Post by Blog Manager Robbi Hess

It still kind of amazes me that even today, business owners will ask, "Do I really need a blog?" My short answer is a resounding, "yes!" Why? Myriad reasons, but the main one is that if you have a website and you don't typically update your site -- and no one usually does -- it will not rank high in Google searches. However, if you have a blog on your website, every time you add new content Google thinks you've updated your site (which essentially you have) and your searchability gets revved up.

Here are three ways having a blog can help you market your entrepreneurial endeavors:

• If you're the expert in your business niche, a blog will help you share that knowledge. Through your blog posts you will be sharing information and letting your readers know why you are the authority. Because you live your niche and area of expertise daily, you can use your blog as a forum to share that information -- in a non-salesy way.
• Use your blog to become the go-to authority in your niche. Answer questions you read online and questions your potential, and current, clients have asked. If a reader of your blog post asks a question, use that as a spring board to another blog post; if one reader has a question, chances are others do as well.
• Announce anniversaries, promotions or deals on your blog. Use your blog as your number one marketing platform to make company announcements. Whether you're hiring a new employee, moving to a bigger office, launching a new product or celebrating a business milestone, use your blog to share the news.

Once you've written your blog, you need to make certain you share that information across your social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.

When is the last time you blogged? What is holding you back from blogging? Let us know!