to offer.

The more you blog about your niche or industry, the more your content will appear in search results. High quality content attracts links from other sites, which will also help with your SEO. By blogging about different topics in your industry, you’ll also cover more keywords, which will help more people find you.

However, don’t needlessly stuff your posts full of keywords. Search engines look for quality content that is useful to readers – and they are pretty good at spotting it. Therefore, your priority should be writing for your customers, not the search engine bots.

📖 Further reading: 9 SEO copywriting tips

Your blog is your portfolio

Your blog is a place where you can showcase your work, ideas, and expertise, and give people a glimpse of your processes and how you solve problems for clients. And if you’re a writer, like me, it shows people that you can write interesting stuff that people want to read.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t have many readers, potential customers want to know about your skills and what you can offer, not how many readers you have. And if they like what they see, it could lead to them working with you.

Your blog is a valuable resource for customers

Do you ever find yourself directing customers to various resources to answer their questions? Why not send them to your blog?

By writing helpful blog posts that answer common customer questions, you have a valuable resource to direct them to the next time you’re asked a question. The customer gets the answer they need and you get to help your customer while showcasing your knowledge and expertise. (Plus you don’t have to keep answering the same questions again and again). Everyone is happy.

Blogging is good for personal development

You’re writing your blog to be helpful to your readers now, and in the future. But even more importantly, you’re doing it for yourself too. Here’s why:

• Blogging will help you to hone your writing skills. Writing is a skill that needs to be practiced and nurtured regularly. Writing a blog will help you to do that.
• Blogging will help you to learn. We’re always learning and your blog is a place where you can write about the stuff you’ve learnt. This helps to solidify your knowledge while also being able to share it with others.
• Blogging keeps you up-to-date. Writing a about your industry keeps you in the loop of what’s going on and helps you become even more familiar with it. Blogging will also make you realise what you think about stuff and bring your own perspectives to the topic. Your blog is also a place where you can record what you’re thinking about.
• Blogging helps you to flex your creative muscles. As you write more, coming up with ideas and making connections will all become easier and it will help you develop your critical thinking skills.
• Blogging makes you feel accomplished. Writing a blog is hard work; and even if nobody reads it, you still put in the time and effort. So take a moment to reflect on and celebrate your accomplishment – you deserve it!

📖 Further reading: 10 Productivity Tips to Help You Write More

In summary

There are many advantages to writing a blog for your business, but it takes lots of time and effort, so it can feel disheartening if nobody is reading your posts. The good news is that with good quality content, consistency, and grit, you will gradually build an audience over time.

I hope you have found this useful and are inspired to keep it up. Let me know how you get on – I always love to hear from my readers.

About the Author

Hi! I’m Anita, a copywriter based in Wolverhampton, UK.

I write blog posts for busy business owners and agencies who want to share their expertise and get noticed, but don’t have the time.

You can find out more about me here:

• Content Writing Services (includes info about my blog writing services)
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How to get in touch:

• Email me at hello@anitacopysmith.co.uk
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