Blogging Ain’t Sexy But It’s A Marketing Workhorse

Blogging ain’t sexy but it a rock-solid marketing workhorse.

I recently got a pretty good lead from a company that I highlighted in a late-2014 blog post. In many ways, it was a much-needed shot in the arm about my commitment to blogging. While my blog doesn’t generate a lot of traffic (100 to 500 unique visitors a day), it’s an important part of my business because it is a platform to talk about startup marketing.

The blog is a good way to demonstrate thought leadership and provide guidance and advice. In a world in which first impressions make a  difference (and there are often no opportunities to make a second impression), the blog is an effective branding vehicle.

At times, however, it can be a challenge to create content, particularly the case when I’m busy with clients. There are only so many hours in the day, and it can be hard to write content when creative juices are being consumed by clients paying the bills.

While I continue to blog on fairly regular basis, I have seen many people abandon ship. They get busy, lose interest, move on to other projects, run out of ideas, discover other priorities, etc. At some point, a blog runs out of steam.

So what’s keeps me blogging, other than I like to write and it’s good for SEO?

Once in awhile, a blog post will catch fire. For whatever reason, it will resonate with people who comment and share it on social media. Sometimes, a popular post will be a result of deep thoughts. Sometimes, it’s a post offering guidance and tips. Sometimes, it’s a quick riff on a thought that popped up while I’m riding bike home from work.

And sometimes, a blog post will capture the attention of someone looking to solve a problem or needs help to make something happen. When you get a lead directly from a post, it can make blogging worth the effort.

At the end of the day, blogging is a marketing exercise – be it personal branding or raising the profile of your business. For businesses, blogging is a marketing tool that can separate you from the pack, deliver value to potential and existing customers (or even businesses/people who will never become customers), and show your brand is smart, forward thinking, creative and has personality.

In a world increasingly dominated by visuals (e.g. Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube) and mini-chats (e.g. Twitter, SnapChat, Kik), blogging is not sexy or compelling. It is a workhorse much like case studies and white paper. There is little glory in blogging but it can produce dividends if you create good content on a regular basis.

It explains why getting a lead from a 15-month-blog post was exciting. It shows that blogging has its benefits, even if they aren’t immediately obviously.

What are your thoughts about the benefits of blogging and how to maintain your enthusiasm and creativity?

If you’re looking to jump-start your startup marketing, I can help you make it happen – everything from messaging and brand positioning to strategic planning and content development. I published a book, Storytelling for Startups, that provides strategic and tactical guidance to entrepreneurs looking to embrace the power of story-driven marketing.