Small business face many challenges. They have smaller budgets, they have less employees and they are constantly fighting larger companies as competition. Many small businesses have found ways to succeed and make a name for themselves, and one great way to help your small business is through the use of a blog.

Blogs can fill in as websites.
Many small businesses know that having an online presence is important, but many don’t have the budget to create a fully functioning website right away. A blog can be a great alternative to a website. Most blogging platforms like Blogger or WordPress offer free versions that allow you to easily create a site and add any formats or functionalities that you want. So instead of spending a fortune on a website, your small business can add important company information on a blog instead until you have the budget to create your real site.

Blogs can help boost SEO.
Being found online is important, and having a blog can be a great way for small businesses to improve their SEO. Whether or not you already have a website, a blog can add an extra boost to your online presence, especially if you’re using the right keywords to attract your audience. You may find that your blog even starts to generate more traffic than your actual website, and this can help your business.

Blogs can help your credibility.
Just because your business is small doesn’t mean that you’re inexperienced, but some customers are more willing to buy products and services from companies they know. If you start a blog, you can start to advertise yourself as an expert. You can write blog posts that will inform or interest your readers, and doing this will establish your credibility as an expert in your field.

Blogs can help you learn about your customers.
Knowing what your customers want and giving them what they desire are essential to your company’s success, and your blog can help you with this. You can listen to the comments that are being shared by your customers and use this to find out who they are and what topics interest them. For example, if you’re a dog grooming business and you notice that many comments revolve around what shampoo they should use on their dogs, you can make sure to write a post that discusses the best shampoos for dogs. When you answer the questions your customers have, they’ll be more willing to come back.

Blogs can connect your social networks.
Most small businesses are also using social networks as a way to reach their audience, and a blog can be the glue that holds it all together. Some companies find it hard to think of status updates or posts to share with their audience, and a blog can help. You can link your blog posts out through your social networks, and along with having content on your social networks, you’ll also help generate traffic to your blog.

Joshua Reynolds has been the manager of a small business joint for three years.  He created his blog by using one of the wordpress themes for small business.