Tightly integrating a blog into your website offers an opportunity to speak as an authority in your field, and provide a valuable service by educating customers.
Implementing your blog as an integral part of your website with a clear visual identity linked to your company remind customers and prospects on a regular basis about your business. The combination of a blog and email newsletter which can help promote the content of the blog, offers a way to continuously build your brand.
Here are some of the general benefits of blogs as part of your communications program:
The best marketing occurs when you communicate-to-market.
Part of your marketing efforts should be directed toward educating customers about your business and technologies. A blog is a perfect opportunity to present your expertise in the form of opinions and advice, and communicate effectively about trends and the "big picture" in your field.
Blogs offers the opportunity to speak as an expert.
Often the best marketing communicates and educates customers first, and helps establish your company as a trusted resource and expert in your field. Blogs have the potential to help your organization develop stronger relationships and brand loyalty with customers, as they interact with the ‘human face’ of the organization. Blogs allow you to interact with your customer base
The best websites allow your customers to interact with you and give feedback.
Since blogs offer you the option of enabling a "comments" field after your posts where readers can give you feedback, your visitors will not only be more inclined to come back, but you will have at your disposal an effective and inexpensive way to get to know your customers better.
Blogs offer an important option for “push and viral” marketing
By consistently posting useful information that helps customers do their work, and publicizing blog postings using email marketing or direct mail, you can keep your company and its message in front of customers and prospects. Do it well enough, and your customers will forward links to your posts to co-workers as a way to keep them abreast of the latest developments in your field.