Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok have given a lot of people the illusion that blogging is now irrelevant. If you’re thinking, “blogs are a thing of the past and social media is where it’s at,” let me dispel those rumors. Having a blog makes you more valuable as an influencer and online business owner. If you’re still questioning the relevancy of blogging in 2020, here are 6 reasons why every online business could benefit from having a blog.

Are Blogs Dead?

The short answer: absolutely not!

Believe it or not, there are many bloggers making a living off of their blogs who aren’t very active on social media. Blogs bring so much value to readers and often answer questions a lot of people are asking.

Do People Still Read Blogs?

Before social media, many people created a business on blogging alone. In fact, there’s a good population of people who would never turn to Facebook or Instagram in search of valuable, reliable information on a topic. Think about the last time you took to Google to search for an answer. Sure, a few YouTube channels may have popped up, but the first page of search engines always display multiple links to high-quality blog posts.

Is It Worth Starting a Blog in 2020?

Many influencers, online business owners, and entrepreneurs overlook having a blog simply because they have an account on social media. However, relying solely on social media platforms to host and connect with your audience is risky, which leads me to the first reason why you need a blog:

You Do Not Own Your Social Media Followers

As important as platforms like Instagram and YouTube are, you shouldn’t rely on them as your only channel of communicating with your audience. Imagine this – if Instagram were to disappear tomorrow, many influencers’ careers would be over. Owning a blog will help to solve that problem. Your blog is not reliant on a third-party application that you do not have control over. And unlike social media, your blog’s content is not at the mercy of an ever-changing algorithm. This means you have full control over strategizing what content reaches your audience. Having a blog means owning a platform instead of renting one. You could be evicted from any social media channel, but you’ll always have your blog.

Provide Your Audience With More Value

Want to share more with your audience? A blog allows you to deliver more information and value directly to your readers. With no character limit, you can write an incredibly informative post about a topic of your choice. This is a great way to provide your audience with high-quality content packed with more value, actionable tips, and direction. In doing so, you’ll also be building more trust with your audience while establishing your authority in the field. 

Build Your Email List

Although you can use social media to build your email list, having a blog will be a more effective way of getting people to actually subscribe. If you’re consistently delivering high-level content on your blog, chances are your readers would like to see more. Your email list subscribers are your biggest fans and frequent readers. They’re the ones who know, like and trust you and your content. Your blog also offers full customization on where you can host an opt-in link to your email list, instead of just sending your audience to the link in your bio. 

To take it a step further, you can also use your analytics and data from your readers’ behavior to create targeted lead magnets that will help your audience solve a problem they may have. This gives your audience an incentive to subscribe to your email list.

Blog Posts Have Longevity

The best thing about having a blog is being able to get the most mileage out of each individual post. The lifespan of a single Instagram post is about 48 hours. This means after 2 days, you’ll start to see engagement on that post dry up. 

With the appropriate strategies, you can build a blog post for longevity, making it incredibly accessible at all times. When done correctly, a single blog post could be something that constantly drives new readers and subscribers to your site for years to come.

Leveraging Brand Collaborations with a Blog

Here’s a little secret: brands love it when you have a blog and email list. 

Having a blog will set you apart from other influencers when it comes to working with a brand. Unlike promoting through a sponsored post on Instagram, having the ability to promote a brand through your blog is a powerful tool. Remember – compared to an Instagram post, blog posts have more longevity, show up on search engines, and deliver higher-quality content, making it incredibly valuable to any brand.

Influencers with an active blog are able to leverage brand collaborations. You could turn a small collaboration into a much larger one by adding on a deliverable such as a blog post and eventually, promotion on your email list. 

Setting Your Business Up for the Long Run

If you see yourself launching a paid product in the future such as a retreat, an online course, and even a product line – having a blog will aid in helping you close more sales. Although you may not be ready to launch a product of your own at the moment, having a blog today will help you build the content you need to establish your authority and build your email list. An email list is made up of your biggest fans, making them the most likely customers of your product, students of your course, and participants at your retreat.

The Power of Owning a Blog

There are many ways influencers and online entrepreneurs can benefit from having a blog. Not only does a blog establish your authority and expertise within your niche, but it is also a platform that is owned by you and built for the longevity of your business. Owning a blog is the leveling up in your content marketing game, and if you’re ready to start, I have a blog post that walks you through a step-by-step guide to starting your blog.

For more tips about blogging, check out these episodes of Her Life, By Design:

How to Use Pinterest to Grow Your Blog Traffic

Everything You Need to Know About Legally Protecting Your Online Business

Creating a Luxury Travel Blog and Brand

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