Want to know how you can boost your business with a local business blog? “Do blogs help SEO?” “Do I really need to blog for my business?” “Should I write blog posts myself or hire someone?” These are questions we hear often, and RebelFish Local has been in the SEO business long enough to give you a clear answer. Read on and find out how a regular local business blog will help you grow your business and ultimately increase your revenue.
What We’ll Cover
- How a Local Business Blog Will Help You Grow
- Do Blogs Help SEO?
- 5 Ways Blogging Helps Your SEO
- Tips for Creating Engaging Content
- What Is a Good Blog Strategy?
- How to Choose Blog Topics and Categories
- Should You Write Blog Posts Yourself or Hire a Writer?
- How to Measure the Success of Your Local Business Blog
How a Local Business Blog Will Help You Grow
Small businesses can benefit in a big way from having a blog on their website. By writing regular blog posts, businesses keep their website updated with fresh, helpful content that can improve their SEO rankings and bring in more traffic from potential customers. Fresh content is so important.
So how long does it take? Google itself has said that most sites need four months to a year to see the benefit of SEO improvements. In our experience, it depends on the keywords you target and how competitive your industry is. (Curious why SEO takes so long? We break down the full timeline here.)
We’ve all heard that anything worth something will take time. This is especially hard on the type A’s out there. Raise your hands! I know you’re there and I feel your pain. But, it’s true. The fact is, your reputation is worth the time it will take to build it properly. Blogging is a fantastic opportunity to increase your authority in the space you’ve chosen to build a business. You’re worth it and so are your customers. Come at it from that angle, and you’ll soon be ranking and unstoppable.
Additionally, businesses can use their local business blog to share news about their company, promote special offers, and give customers a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to work there. To get the most out of blogging for your business, make sure your blog lives on your own website and write content that is both informative and engaging.
Blogging is also a great way to connect with customers on a more personal level. By sharing stories, insights, and tips, businesses can create a closer relationship with their customers and show them that they care about their satisfaction.
Let’s talk a little more about incorporating stories into your marketing and local business blog. Storytelling has been around since the beginning of human civilization. We tell stories to remember things; this is how it was done before the written word. We tell stories to warn of danger, to comfort and console, to guide, and to inspire.
That last one is of the utmost importance in marketing. Inspiration is key and will target that oh-so-hard to target inner core; this is where your ideal customers really live. If you can tap into that, you’ve not only earned yourself an ideal customer, but a returning customer.
Tapping into that vein with your local business blog posts will give your business the opportunity to respond to customer feedback and show that you are open to suggestions.
Ultimately, a local business blog can be an extremely valuable tool for local businesses. By creating engaging content and building connections with customers, businesses can see a real return on their investment in blogging.
Do Blogs Help SEO?
The short answer: yes. But first, a quick refresher on what SEO actually is.
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is a method used to improve a website’s visibility and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). In simpler terms, it is the process of making your website more appealing and relevant to search engines like Google so that it appears higher when people search for certain keywords. The goal is to rank higher organically, as opposed to through paid advertisements.
SEO involves three main areas. Technical SEO focuses on improving the site’s structure and performance, including factors like website speed and mobile-friendliness. On-page optimization involves optimizing individual web pages’ content, meta tags, and HTML elements using relevant keywords. Off-page optimization aims to increase a website’s credibility and authority through earned links, reviews, and mentions from other trusted sites.
Search engines constantly refine their algorithms, and we mean CONSTANTLY. Google reports that in 2023 alone, it ran more than 700,000 experiments that led to more than 4,000 improvements to Search. That’s why staying up to date with SEO best practices is crucial for maintaining and improving your online visibility.
A blog is basically a collection of online articles on your website. For a business, it’s a marketing tool that provides valuable content to your target audience, builds brand awareness, and increases website traffic. Blogs can cover topics related to your industry, provide educational content, or share customer success stories. And that’s where the SEO magic happens.
5 Ways Blogging Helps Your SEO
- Blogging keeps your site updated with fresh content.
- Blogging drives organic traffic through keyword targeting.
- Blogging creates opportunities for internal linking.
- Blogging creates opportunities for backlinking.
- Blogging helps you connect with your target audience.
The fact is, content is KING, and there is gold to be found and claimed! Let’s cover why…
1. Blogging Keeps Your Site Updated with Fresh Content
When you come across a website that hasn’t been updated in a long time, you probably trust the information on it a little less. The company may have closed, or the website may be providing outdated or inaccurate information.
Google aims to provide searchers with up-to-date, reliable information. A regularly updated website shows users and search engines that your business is active and has new things to say. It also gives Google more reasons to come back and crawl your site.
Updating your homepage frequently may not be necessary or a good business move. This is why a blog can be a practical tool for regularly adding new content to your website.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll never stop… search engines are high maintenance and have high expectations. This can be off-putting to some, but if you know how and why it works this way, you’re less likely to be offended. Search engines want to provide searchers with the most relevant and trustworthy results. If you know how to make this work in your favor, you’ll find yourself with boosted rankings and business.
2. Blogging Drives Organic Traffic Through Keyword Targeting
Organic traffic refers to the visitors who land on your website through unpaid search results. Unlike paid traffic, which is generated through advertising, organic traffic is highly coveted because it signals the relevance and credibility of your website.
Blogging enables you to produce fresh, informative, and engaging content regularly, which search engines LOVE. If you’re wondering how to create more engaging content, follow the link above to learn about using a StoryBrand BrandScript. It will boost your ability to engage your ideal customers!
Each blog post is also a chance to target specific keywords. Keyword targeting involves identifying the words or phrases people are likely to use when searching for your products, services, or industry. By strategically incorporating these keywords into your content, you help search engines understand what your page is about and rank it higher.
Don’t forget long-tail keywords. These are more specific, longer phrases that people search for when they have a clear intent. For example, instead of targeting the generic keyword “shoes,” consider a long-tail keyword like “comfortable running shoes for women.” Long-tail keywords have lower search volumes but often convert better, because they attract people who are further along in the buyer’s journey.
Of course, keywords only work when the content is quality. Quality content is engaging, informative, well-researched, and, most importantly, satisfies the reader’s needs. It’s well-structured, easy to read, free of grammatical errors, and backed by reliable sources.
How do you know if your blog is SEO optimized? Follow the link to find out.
3. Blogging Creates Opportunities for Internal Linking
A significant aspect of SEO revolves around links, and internal links are relatively simple to get because you can create them yourself. Using internal links to point website users from one page to another is one of the easiest yet most overlooked SEO hacks you can put to use. Many business owners fail to do this and miss out on better rankings.
While there may be some good internal linking possibilities on the main pages of your website, the opportunities will expand significantly once you start publishing blog posts. The more blogs you write on specific and customer-related topics, the more opportunities you’ll have for natural internal links.
RebelFish Local has been at this for a long time. We know SEO, and we know what you need to look for if you’re thinking about hiring an SEO company for your marketing needs.
Each time you use an internal link, you help Google better understand what your pages are about and how they connect. Clear, helpful internal links also keep readers on your site longer, which means more chances to turn them into customers. That’s what it’s all about!
4. Blogging Creates Opportunities for Backlinking
The most difficult part of SEO is organically earning backlinks. These are links that come from outside sources. Quality backlinks come from other trusted sources that are at least somewhat related to your content.
Remember, Google (and search engines in general) exists to match a searcher with the most trusted and authoritative source. It’s your job to be as trustworthy and authoritative as possible, and you can accomplish this by creating quality content that is appealing to other trusted sources.
Whenever another business reads a blog that they consider to be valuable for their readers, they’ll link to your site so their readers can benefit. This is an external link on their site and a backlink to yours. The more trusted backlinks you collect over time, the better your SEO and the higher your rankings.
You can also get your name out there by working with others. Write guest posts for other businesses’ websites, or collaborate with local partners and leaders in your industry on content. It’s a win-win, as you gain visibility and potential customers while building valuable connections. Just keep the focus on the audience, not the link. Google’s spam policies treat guest posts written mainly to get keyword-rich links back to your site as link spam.
Think about it: More websites will link to that really helpful post you wrote about how to find the best Mother’s Day gift for a picky mom than to your homepage. Helpful blog posts give people a reason to link to you.
5. Blogging Helps You Connect with Your Target Audience
You’re in business for a reason. Your target customers need what you have, whether it’s a product or a service. So, write with that in mind. If it’s relevant, write about it. Write with your customers’ problems in mind so that you can offer the solution.
To do this well, you need to understand your potential customers: their preferences, desires, and pain points. Start with market research to identify your target audience, then keep learning about them through surveys, feedback forms, social media interactions, and conversations with your customers. The more you understand them, the more effectively you can create content that speaks directly to them.
When your audience reads something that resonates with them, they’re likely to share it with others, which, in turn, drives more traffic to it. Keep doing this, and you’re much more likely to grow a following and add readers to your email list. Readers who keep coming back are a great sign that your content is working.
This is all fantastic from an SEO standpoint, but ultimately what really matters is that you’re connecting to your target customers on the regular. A blog is a great way to make and maintain these connections.
Tips for Creating Engaging Content
When it comes to creating engaging content for your blog, there are a few key things to keep in mind. First, be sure to choose a topic that you are passionate about. When you are excited about the topic you are writing about, it will show in your writing and readers will be more likely to engage with your content. You can’t go wrong with a from-the-heart kind of passion.
Let’s already work under the assumption that you’re passionate about your business. Whether it’s your products or the services you offer, you started for a reason. What is that reason? Remember this when you write. If you hire an outside writer to handle your local business blog posts, make sure they have a grasp on what and whom they’re writing for.
Second, be sure to write in an engaging and interesting style. Use strong verbs, descriptive adjectives, and interesting anecdotes to keep readers engaged. And don’t be afraid to ask for feedback from your readers; this will help you to gauge what topics they are most interested in and help you to create content that is relevant to them.
Curious to know how to grow inspiration that will hit your customers right where they live? Here’s a helpful roadmap about How To Apply The StoryBrand Marketing Strategy In 90 Days. You can also learn how to use the StoryBrand BrandScript to invite customers into their own story… starring your products and services, of course!
Some business owners still cringe at the idea of giving things away for free on a local business blog. Look, we get it. Nothing is really free, right? There’s always a price. But, it’s important to understand that we now live in a world where at least some initial things are free. Take social media for example. You don’t pay to scroll Instagram, do you?
Social media influencers have figured out how to leverage social media to gain followers. They do this by establishing their presence with authority in any given space, and by giving away, at least initially, something of value to their followers. This is the bait. No fish in their right mind will go for bad bait, right? Right! So, you need to hook a long, thick, and juicy worm onto that hook. A worm that has relevance for your particular audience.
Let’s quickly cover the relevance issue. When your readers who are not yet customers have a question, they go to Google. Speaking of… can anyone out there remember how we found answers to questions before Google? Asking for a “friend.” Anyhow, they go to Google, ask a question, and are then shown a SERP (search engine results page). That first SERP page is where you want your business to live. When you figure out the questions your customers want answers for, you can write content that will direct them toward your business.
At the end of each local business blog post, you can include a CTA in the form of a question and ask readers to answer below in the comments section.
Don’t be afraid to get personal. People need people. People love to know what and whom they’re supporting. Do you have loyal customers and employees? Don’t be afraid to give them all shout-outs. Use your local business blog to connect and grow your social media. This will give you a repeated presence in the everyday lives of your customers.
Finally, make sure that your blog posts are well-written and edited. This may seem like common sense, but it’s surprising how many blogs are published with poor grammar and spelling errors. By taking the time to properly edit your posts, you will ensure that your content looks professional and will be taken seriously by readers.
I cannot tell you how many blogs I’ve dismissed just for having poor grammar and spelling, not to mention repeated words and phrases that are too-obviously written by artificial intelligence.
A quick sidebar about AI. AI tools can help with brainstorming and outlines, but a post written entirely by AI often sounds like a robot is writing for you… because an actual robot is writing for you. Period. See what I just did there? I had an opinion. Robots don’t have those. If you’re trying to relate to other humans and you’re hoping to convert them into customers, you’ll want to use your own experience, instincts, and natural language to accomplish that. Google doesn’t ban AI-assisted content, but it does treat mass-produced content made mainly to game rankings as scaled content abuse.
Once you’ve written a relatable article answering your customers’ most-asked questions, you can use Grammarly. This is a helpful tool to help you keep your grammar and spelling in check.
Do Not Overstuff with Keywords
Are you familiar with the concept of stuffing too many marshmallows into your mouth at once, making it difficult to speak or even breathe properly? Well, the same principle applies when it comes to stuffing your content with too many keywords.
Keyword stuffing is the excessive and unnatural use of keywords in your content. It makes your writing sound forced or awkward, and Google lists keyword stuffing as a spam practice that can hurt your rankings. Remember, the goal of search engines is to match the searcher to the most authoritative sources. If you’re being spammy, you’re probably not very trustworthy, right? Google recognizes this, and it will not reward you.
Write for your audience, not just for search engines. By incorporating keywords strategically and naturally, you can enhance your content’s visibility without sacrificing readability.
What Is a Good Blog Strategy?
If you’re blogging for business, you need to have a strategy. There is no need for perfection at the beginning, but having a plan is essential to your overall SEO strategy, which will help you target your ideal customers and keep them coming back. First things first…
Know Your Audience
Who are you writing for? What topics are they interested in? Understanding your audience will help you create content that resonates with them.
Consistency is Key!
Set a schedule for when you’ll be posting, and stick to it. Whether it’s once a week or twice a month, just be consistent. Create an editorial calendar to plan your blog posts in advance. Your readers will appreciate it.
Promote Your Blog
Use social media, email, guest posting, and local collaborations to get your content out there. It’s a noisy world, so don’t be shy about promoting your awesome work.
Engage
Engage with your readers. Respond to comments, ask for feedback, and build a community. Your readers are what make your blog thrive, so show them some love!
How to Choose Blog Topics and Categories
How Do I Choose a Blog Topic?
Choosing a blog topic is important because it’s what will keep your readers coming back for more.
Think about what you and your business are passionate about. What sets you on fire? What could you talk about for hours on end? That’s a great place to start. Write about things that you’re knowledgeable and excited about because that energy will translate to your readers.
Next, consider your audience. Who are they? What are they interested in? What problems do they need help solving? Your blog should be a resource for them, so make sure you’re addressing topics that will benefit them in some way.
And don’t be afraid to get creative! Sure, you could stick to the same old business-related topics, but mixing it up with some personal stories, behind-the-scenes peeks, or even some humor can really make your blog stand out.
How Do I Choose a Blog Topic That Will Help My SERP Ranking?
Now, when it comes to getting on page one of Google, list potential blog topics that align with your business offerings and your audience’s interests based on keyword research and customer feedback.
- Address informational keywords, like the questions your customers ask, to drive awareness and interest.
- Include long-tail keywords to attract searchers who know exactly what they want.
- Use SEO tools to analyze potential topics for keyword relevance and search volume.
What Categories Should I Use for My Blog?
Think about the products and services your business offers, and create categories that surround those things. You could also consider the types of posts you want to write. Are you more of a how-to guru? Then “DIY” or “Tutorials” might be up your alley.
Ultimately, your categories should reflect your business, your expertise, and what you offer your customers and clients. They should also make it easy for your readers to explore your content and keep coming back for more.
Do Blog Categories Help SEO?
The short answer: yes, they help!
Think of blog categories as your blog’s personal directory. When you categorize your posts, you give your site a clear structure and create more internal links between related posts. That makes it easier for search engines to crawl your content and understand how your topics fit together.
Clear and organized categories also help your readers navigate your content more easily. It’s like finding your favorite book on a well-organized shelf at the library. Super satisfying, right? This is way better than the Dewey Decimal System! Plus, it makes your blog come across as super professional and put-together. Win-win!
Should You Write Blog Posts Yourself or Hire a Writer?
Depending on your needs, your time, and your budget, you can write blog posts yourself or hire someone to write them for you. Here are some tips for both options.
DIY Blogging Tips
If you’re a writer or feel you have some talent in this area, then have a go and write blog posts for your site. Here are some things to keep in mind.
- There’s no magic word count. Write as much as it takes to fully answer the reader’s question.
- Know which keywords you’re going to use and write around them naturally.
- Keep it original. Don’t copy other sites (Google knows).
- Make it quality content: relevant, informative, and helpful.
- Handle the on-page SEO for every post: an SEO title, meta description, clear headings, and image alt text.
- Write and publish blog posts consistently.
- Link to trusted outside sources when they help the reader, and link to related pages on your own site.
- Use clear calls to action.
If your site runs on WordPress, an SEO plugin like Rank Math can walk you through the on-page SEO for each post.
What to Decide Before You Hire a Writer
If you decide to hire someone to write blog posts for your business blog, here are some things to consider first.
- Industry knowledge: If you’re in finance, medicine, law, or another specialty, you want someone who knows that subject area.
- Type of content: What kind of content do you expect them to write?
- Volume: How many posts do you expect them to produce each month?
- Topics: What topics do you want covered? Are there any topics they must avoid?
- Extras: Do you want them to provide SEO titles and meta descriptions too? Or will you provide the outline, keywords, and research?
- AI and fact-checking: Ask how they use AI tools, and how they check facts and sources.
- Referrals: Ask other business owners and associates if they can recommend a writer.
How to Find the Right Writer to Write Blog Posts
Hiring the right person to write blog posts for your business can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. Before you start looking, get clear on your expectations. That will make the hiring process much simpler.
To find candidates, look on job boards, freelancer sites, writing associations, and social media. Evaluate applicants based on their industry experience, writing style, and portfolio samples. Watch for grammar and spelling errors in their samples, since those show a lack of attention to detail.
Just because someone is a good writer in general doesn’t mean they’re a good fit for your blog. A great fiction writer doesn’t always know how to write a clear, helpful how-to post. A quality writer should be able to show you samples in a few different styles, or at the very least, the style you need.
To judge the quality of a writer’s work, ask for samples or pay for a short trial post. This shows you whether they can perform at a high level and whether their style fits your brand. We also suggest a quick video call to get a feel for their personality and whether they’re a good fit. Once you’ve chosen someone, give them clear instructions and access to any research or brand materials they’ll need.
Whoever you hire should be able to engage your readers and call them to action in a way that makes them want to “add to cart.” They should also know how to handle the on-page SEO correctly.
Take your time looking for the right person to write blog posts. It’s so much better to spend the time upfront than to hire someone and find out later that their content isn’t getting the job done.
Does RebelFish Local Write Blog Posts?
Yes, we do! Our clients ask us this all the time. Not only does RebelFish Local write blog posts, but we also make sure they’re well-written, optimized for SEO, and built to inspire readers and lead to sales. Blogging is part of our local SEO services, so your blog works hand in hand with the rest of your local SEO strategy.
How to Measure the Success of Your Local Business Blog
It can feel pointless to keep doing something if you’re not sure it’s helping. That’s why one of the most important things to keep track of when blogging is how well your content is performing. Some of the most important SEO metrics to track are:
- Website traffic
- Engagement levels
- Keyword rankings
Traffic refers to the number of people who visit your local business blog. You can measure this in Google Analytics (GA4) by looking at users and page views. Look for an increase in organic traffic in particular, as this indicates that your blog posts are ranking higher in search results. By tracking website traffic, you can see whether your blog posts are attracting readers and whether your audience is growing over time.
Want more ways to bring in visitors? Here’s a blog we wrote on how to increase local website traffic.
Engagement refers to the level of interaction that readers have with your content. In GA4, engagement rate shows the percentage of visits where people stayed a while, clicked around, or took action. You can also look at comments, shares, and likes. By tracking engagement levels, you can see what content is resonating with readers and determine which topics are most popular. You can then expand on those topics to build stronger relationships with your customers, thereby increasing loyalty. If a post has low engagement, focus on making the content more relevant and engaging, and make sure your website is easy to navigate.
Keyword rankings show where your posts appear in search results for your target keywords. You can check this for free in Google Search Console, which shows the searches your posts appear for and their average position. If they’re moving up, your blogging efforts are paying off.
Have Patience
Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do to skip the waiting period. View your blog as a long-term investment. Google has said most sites need four months to a year to see the benefit of SEO work, and how new your website is, how often you publish, and whether your site has technical issues to fix will all affect your timeline.
It will take time, but if you use blogging as part of your strategy to build a solid local SEO foundation, Google will begin to recognize you as authoritative and trustworthy, and that means more traffic from your local area. By keeping track of these numbers along the way, you can make sure your local business blog is providing value to your readers and helping to grow your business.
Are you going about trying to DIY your SEO? Here’s a blog we wrote with some tips: Local SEO for Small Business: Why You Need It and How to Do It Right.
Robert & Liz, RebelFish Local CoFounders, doing local volunteer work.
SEO can be overwhelming even for those experienced in the field. We love what we do, and we are here to help you with all of your local business blog SEO needs.
Schedule A Call with us today and we’ll get you started on your way to a first-page Google ranking! You can also download our free resource for 5 Hacks That Will Get You On Page 1 Of Google and start climbing to the top of Google!