Many online stores still haven’t created a corporate blog, either for lack of time or because they don’t see it as relevant to their business. But today blogs have become media outlets in their own right and a key part of any eCommerce business’s online marketing strategy.
Benefits? Many and varied. Mainly because it’s useful, very necessary and, I’d say, almost mandatory if we want to project a professional, strong and solid company image. It can also become a key channel for showcasing and spreading all brand-related content, and today we can use channels like social media to make it go viral.
Corporate blog goals (what do you want to achieve?)
Creating a corporate blog for your eCommerce business means being very clear about the goals of this new content marketing strategy. The potential benefits are countless, but let’s set out a few key goals that can be achieved with effort, time and dedication:
- Online presence: a corporate blog will help increase the company’s presence, awareness and visibility against competitors. Positioning yourself as an industry expert through specialized content conveys a broader vision and benchmark values that customers weigh heavily when buying.
- Engagement: improving communication with customers and keeping them informed in a fuller, more personal way about industry news or new products on sale is becoming a new way to build loyalty.
- Increase online store traffic: a blog integrated into the online store will attract visits and potential customers, so you need to look after the design, the organization of posts and the quality of the content.
- SEO: a tangible benefit for the online store comes from also working on the blog’s organic ranking. Good blog rankings will help the online store rank better, because a blog has everything Google likes: On-Page and Off-Page SEO techniques, plus frequent content updates and the ability to share that content on social media.
What you should NEVER do with your eCommerce blog
There are several factors to keep in mind when you start working on your corporate blog:
- Leaving the blog to fend for itself: if you can’t publish content regularly, set up a publishing calendar that lets you plan content better and gives you time to prepare it. Nothing is more disheartening for a potential customer than visiting a blog for information and seeing nothing has been posted in over a year.
- Turning it into an advertising space: don’t create a corporate blog where all the content is about promoting your online store’s products. Users want as much information as possible before buying, so creating original, quality content can help boost eCommerce sales.
- Ignoring feedback: if a user visiting your blog leaves a comment with questions or suggestions, it makes sense to try to give them as much information as possible. Users really appreciate this kind of response.
What you SHOULD keep in mind for your blog
A few basic rules that will help boost your content marketing strategy:
- Know who it’s for: defining your target audience will help you create original, quality content. Content that helps you understand and define your audience’s tastes and needs, as well as the motivations that trigger the impulse to buy your products.
- Share content on social media: the idea isn’t to turn your social networks into a nonstop pitch for your products, but to create a space for discussion and build a loyal community with shared interests and diverse opinions.
- Planning: strategically planning blog posts around promotional and seasonal campaigns, etc., is a way to combine both marketing strategies.
- Give your team visibility: showing the human side of the company through posts linked to the brand or company adds value to the corporate blog.
Managing and creating content for a corporate blog isn’t easy, but as we’ve seen, the advantages and benefits are many and can be achieved through the dedication, time and effort you put into it.
If you’re interested in creating a corporate blog for your online store, Trilogi’s eMarketing department can help. Don’t hesitate to get in touch.
What do you think about blogs as part of an online marketing strategy?
