Why Every Business Needs a Blog

How to Make Yours Actually Work

by Donna M. Kerr

Your Content Queen - Quality Website Copy that Rules!

A blog is one of the most powerful marketing tools on the planet. When it’s done right, a blog builds trust, builds traffic, and helps establish you as a local authority in your profession.

Competition is fierce now that you’re literally competing in a global market. If your potential client has a question and you can answer it instantly, you’re winning.

Blogs help people find businesses just like yours when they want or need them the most. Search engines love fresh, delicious, evergreen content that answers all inquiries before they are even made. I’m talking to you, Mr. Plumber. The lady across town wants to know, “What can I do? My toddler just flushed a baby doll.”

Listen up, Her Royal Highness of Certified Public Accountants, your uber-wealthy next client wants to know, “Can I claim my dog's energy-saving sleeping gear on my taxes?”

It takes time to get the courage up to see a mental health specialist. Start by offering your potential client help and advice right on your blog when he wants to know: “Why isn’t my girlfriend ever happy?”

People like to do business with professionals they know and trust. A blog is an invitation to start that relationship before the first conversation. The platform is a comfortable space to demonstrate your expertise, values, and voice. Even when a professional is sound asleep, her blog will work to inform and educate current and future customers.

Most people start with a search engine.

Most people don’t start shopping for a product or service by visiting websites—they search first. If your business doesn’t show up with helpful, relevant content, you’re invisible at the exact moment people are ready to choose. This is especially important for local businesses that don’t have the same advantages as national big box stores and franchises.

According to BrightLocal, 97% of people learn more about a local business online than anywhere else, which means your digital presence is often your first impression.

A Google Local Search Study found that 76% of people who search for a local business on their phone visit one within 24 hours. More conversions mean more business and faster growth.

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That same Google study revealed that 28 percent of those local searches result in a purchase, proving that searchers aren’t just browsing—they’re ready to decide. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a huge part of a blog’s success. Now, don’t let that stress you out. It’s easier than it sounds. 

A search for a product or service is “high-intent” behavior. Google Think reports that 51 percent of consumers discover a new product or service through search.

HubSpot says search traffic converts 2-3 times more than social media traffic. So, when someone Googles “best accountant near me” or “how much does it cost to get a doll out of my toilet,” they are not browsing. They are deciding.

Blogs make things grow.

Blogs make things grow. Websites are great, but they often remain static. People believe they can pop up a website and it will suffice. A website is non-negotiable. If you have a business that you want to grow, you need a website. Search engines can and will index the copy on your site. Over time, search engines get tired of the same old stuff. If your website gets stale, you will notice your business ranking lower. You'll notice reduced traffic too.

Evergreen blogs give search spiders something fresh and delicious to dine on when they come sniffing around. If they like your place, they’ll keep coming back for more.

Why does my blog have to be ‘evergreen’?

Evergreen content is current information that will stand the test of time. Here are two content examples. One is evergreen, the other, not so much:

1. ‘The Giselle Group Will Hike the Hill on Feb. 1.’

2. ‘The Giselle Group Offers an Extensive Hiking Program.’

Title 1 is terrific news you can use. It informs, it educates, and it has an expiration date. After Feb. 1, there isn’t much use for this news. As it is, Title 1 is not evergreen. Search spiders won’t punish you for letting your content get stale, but they’ll go for the fresh stuff first, and who can blame them?

Title 2 is likely to stay relevant and important for SEO much longer. It still provides important information people might want or need to know about The Giselle Group, but it will take longer to expire.

Does this mean you shouldn’t write about dated events and activities? Absolutely not! Once an activity is over, repurpose the content into something evergreen.

You could start with a blog that puts Title 1 event information at the top and Title 2 beneath it. When the event is over, remove the dated content and rearrange the lead. Your dated content will become evergreen.

You could also change Title 1 to a draft blog and reuse it for a recurring event.

Evergreen content:

• Answers a question people will still ask in 6–12 months

• Focuses on principles, processes, or “how-to” guidance

• Uses time-neutral language (no “this year,” “next month,” or “last week”)

• Can be updated without changing the core topic

• Continues to attract traffic, links, or engagement over time

• Supports your services, expertise, or authority

• Still feels accurate and helpful today

Here are a few more examples of potential evergreen blogs:

‘How to Choose the Right Real Estate Agent’

‘What to Expect During a Home Inspection’

‘Why Blogging Builds Trust for Small Businesses’

Evergreen blogs work best when they’re updated regularly. Make a spreadsheet featuring each blog, the day it expires, or the date it should receive a regular update. Set an alert.

Always use the same page and the same link. Longevity matters. Link to your blogs as often as you can.

Dated content is tied to a specific date or event. It’s useful to your followers and definitely has a place in your blog, but only if you update it once the event is over.

Dated content:

• Mentions specific dates, times, or deadlines

• Covers an event, promotion, or announcement

• Refers to “this weekend,” “this year,” or “upcoming”

• Loses usefulness once the date passes

• Sees traffic drop after the event ends

• Might confuse readers if found months later
  

Examples:

‘2024 Spring Festival Details’

'Grand Opening This Saturday’

’Holiday Sale Ends December 15'

Hide or redirect content:

• That is accurate, but no longer relevant

• Has little traffic but causes no harm

• Serves as historical context

• Doesn’t align with your current goals

  
  

If you do hide outdated content you might use in the future, remove it from menus. Stop linking to it internally. Keep it safe for future use.

It’s okay to delete content that is outdated or misleading. If it’s no longer correct, it’s time for the blog to go. If you have zero traffic, zero backlinks, and zero purpose, delete it and redirect the page to another with related content.

If it can be updated, don’t delete it. If it’s still helpful to someone, keep it live. 

Here’s the bottom line on business blogs.

A blog isn’t extra work—it’s a long-term asset. It builds visibility, trust, and credibility all at once. And when it’s written with intention, it becomes one of the smartest investments a business can make.

If your website is your home, your blog is the conversation that invites people inside. Business blogging will help people find you online. Establish you as a trade expert and “smell” great to those search spiders. Answer questions you most frequently get from clients and customers. Don’t stuff keywords. Publish consistently.

Come back for more great information about writing business blogs.