Guide to blogging: Sustainable content is key

Blogging in 2020 is still a very powerful marketing tool, offering an incredible opportunity for lead generation and conversion. However, like all things digital, the landscape is constantly changing.  We've republished this blog from 2017 with an update on why, how and where a blogging strategy fits into you content marketing strategy today.

Unfortunately, too many business blogs are failing to perform effectively, with new content falling flat and web traffic dwindling. Creating a sustainable blogging strategy may not be on your radar, but if your blog isn't converting leads like it used to, it may be time to take a step back and evaluate what you can do to attract traffic back to your content.

Reduce

Web search has transformed since the early days of Google. More and more web users are now using full sentences rather than snippets, making the role of keywords in search results far more important today than ever before. This transition is highly evident in Google's algorithm updates, including a recent change that allows searchers to piggyback off of previous queries. Unfortunately, most blog posts are written with older search engine methodology in mind, missing the boat on valuable opportunities to convert customers.

Developing solutions to address reduced visitor numbers, missed lead opportunities and low customer conversion might mean taking a look at your blog. Focus on incorporating buyer persona phrases and keywords as main blog topics in order to maximise your position on the search engine results page, optimising the chances your potential customers have to find you.

Reuse

Who says recycling is just for paper and plastic? A blog post's life doesn't end once it's published; there is a lot of potential in your past posts, and a lot of analytical information you have to work from. By analysing the web data, you can see what kinds of posts succeed, which ones fail, and which approaches to blogging carry the most weight.

The tone, facts, and general consensus that were effective in past posts can be reused in new posts optimised for the current climate of the web. By identifying what has historically driven traffic and converted leads on your page, you can better understand what will function well in the present and apply these methods to your content strategy.

Rethink

Did you know that 40% of web users will abandon a website if it takes more than 3 seconds to load? This statistic is likely not surprising, as virtually everyone has, at one point or another, given up on a page that ceases to load in a reasonable time frame. For some companies, this means that valuable, compelling content might be lost when a page lags on a user's device. In some cases the formatting of your blogs images may be incompatible with mobile devices, which can cause costly disruptions to your readers experience. Remember to take the time to preview postings on your smart devices and report any issues to your web master immediately for effective resolution.

Social sharing can be extremely valuable in making sure your message is seen quickly. By incorporating social sharing links into your blog posts in the form of “quick key content tweets” for example; you can increase how often users share, view, and access your blog. This holds true for past content, too; evergreen posts written days, weeks, or even years ago can still be influential when shared on social media.

The right approach to sustainable content marketing can transform a floundering blog into a successful one, paving the way for a better conversion rate and increased sales. By taking steps to reduce failed blog leads, optimising keywords for Google's current algorithm, and using social media to share key content, it's possible to create a blog that keeps old readers coming back and new readers eager for more.

If you need help with your own content strategy, get in touch with us, we'd love to help.