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Importance of Blog for your Business & Metrics to measure Success
I am often asked the question from business owners if it’s worth the time and effort to maintain a blog on their website. Business owners spend time setting up social media presence and assume that it’s enough to boost their online presence. Still, a business blog can play a vital role in engaging potential customers.
If you really want to ensure that your business creates its credibility and visibility in the online space, then you must consider regularly posting high-quality and relevant content that could be useful to your potential consumers. Companies – small or multinational, must ensure that blog is an integral part of their Content Marketing strategy. Here are my 5 most important reasons why your business needs a blog.
1. Traffic driver and lead generation
A blog is an amazing way to drive targeted traffic to a site.
Good SEO results from new content and relevant keywords, for which blogs present you with the perfect platform. Search engines like google love frequently posted relevant content, making the search engine bots come and visit your site more often to index fresh content. Whenever a new blog post is published on a website, it adds an indexed page, giving you the chance to show up in search results and get traffic to your site organically.
Users, these days, use google to research almost every decision – big or small. The key is to create content that addresses your audience’s potential questions and address their pain points.
Blogs don’t just help with building brand awareness but also warm prospective customers up to the business. With relevant and well-executed call-to-actions in place on a blog post, you could easily create opportunities to present offers, download reports, whitepapers and convert those visitors to leads for your business. Companies with blogs produce an average of 67% more leads monthly than companies that don’t blog. (DemandMetric)
2. Build authority and credibility
Blogging will give you the chance to showcase your expertise and earn the trust of your audience. Successful companies constantly publish blog articles to assert their authority as industry leaders.
Writing about industry trends and common questions asked by your customers could make you more trusted and prove your credibility as a subject matter expert. In addition, when you engage with your audience with advice, tips, and news related to your industry niche, it sends a clear signal of your expertise and customer service levels, and this could even be the deciding factor between you and your competitor.
Good blog content could also get you backlinks and digital PR. Informational and insightful content is valuable and tends to be picked up and referred to by other websites and blogs. Being linked is a recommendation signal to google, which improves your website authority, improving keyword rankings in search results.
3. Keep the audience updated on your business and services
Blogs give your company a voice and are a great way to educate your customers about what your business can do.
You must aim to create value for your customers. By taking the effort to provide beneficial content for free, you are building loyalty among potential customers who will more likely choose your company over your competitors when they are ready to make a purchase. Some examples of such useful resources you could share via your blog could be a helpful checklist, ideas, recipes, insightful trends, and so on.
You can also use blogs to create and cultivate an interest in your services. The key is to find a way to incorporate your services without making them the main focus of the blog content. For example, businesses like contractors, web designers, boutique agencies, hairdressers could use the blog as a portfolio. Then, use the right call to action to lead your readers to perform the next step, such as contact you or fill a form to reach out.
4. Develop relationships with potential customers
Another important aspect of a blog is to learn more about your customers.
Blogging is the ideal way to build relationships and engage with your audience. Customers can share stories about your products or services or ask questions about them. It could be a great way to understand what the readers have to say – ideas or suggestions. Like social listening, brands can leverage engagement and feedback on blog posts and social media to tweak their marketing strategies.
Answer their questions and respond to your readers as soon as possible, it gives a human aspect to your business, and in turn, you gain insights, build trust and showcase that you care about their opinions. Doing so will also help to boost your brand’s visibility and position you as an industry expert.
5. Boost Social media & Email marketing
A powerful benefit of blogging is the opportunity it creates for others to share the link to your blog.
When you create unique, interesting blogs and provide valuable information, they get shared with a targeted audience. With these shares, you are likely to get even more shares that will help drive users to the blog and hence increase brand awareness. Blogs are like gold when planning your social media calendar – not only can you drive users to your site but also use quotes, images, or screenshots from the blog content to engage with your audience.
You could also use blogs for your newsletters or email marketing. They would help reinforce the trust of users and position your business as a thought leader. If the users find your blog informative or interesting, they could also subscribe to hear from you more often.
How to get started
While creating a successful blog that complements your business and expands its reach to new users, here are some important things to keep in mind.
- Focus on Content Quality – It is essential to ensure high-quality, relevant content that offers value to your target audience.
- Post content regularly – It is ideal if you post content regularly for your readers to come back and search engines to keep coming back to index the site faster.
- Get feedback – It is ideal to ensure you get feedback – positive or negative to know and understand your target audience better.
- Promote content – It is best to promote each blog article across all marketing channels to attract and grow your reader base.
How to measure Content Marketing Performance
It was stated in a recent CMO survey that 65% of marketing professionals couldn’t demonstrate the impact of their marketing quantitatively. So the first challenge is to understand your organization’s goals, the brand’s higher purpose and then decide on the key performance indicators.
I’m listing down the top 5 metrics that should definitely be on your list if you are looking to measure your blog’s performance.
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1. Consumption metrics
Looking at the basics, you need to see how many users are landing on your website. Ideal metrics you want to be looking at should be –
- Sessions
- Users
- Pageviews
Google analytics can further break down where this traffic is coming from – geography, browser, channel, etc. This information helps in understanding and localizing your content to reach out to your target audience. It is also useful to pick up trends like what type of blogs your readers find more engaging.
2. Engagement metrics
Engagement metrics are important to track how people are engaging with the content on your site. Important metrics to look out for would include –
- Average time on page
- Pages per session
- Average session duration
- Bounce Rate
- CTR (Click-through rate)
You could also look at the Social channel aspect to know what content topics resonate more with your followers. Other than google analytics, social listening tools like SproutSocial, SocialBakers, Hootsuite, etc., can quickly show you the best performing content along with shares, comments, etc.
3. Email metrics
If you are using your blogs in email marketing, it is important to analyze your email metrics. This would help give you a clear picture if your messaging is correct and that email marketing is working at achieving its goal of reaching out to users. While looking at your blog’s performance in this area, metrics to watch out for would be –
- Email open rate
- Email Click-through rate
- Bounce rate
- Unsubscribes
4. SEO Outcome Metrics
It is important to measure the SEO performance of your blogs. SERP ranking of your important keywords driving traffic to your site is the most important metric to measure. Google search console is the best place to identify the terms you’re ranking for. Also, since the rankings for keywords keep fluctuating, it’s best to track them over time with tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, etc.
The higher you rank for relevant keywords — the relevant traffic will flow in, which could lead to more conversions. On the other hand, if the blog quality is excellent, it is worth aiming for position 0, i.e., featured snippets that get more visibility in search results and higher click-through rates.
5. Conversions
It is important to know what the users are doing once they come to your site and read your blog. Using clever placement of click-to-actions (CTAs), you could push the readers towards the next step to convert.
A conversion could vary from business to business – sale, sign up, form fill up, download pdf, etc. At the end of each blog, you must think about the next step you want the user to perform. Google Analytics provides the ability to set up goals to measure your conversions and even extensive ecommerce tracking to understand where and how the leads or sales flow through your site.
Summary
Blogs humanize businesses and provide a strong foundation for marketing efforts.
Setting up a blog on your business website can you can boost your search engine rankings, build your brand trust and develop relationships with your audience. This could result in your target readers choosing to buy products from you or hire your services over your competitor.
There is a famous saying, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it,” by Lord Kelvin. Hence, measure and analyze your content performance and use it to improve your marketing strategies to get to the top!
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The Benefits of Standing Desks for Office Workers
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What is a Divorce from Bed and Board?
If you are considering filing for a divorce from bed and board, it is important to understand what it entails. Commonly known as a “legal separation,” this type of dissolution of a marriage involves much more than just the two parties not living together anymore; instead, it may include property division and child custody rights, among other things.
In some cases, obtaining a bed and board divorce can even be difficult to obtain in certain states due to the laws related to separations. Regardless of your motive behind wanting or needing one, knowing all that goes into such an arrangement can help you make informed decisions regarding your future.
Overview of divorce from bed and board
A divorce from bed and board is a type of divorce that involves two parties legally separating but never actually getting divorced. It’s not uncommon for couples who want to pursue divorce proceedings to first consider this option, as it allows them to maintain the legal benefits of being married without having to endure the heartache and stress associated with an actual divorce.
What are the benefits of divorce from bed and board?
The main benefit of divorce from bed and board is that it allows couples to divide assets, establish custody rights, and make arrangements pertaining to support payments in a way that’s agreeable to both parties. This means they can move on with their lives while still enjoying many of the benefits of marriage, including being able to file jointly for taxes and having access to health insurance.
Are there downsides to divorce from bed and board?
Though divorce, from bed and board, may seem like the perfect solution for some couples, it is important to understand that it can be difficult or even impossible to obtain in certain states due to the legal definition of divorce. Additionally, some couples may find themselves stuck in a limbo-like situation if they remain legally married but live separately.
Couples should also be aware that divorce from bed and board does not dissolve a marriage — meaning the two parties are still technically married and can’t remarry without getting an actual divorce.
Filing for divorce from bed and board is a serious decision that should not be taken lightly. It’s important to consult a lawyer experienced in family law before deciding if this option is right for you. With the right guidance, you can decide what’s best for your situation and move forward with confidence.
What are the grounds for a divorce from bed and board?
In order to file for divorce from bed and board, you must have a valid reason, such as:
- Adultery – Adultery is one of the most valid grounds for divorce from bed and board. It is voluntary sexual intercourse between two married people, one of whom is not the other’s legal spouse. But in many states — the judges don’t care either way.
- Abandonment – Abandonment involves one spouse leaving the marital home without any intention to return or provide support for at least one year.
- Cruelty – Cruelty can be defined as any physical or mental abuse suffered by either spouse.
- Separation – Separation occurs when spouses have lived apart for at least a year due to disagreements or other factors.
- Habitual Intemperance – Habitual intemperance is the excessive use of drugs or alcohol by one spouse.
- Excessive Spending – This involves one spouse spending money in a way that is detrimental to the other spouse’s financial interests.
Understanding divorce from bed and board can help you make an informed decision when considering your legal options. Before making any decisions, it’s important to consult a lawyer to ensure this is the right choice for you. With the right guidance, you can move forward with confidence.
What are the consequences of a divorce from bed and board?
The consequences of divorce from bed and board depend on the agreement reached between the two parties. Additionally, they may have difficulty remarrying in the future without obtaining an actual divorce.
Overall, this type of divorce can be a viable option for couples who are looking to divorce but wish to maintain some of the benefits of marriage. It is important to understand all of the legal implications before making any decisions, so it’s always best to consult an experienced family law attorney. With the right guidance, you can make informed decisions that are in your best interests.
How can a divorce attorney help you with this?
A divorce attorney can provide invaluable assistance, especially in cases where you’re going through a divorce from bed and board (garrettandwalker dot com, same title). They will advise you on the best course of action and ensure that all legal requirements are met. They will also work with you to create a divorce agreement and represent your interests in court if needed.
With the right guidance, you can make informed decisions that are in your best interests. If this is the right option for you, a divorce lawyer can help you to understand all the legal aspects. With a divorce attorney by your side, you can move forward with confidence.
Conclusion
Divorce from bed and board is a viable option for couples who wish to divorce but remain married. It can provide some of the benefits of marriage without many disadvantages. Before making any decisions, it’s important to understand all of the legal implications and consult an experienced lawyer. With the right legal guidance, you can make informed decisions that are in your best interests.
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The Top 7 AI Podcasts You Need To Hear Now
With artificial intelligence now being used to write everything from college homework to Congressional speeches, it’s more important than ever to stay on top of the latest advances in machine learning, natural language processing, and all things AI.
We’ve brought together a list of seven of the top podcasts that track and explain the newest developments. They look behind the scenes at the technology behind the platforms, and they discuss how artificial intelligence is already upending business, marketing, data analysis, and more.
The TWIML AI Podcast
The TWIML AI Podcast used to be known as This Week in Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence. The new name is shorter and snappier, but the content is just as deep and complex. Hosted by Sam Charrington, the podcast has produced more than 630 weekly episodes featuring interviews with a host of guests — usually technicians and scientists—working in the field of AI. The subjects of the discussions are often fairly complex. If you want to understand the human thinking behind artificial thinking, the show is essential listening.
The Bad AI Show
If interviews with Stanford professors aren’t your thing, try the Bad AI Show. Hosted by Joel Comm and Travis Wright of the Bad Crypto Podcast. The pair take a fun, laidback approach to new technology, explaining clearly — and wittily — the latest developments in artificial intelligence and its practical effects. Think of the TWIML AI podcast as a Stanford lecture and the Bad AI Show as the lounge next door. It’s a fun, relaxed chat with smart people about AI topics that get everyone thinking. The show is released as both an audio and video version.
The AI Podcast
One of the biggest challenges that a discussion of AI generates is how the new technology will be applied in the real world. Noah Kravitz’s The AI Podcast has already generated almost 200 answers. Each episode features an interview with experts using artificial intelligence to further their work. They’ve included a wildlife biologist tracking endangered rhinos, an astrophysicist analyzing starlight, and language learners grappling with Arabic pronunciation and even the delivery of sports highlights.
Data Skeptic
As you listen to those interviews with people applying AI to such a broad range of fields, it’s worth asking about the effectiveness of AI in solving those problems and whether they couldn’t be solved in an easier way. Claims for the benefits of artificial intelligence will grow, so make sure you’re also listening to Kyle Polich’s Data Skeptic. The podcast has already produced more than 470 episodes with interviews that take down the hype and take a realistic view of what AI can and can’t do.
The AI in Business Podcast
One area where both the hype and the expectation will be highest is in business applications of artificial intelligence. Each week, on the AI in Business Podcast, Daniel Faggella, the CEO of Emerj Artificial Intelligence Research, interviews AI executives from leading firms and startups to explore how business is adapting AI and exploring the opportunities the new technology offers.
The Marketing AI Show
Business is a broad topic. The Marketing AI Show tries to narrow things down with a focus specifically on the way marketers are using artificial intelligence to improve sales. The podcast is created by the Marketing AI Institute and the Marketing AI Conference (MAICON), and it’s essential listening for anyone wondering how the new technology can help their business identify leads and improve conversions.
Eye on AI
Finally, Eye on A.I. takes a broader, more journalistic approach to the developments of artificial intelligence. Out every two weeks and hosted by New York Times correspondent Craig S. Smith, each episode features an interview with a leader pushing AI into new ground. Episodes have discussed AI in supply chain optimization and finance but they’ve also delved behind the scenes to look at issues surrounding privacy and the future of AI itself.
Featured Image Credit: Photo by Jean Balzan; Pexels; Thank you!
