As a marketing content writer, I meet many savvy business owners who hate writing blogs, but videos are not enough to market their business. They find it easier and more fun to create short videos – also called vlogs – rather than sit down to blog regularly. But even if you have tons of video content, they’re not enough.

Years ago there came a new way for anyone and everyone to create and post a video about their passion project: YouTube. Then Facebook Lives came along, and suddenly the social media dam burst open with opportunities to create and publish quick videos.

Finally – a way for you to speak directly to your target audience, showcasing your personality as well as your expertise.

So why is blogging still a thing? Why aren’t videos enough to create sales?

Human beings don’t all learn the same. Look no further than Amazon, who knows to offer the same book in 3 versions. Because some people prefer the touch of hardcover and paperbacks (tactile), some read on their Kindles (visual) and others have an Audible subscription (aural).

Your target market might focus on demographics or types of business, but that doesn’t account for the fact that some like to listen and others like to read. By all means, if video is your thing, continue, but don’t leave the readers out in the cold.

When it comes to getting found online, Google does search everything. This is why Google is the number one search engines for videos. However, while Google can find a video, it can’t watch videos.

Let’s look at your own website. If you want your website to come up in search results (who doesn’t?) then you need text. You need fresh content. Google searches for websites with regular updates of new written content. The most common way to make that happen is with consistent blog posts. While Google passes over pretty pictures, it does seek new text and a website with weekly or monthly blog posts will be found more readily than one with stagnant content.

Writing a blog is not the same as writing an article. Typically, an article is a more intense, lengthy piece of focused writing, starting at 1,000 words.  Articles are meant to be published in a magazine or other external publication. This means, naturally, that the quality of the article submission will be judged by the publisher.

On the other hand, a blog is shorter and more personal. You are the publisher, as it goes on your website. While it can be as short as 250 words, search engines prefer to see a minimum of 500. So, shoot for 500 – 750 words.

Because your blog is a brief self-published piece of writing, there is no approval process. This is a personal message to your target audience. It’s a casual communication offering your value, expertise, insight and personality.

Blogging is a dynamic way to express your brand beyond a logo. Your tone of voice and even favorite expressions all come together in a blog to give your audience a more personal understanding of your company, mission, and values.

Most business owners are not professional writers, so knowing that blogging is a must, you’ll want to come to some decisions. From best options to worst, you can

• Get organized and do it yourself.
• Hire a marketing writer to create the blogs.
• Assign the blog writing to the most creative person on your team.
• Subscribe to an industry writing service and pay for blogs.

I can help you with the first 2. If you believe you can keep up monthly blogs on your own after we work together to create a strategy and process, set up a call here.