What is a business blog — and why they're essential for ecommerce success

Definition: A business blog is a standalone website, or section of an existing business' domain, devoted to writing about subject matter related to their company's industry and its sub-fields. Business blogs have become a fundamental component of successful web marketing and utilized by most online businesses.

How blogs help spur ecommerce growth

Blogs help online businesses engage more customers and build up topical authority for SEO. The following considerations apply when attempting to maximize the utility of company blogs:

• Blogs containing highly relevant keywords within unique pieces of content will be rewarded with a higher ranking on search engine results. The higher a company's search engine result, the more potential customers it will attract.
• If a company can provide compelling blog content that generates significant customer interest, it will likely prove to be a legitimate customer recruiting tool.
• Today's blogs are more engaging than ever thanks to the ease of integrating media and the number of educated writers with a unique voice. Videos, images, and links to other media can be embedded into a blog to make it a truly helpful and well-rounded. Mobile-friendly blogs further their reach by making their content easily accessible to users on any type of web-friendly device .

Why every business should maintain a blog

Where there's a business, there are people who want to learn about it. No matter how mundane an industry may appear to some people, there are others who are eager to read compelling content on the subject. And in industries without an abundance of blogs on their subject matter, a business can quickly become a trusted source.

A blog increases a website's online “footprint” while simultaneously establishing the company as a reputable source in the field. Such a reputation attracts attention from online publications and social media, exposing a business to future customers and business partners.

Checklist for a successful blog

Blogs don't come with a noteworthy downside, but can fail to capitalize on their potential.

1. Pick interesting topics: If a blog post isn't going to answer a common question or provide a unique perspective, it's potential impact is minimal.
2. Target relevant keywords: Once a business-relevant topic has been chosen, target the keywords that will help it rank for high search volume queries. That doesn't mean that blogs should be forcefully overloaded with keywords; rather, write for impactful keywords that naturally make sense in the context of the blog.
3. Promote: The biggest mistake ecommerce businesses (and online marketers of all kinds) make is producing fantastic content and not effectively promoting it. Leverage other online platforms such as social media and email marketing to make sure your audience knows about new blog posts.
4. Write often: One-off or sporadic blog posts can certainly have an impact, but a successful blogging program requires consistency and diligence.

Learn more about how to manage a successful ecommerce blog.