My title of this post aside, obviously you can use and be active on social media if you don’t have a blog. I know plenty of teenagers who do it every day! But we’re here to talk about your business. At the end of the day, the reason you’re using social media is to grow your business, right (If not, then you can stop reading here and go find something else to do.) Still with me? Great. Now that we’re on the same page, let’s look at the most important reasons you need a business blog to get real results from your social media efforts…
1. Blogging is the original social media.
Not many people remember that era pre-Facebook, pre-Twitter when virtually all business networking online was done through blogging. I sure do. The people and contacts I made through blogging back in those days are mostly still with me today and I’ve noticed our bonds are much stronger than many of the people I meet directly through social networks today. I firmly believe you can make stronger connections with long-form content (blogging) than you can with short-form (Tweets, Likes, etc etc).
2. You need something to share.
Since we all do live in the current era, let’s get real about this. Today, people spend far more time interacting, commenting, and engaging actually ON social media sites rather than on blogs themselves. But in order to get more traction, you really do need something of your own to share. When you share your own content, it gives you a reason to say something. It gives you a reason to be social. That’s key.
3. It’s better to be a content creator than a content curator.
Sharing other people’s content (content curation) is great, but it rarely has as much of an impact as sharing your own content. I can only speculate as to the reason behind this, but I suspect that it’s because.
4. Sharing your ideas helps you stand out from the crowd.
If you have something unique to say, I’m going to remember you better than the person who has nothing to say or the person who simply mimics what everyone else is saying. Standing out from the crowd on social networks is key to your survival and your success.
5. Content is still king.
Finally, let’s not forget the #1 principle behind all good marketing — Content is king. Sharing your blog posts on social networks helps you put a strong foot forward with your content. It gives more meaning and substance to who you are and what you do.
If you’re not already blogging (or if you’re not leveraging your blog for social media marketing), now is the time to get started. Blogging opens so many doors and makes social networking easier, more productive, and more fruitful for your business.
Of course, don’t make the mistake of only sharing your blog posts. This is still SOCIAL media, so don’t forget to be social.
