Why You Should Have a Blog On Your Website (Yes, even if you’re a therapist!)
I know what you’re thinking, “People still blog? That sounds so 2000’s!” Don’t be fooled by the pace digital marketing and social media are evolving, long form content is not only still alive - it’s one of the most sustainable and valuable forms of marketing you can employ in your business.
Every service provider (yes, looking at you, too, therapists!) should have a blog on their website. In fact, each month over 409 million people view more than 20 billion pages, and companies that blog get 97% more links to their websites and 67% more leads than companies that don’t.
Why blogging?
Okay, that’s a lot of stats, but the point is that blogging is still relevant, valuable to your clients and potential clients, and beneficial to your marketing strategy.
Blogging boosts credibility by increasing your visibility and establishing your authority. A well-written blog can prove your knowledge and expertise and establish that superpower we call the Know, Like and Trust Factor.
Blogging gives your company a voice by giving you a place to showcase your values, personality and mission. Not only does a blog provide information, it is a vehicle for you to communicate your vision, mission and purpose.
Blogging creates a trove of resources that benefit past, current and future clients. When a client or potential client have a question, you have a library of valuable resources to send their way! Not only is your blog a helpful tool for those you serve, it can save you time and energy as well.
Blogging establishes your leadership. Blogging gives you a place to share what you know, but it also helps establish you as a thought leader. Thought leadership showcases more than just your expertise - it shines a light on your ideas, wisdom and insight.
How blogging drives long term results
Blogging is the primary strategy for building strong SEO, or search engine optimization. This is free and organic marketing that focuses on improving your content’s search rankings. (Hello, free results!)
Long-form content like blogging is an investment that capitalizes exponentially over time. Google calls it “authority.” The more you blog quality content that gets regular viewership and back links (other sites sharing links to your content), the more search engines favor your content. This is earned, organic promotion and it’s powerful.
Blogging also nurtures audience members over time to loyal clients, which helps you generate leads and conversions. It helps your audience make informed buying decisions, which helps you keep clients for the long run.
What next? How do you start a blog and make the most of it?
Starting a blog can feel daunting, but it doesn’t need to be! If you’re stuck wondering what to write about (or, if you have too many ideas), start with making a master list of all the questions past and current clients and leads have asked you.
What questions do you field daily, or what topics do you find yourself talking about with clients and community members over and over again?
Another great question to ask yourself is - if you were to speak on stage at a conference without any warning, what topics would you be able to riff on without an outline or preparation?
A great tool I love is Answer the Public, a free search engine listening tool that gives great insight into what people are searching for on any given topic. Simply go to the site, type in a word (for example, if you’re a therapist you could type in ‘therapy’ to begin with), and it will populate dozens of questions and phrases people are searching! It’s free, easy to use, and produces dozens of ideas for blog posts in just a few minutes.
Squarespace, my favorite all-in-one website hosting platform, makes blogging simple, easy, and beautiful. With Squarespace, hosting and setup for your blog is included - all you have to do is turn it on. It offers drag and drop functionality and readability features like a blog sidebar and summary block. It has built-in SEO capabilities and (win!) no plugins required.
Need more ideas? Dive into my own blog and use it as a jumping-off point for your own ideas! Here are a few you can put your own spin on:
5 Books Every Service Provider Should Read. What books should your clients read?
2021 Business in Review. Give an overview of your year and some insight into where you’re headed as a business!
Flourish! | Brand + Website Design. Showcase your own client creations, testimonials, stories or case studies.
Website Design - Is it Worth the Investment? Your blog is a great place to address common questions or objections and prove the value of your work!
Blogging doesn’t have to be a chore - it can be fun! What topics are on your mind?
