Why do people get so invested in creating blog posts for their company websites? Is it really such a big deal? Do they truly need to write a new article every few days (or to hire a digital content writer to do it for them?)
In a word: yes.
The worlds of advertising, marketing, and online business are all constantly evolving. But a few trends have been pretty constant over the past few years, and you can see the evidence in the cold, hard facts.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
What we have seen is that digital content has established itself as a promotional powerhouse for both large and small businesses.
The simple act of creating a regular blog can triple or quadruple a company’s traffic and revenue.
#1 – 55% of Marketers Say Web Content Is a Top Priority
55% of marketers agree that creating new web content is their top priority.
This is a far cry from the days when blogs were viewed more as a novelty, or a friendly way to interact with customers.
Of course, blogs are still a fantastic way to build a conversation with customers. But in the past few years, they have become so much more. The reality now is that the blogs are no longer the icing on the cake––they are driving a significant portion of the traffic themselves.
Due to the way that internet searches work, a good blog can bridge the gap from google to generating new leads.
#2 – Search Engines Power the Online Market
93% of online activities start with a search engine.
Whether that’s Google, Bing, Yahoo, or something else––the vast majority of web activity starts on one of these sites.
Companies that are able to get themselves high rankings on these searches will invariably reap the benefits. The top of Google’s list is “prime real estate” in the online landscape.
But while 93% of activities is obviously a high amount, is it really going to represent a significant consumer base?
#3 – The U.S. Market: 240 Million Individuals
There are roughly 240 million individual search engine users in the U.S.
Even if we’re only talking about 93% of them, this is still 223 million individual customers. Prime ranking on Google can potentially give you visibility for all of them.
#4 – That First Page Is Crucial
75% of internet searchers only look at the first page of results.
That means that if you’re in the business of selling fish hooks, and you’re in the top twenty pages for this category, congratulations. You’ve just quadrupled your customer base.
The benefits of being on the top of the search rankings are phenomenal.
But even if you’re not one of the largest companies in your field, you can still rank high for certain searches.
A good digital content writer will be able to figure out how to get you to move up in those rankings in a way that serves your specific customer base.
#5 – Many People Don’t Even Notice Ads
75% of searchers ignore paid ads entirely.
What we’ve seen is a steady decline in the cost-effectiveness of paid advertising.
Ads can still reach a lot of people, but the challenge is that many customers have learned to filter those ads out. They don’t even pay attention, because they are looking for more organic answers for their search questions.
A well-written blog post can provide what the customer needs: information without making them feel “sold to.”
#6 – Content Marketing Is Three Times More Effective Than Ads
When it comes to getting the most bang for your buck, content marketing is the way to go.
A recent study by Kapost found that content marketing was three times more effective than paid ads. For every dollar spent, it generated triple the number of leads that were generated by pay-per-click advertising online.
It does make sense: content marketing is comparatively inexpensive, to begin with (the trick is that it needs to be done well, by a digital content writer who incorporates proper SEO).
Again, the numbers are solidly in support of blog content. When done properly, there is incredible opportunity to get a great return on investment.
#7 – Ignoring Your Blog Will Cost You
Companies that blog have a 434% better chance of having their site get high search engine rankings.
We already covered just what an advantage it can be to rank high in a Google search. Given the incredible benefits, why would anyone ignore this opportunity?
#8 – Content Marketing Gets Past Ad Blockers
A 2017 report from Adblock Plus revealed that some 40% of respondents had used an ad blocker within the previous month.
Among laptops and desktops, that number is especially prevalent, and jumps to over half of all users.
So what we are seeing is that, in addition to “not paying attention” to ads, many customers are eliminating them entirely from their view. As the software continues to develop, and ad blockers become more popular, advertising loses its effectiveness even further.
When a digital content writer creates a blog post, that material doesn’t get excluded by a blocker, making this just another advantage for organic content.
#9 – Search Engine Traffic Is Better Than Social Media
Given all the hype over “creating a social media presence” these days, you can be excused if you have gotten the feeling that this is the highest priority for your brand.
Yes, social media gets attention and likes. But when it comes to converting leads, studies have shown that search engine traffic outperforms social media by nearly 300%.
The difference typically can be found in user intent. Social media is a great way of getting noticed, but web content frequently connects your business with people who are already looking to buy.
Those leads are what will actually drive sales and profit.
#10 – Digital Content Writers Power This System
If you look under the hood to see just how this whole system works, you’ll discover that the people who actually produce the content itself: the digital writers.
Most professional blog writers are writing this material as a way of life. In fact, 60% of content marketers produce something every day.
Savvy business people have learned that content marketing produces results. And the best results come from hiring people who do this work on a daily basis.
#11 – Articles Should Be Long (But Not Too Long)
The average word count for top content is about 1200 words.
Does this mean that each and every article needs to hit this number exactly? Of course, it doesn’t mean that, but it does show that there is an increasing interest in long-form articles.
In previous years, shorter posts were more common, but we have seen a definite shift toward articles that cover a bit more ground.
#12 – The Ideal Title Size
Studies also show that the top-performing articles frequently have headlines of 8-12 words each.
Anything shorter starts to become too vague or general, while longer titles can start to become confusing.
Content writers spend extra care to make sure their product is targeted to these trends, in order to give your material the best chance of being seen.
#13 – Marketers Know: Original Written Content Is King
In a survey conducted by Social Media Examiner, 58% of marketers agreed that the best content is “original written content.”
This shows a clear preference for the written word as a simple, cost-effective way of generating traffic and connecting with both search engines and customers.
There is plenty of variety as far as what type of content is out there. Video content has become increasingly popular, as technology has become better at handling high amounts of data.
But the downside is that video content is significantly more time-consuming to produce. A minute-long video can easily take multiple days to create, when the writing, planning, shooting, and editing is taken into account.
A blog article requires significantly less overhead, both in terms of time and money.
Where Do You Get Your Content?
So how do you take advantage of the most cost-effective form of business promotion?
There are a few different solutions. One can try to create blogs in person, but this option typically leads to frustration and missed deadlines.
What business owner has the time to create post after post, in addition to running the company and making the most important decisions?
The SteadyContent Model
The other path is to work with a company that creates content itself.
At SteadyContent, we create millions of words of content every month, for small businesses just like yours. Each post goes through a 19-point checklist to ensure quality and accuracy.
We conduct research ahead of time, to make sure every article is optimized for Google and other search engines.
After the SEO phase, one of our 550 writers creates the content, which is then double-checked by our team of editors.
The posting process is streamlined and designed for maximum efficiency. All you have to do is approve it, and watch your web traffic start to climb.
We’re also running a special promotional discount for first-time clients, so you can give it a try and experience it first-hand. Experience the amazing benefits you can get from digital content, and get in touch with us today!
