Is blogging worth it in 2021?
Funny that as I sit to write this article I am actually blogging. I’ll post it to my website later and use it on social media in eight different ways.
So, does that mean I think blogging is worth it now? In short, yes. Though I say that with a few limitations that you should be aware of if you are thinking of starting out blogging or if you are getting back at it after a time off.
So first let’s define what a blog is in 2021. A blog is an article, written to share valuable (I hope) information with its readers. It is designed to tell a story, inspire, educate or even entertain. Most of the time, a blog is around 1,000 words, or it should be for best SEO results.
It should be optimized, include targeted keywords (relatively sparingly), and a call to action.
Done well, it is something that a reader will benefit from reading. Done really well, it can inspire action and newsletter opt-ins.
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Though a blog can be a sales tool, it shouldn’t be used for sales.
Let me explain.
A blog tells your reader about your work and brand. It creates a relationship with your readers and in time, that will lead to sales and customer loyalty.
It can help make you a thought leader in your industry.
A blog should not be a sales pitch.
Readers (or anyone really) do not want to be sold to when they are looking for answers to their most pressing issues.
You know the old story about the used car salesman that lunges at a customer as soon as they enter the lot (Also, why do they do that? That is the worst!)?
Don’t be that guy.
When you jump right to sales and push your offer, your reader will feel that you are desperate to make a sale. That is not the image you want to create in their minds.
Better to share and let your expertise speak for itself. When you do, people are more attracted to you and are more likely to buy from you.
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So, back to the initial question, is it worth it to blog now.
For all of the reasons above, yes!
Writing a blog consistently will help build your brand. It will create customer loyalty that ad spends cannot buy, and you will become a thought leader in your niche.
The trick in 2021 is to be consistent and valuable.
Consistency means choosing a schedule of publishing and sticking to it. That is a huge challenge for most of us.
I have found that it is best to create a content calendar twice a year so that each week I only have to look at the calendar to know what to write about. This saves me much time and brain drain trying to decide a topic each week.
My calendar lists topics, social media posts, headlines, and keywords. Taking a day to create this 24-week calendar saves hours throughout the year.
Once a week works well for my business. Others write daily or monthly. It’s up to you and what you can commit to doing.
Remember that you must be consistent to gain traction in terms of readership and findability on search engines.
Writing once in a while or when you have a burst of energy isn’t really worth your time.
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Then there is the issue of value.
This is even more important now than consistency (ok, but be consistent).
Value means different things to different people. The bottomline is to give your readers what they need to answer their questions.
Sharing your expertise or teaching something new are great ways to build a reputation for expertise and authority on your subject.
A successful blog in 2021 is one that sees the problem that its readers face and seeks to solve it.
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Blogging has long been a subject of fascination and fear among business owners, solopreneurs and those who have read the stories of professional bloggers who earn hundred of thousands of dollars a year.
Those unicorns can still exist, but for most of us blogging is a means to an end.
Learning to do it well can lead to a higher rate of conversions, increased revenue and a brand that has authority.