Google likes sites that are regularly updated; this is an inarguable fact. Blogging is a simple way to indicate you’re engaged with your business, which creates the kind of relevance that gets you a good search engine ranking.
That said, sometimes blogging can be a waste of your time and money.
When to Skip It:
- If your work is best described with photographs. Examples: stonemasons, interior designers, and anyone whose work sells itself mostly based on a visual portfolio.
Pro tip: spend your money to get excellent pictures instead. The exception to this rule would be anyone whose sales are also based on developing longterm interpersonal relationships with customers – visual artists, for example, may want to venture into showcasing their personalities as well as their art. Cartoonists are masters at this – take a look at Bizarro Blog for inspiration. - If you get most of your business by referral. Let your website transmit the basics of your business: what you can do for people, and how they can reach you. Set your site up to facilitate phone calls or a face-to-face meeting, but don’t pour hours of your life into writing text that won’t be seen by your target customer base.
- If you really don’t have the time or desire. Blogging represents a commitment – if you’re going to start it’s important to follow through. If it’s going to become a dreaded chore that you neglect, don’t torture yourself.
There are lots of other online promotional media to explore, and any one of those might be better suited to your personal style.