Has a blog still got a place on a construction company website?
Author: Charlotte Waters Director at Morton Waters
Often we consult with construction companies who question whether blogging is a relevant tactic in their line of work. Given the wealth of marketing tactics open to you, creating fresh content - whether that’s thought leadership, company news or case studies - can seem like it
would be labour-intensive and they feel like it’s not worth the pay-off.
But is that a perception, not a truth?
The positive figures
Seventy-one per cent of B2B buyers read blog posts when considering with whom to do business. Seventy-seven per cent of Internet surfers read blogs regularly. The odds of placing higher in search engine results increase by 434 per cent when you frequently produce blog posts.
It’s also been found, through a study by Trew, that:
● Sixty-four per cent of engineers surveyed say they found in depth blog posts valuable when researching information to make a product or services purchase decision.
● When industry conferences and trade show events were cancelled in the pandemic, 63 per cent of engineers surveyed went to supplier or vendor websites for alternative information.
This would all indicate that blogs remain incredibly valuable.
They generate a lot of exposure, both in terms of organic reach and sharing opportunities, and answer many of the queries target audiences ask.
So hopefully you’re seeing the value of creating regular content to capture the attention of the target audience, right?
Well, it turns out, only 24% of bloggers publish articles on a weekly basis. If you want to be leveraging the power that content can bring, you should be aiming for two pieces a month and work towards a higher frequency.
The worst move you can make is start at a frequency you can’t maintain, which then makes you frustrated with the process and abandon blogging altogether. This move sends two messages:
1. Google seeing your content no longer being refreshed and puts you down in the rankings.
2. Visitors to your website see it looking like a ghost town and wonder whether you’re even still in business, whether you’re too busy to take on new work, and if you are, how much you still care.
Plan to succeed
The old adage, rings true with content creation – if you fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
A content strategy is your saviour here. 60% of the most successful content marketers have a content strategy, as compared to only 21% of the least successful content marketers. Knowing what, when and how are the keys to preventing that sinking feeling when you go to put words on a page.
Bring a unique insight
Add your unique insight to the conversation. Don't just restate what you've already read. Add a new element or aspect to the matter. If you only repeat what has been said before, Google won't rank what you've written as particularly useful.Communicate to people why things work or ways they might work more effectively, drawing on your own experiences.
Listen to feedback and pivot
Take time to notice what actually works, see what strikes a chord with people, and give them more. Often the things you care about are the same issues that interest others. You'll only know if a matter resonates by putting it out there and reading what people have to say in
response. Looking at your web analytics is vital, rather than simply counting the number of impressions you get. Is your audience engaging with your material? Does it look like they’re staying long enough to read it? Do they take any action based on it? You may have to modify your approach occasionally. Finding niches you can break into that aren't highly contested is a great way to establish yourself as a definitive online presence quickly.
Do not quit when the going gets tough
You'll encounter periods - maybe more often than not - when it seems like you're running into a wall and the content you're creating doesn't deliver. You have to keep pushing through.
Too many people quit before seeing the benefits because they think, "Well! That didn't immediately convert to sales! I guess I'll try another method." That attitude will invariably be doomed because you must play the long game with blogging.
So don't give up writing blogs when it seems hopeless. You will face obstacles, but if you look at the metrics, sometimes you will see those glimmers of progress that encourage you to continue.
The bottom line: content, context, consistency.
So if you're wondering if a blog is still worth it, the answer is a resounding: Yes.
Companies that blog not only increase their brand awareness and position themselves as experts but also generate significantly more leads. A blog can also be a powerful tool in employer branding.
However, anyone setting up a blog should have one thing in particular: patience. In return, blog posts, unlike short-winded social media posts, can reliably bring you traffic even after years.
So get to know your audience, give them unique and insightful content, and engage with them. Consistent, insightful blogging will see your search rankings and reputation enhanced.