Most businesses – big and small – have some form of digital presence whether it be through social media or websites. However, the one thing that very few possess is a blog.

According to Jacqueline Raw, Owner and Founder of Marketing Consultancy, Ycagel, digital marketing is not simply a lateral initiative. “It’s a web of ingenuities that work together to showcase your offering, express your brands’ values and personality and ultimately to convert your target market into your customers.

She adds that customers can smell a hard sell from a mile away. “If your brand does not stand for more than revenue in the eyes of your customer, you are unlikely to reach your growth goals. Not only that, gone are the days where you could simply use one social media platform to reach your entire audience or worse yet, copy and paste the same content across all your social and digital platforms. You need something that is going to make you stand out and blogs offer exactly that!”

Raw gives two more reasons why you need to consider blogging:

1. Establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry: A regular and consistent blog is a massively important tool in your online strategy to establish yourself as an authority, influencer and thought leader in your market. Content that engages, educates and enriches clients will ensure that you start developing a loyal following.
2. Lead generation: Your blog page acts as an anchor to all your online communications and when done correctly, it can help you build a strong and convertible database of your own. Everything you do online should drive traffic to your website, if it doesn’t, you have ‘left money on the table’ and lost potential revenue.

Raw offers the following advice for businesses staring on a blogging journey:

1. Single-minded messaging: Make sure that your entire online presence communicates a version of the same message, so in return your online positioning does not create a disconnect in your customer loyalty.
2.  Content is king: Take time to set up a detailed content plan that is committed to engaging with your audience on a deeper level than just trying to sell them something. This is an absolute, guaranteed strategy win that we potentially miss while chasing the bottom line. Invest the right time and planning into your online communications and you will see massive results.

“Customers are overstimulated with information and choice every second of the day, so the goal is to raise your communication above the rest. To cut through the noise of competitor advertising and to really connect with your customers,” Raw concludes.