Is Blogging Dead? The Importance of On-Page Content Today

It seems like every week someone is claiming that this marketing method or that strategy is “dead” despite the fact that most of them are still very much alive. Such is the case with blogging. Some will argue that it’s outdated and overdone, while others will tell you that it’s an essential part of the perfect SEO equation—on-page content makes up a huge part of your ranking. 

So, how can you make sure that you’re ranking well and making the most of your blog? Here’s what you need to know. 

What is on-page content?

On-page content refers to anything that is posted on your website and its various extensions. This can include your home page, product pages, landing pages, service pages, contact pages, and of course, your blog. This content needs to be on-point and 100% optimized for SEO if you want to get the best rankings. Too often, people assume that blogging is not important, or not relevant anymore, when it actually makes up a large part of your ranking score. 

Understanding the value of your on-page content will help you see the benefits of keeping and maintaining a blog with regular content posted a few times a week. The frequency of your posts will vary, of course, depending on your blogging strategy, but what matters is delivering content that’s useful. Don’t post just for the sake of posting. Make sure that your blog strategy is part of your overall website and marketing plan. 

What is off-page content?

Off-page content is everything else beyond your website, basically. It refers to your:

• Social media profiles 
• Business directory listings
• Google listing
• Forum posts and listings
• Inbound links 
• Guest blogs and posts 
• Influencer marketing 

All the content that you create (or that is created) about your business that isn’t on your website is going to be off-page content. It still needs to be optimized for search engines and deserves its own strategy. In fact, it may be even more important than on-page content because it shows that your reputation is out there in the world and that people know your business by name. 

Those businesses that have a lot of on-page content and not much off-page optimization will suffer from a lack of reputation points when they are being ranked by Google and other search engines. 

Why does my business need a blog?

There are several reasons that you should be blogging, or still blogging, if you were thinking about calling it quits. In fact, if you do a simple search for the benefits of blogging or the reasons to blog, you’ll find dozens of different answers:

• Google loves fresh, evergreen content and a blog is a great way to create that regularly. 
• Blog posts build traffic, which helps drive leads and conversions. 
• Good posts increase people’s time on the page and site. 
• Keywords are ranking opportunities, and every blog is a keyword opportunity (or five or ten). 
• Ranking higher in SERPs (search engine results pages) builds recognition and reputation for your brand. 
• You can use blogs to build backlinks. 
• Blogging gives you the chance to demonstrate your industry expertise and thought leadership. 
• Blog content can be shared on social media and may go viral. 
• Blogs can be repurposed or turned into longer-form content like eBooks. 
• More pages on your site means more opportunities for internal links. 
• Content in your blog can answer common user questions and engage conversations. 
• Blogs build trust, even from those who don’t actually read it. 
• Blogging increases your content quality over time. 
• Blogging provides protection from algorithm changes. 
• Blogging helps you grow email lists, social media profiles, and more. 

Today, the competition is fiercer than ever, and you need to find a way to stand out. Staying active with a blog is a great way to keep your site regularly indexed and improve your chance at top rankings when people search for relevant topics. Google also appreciates seeing that you’re posting content because it means you’re engaged and not just putting up a website so that you can say you have one. 

Blog for the right reasons 

Of course, you can’t just put up a blog for the sake of doing it. You have to have something to say and value to add. Just like the rest of your content, your blog needs to answer a question or provide a solution for the user if it is going to be seen as a valuable asset. Take the time to explore some of the best business blogs out there and see what they’re doing to keep things fresh.

For example, here at Smith.ai, we stay updated on industry news and relevant topics that our clients want to know about. That allows us to deliver a blog that’s full of helpful resources, including this guide on why your website needs a quality blog. Look for lateral industry information or related content that you can post about, and then find a way to tie it back to your business. 

Strategy is a huge part of your success here. Make sure that you have a full content strategy for your blog that includes:

• Topics and content ideas 
• Blogging goals 
• Posting frequency
• Audit/review process

When you do this, you’ll find that it’s much easier to be successful with your blog. And when your blog is a success, you’ll see a huge increase in your website traffic and your reputation alike, which is a big win for any business. 

With more visibility comes more leads—are you ready?

When you get a good blog going, you’re going to attract more visitors. Are you prepared to handle all those new leads? If you want to make it easier, you can partner with the virtual receptionists at Smith.ai. Not only can we serve as your 24/7 answering service, but we can also assist with lead intake and appointment scheduling to free up your time. Still working on marketing? Ask about our support for outreach campaigns, too. 

To learn more, schedule a consultation or reach out to hello@smith.ai. 

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