The idea of blogging is just over 20 years old, but in those 20 years, the nature of blogging has changed and transformed and is still changing to this day. When they first started, blogs were called “online diaries” and “personal pages” and were mainly used as places where people could document their thoughts and interests—what we now know as personal blogs.

It wasn’t until later that businesses started realizing the benefits that blogging and content marketing could have on their company, encouraging growth, traffic, and revenue. Markentum also uses blogging as part of our content marketing strategy (what you are reading right now!) and encourages our partners to do so as well. Here are some of the reasons you should be blogging for your senior living community.

Grow Your Reach

The amount of data on the internet is staggering. Some estimates show that an unfathomable 1.145 trillion MB of data is created per day. With all this new data and information available each day, you may be wondering if it’s worth it to start a blog, to add your drop of content into the ocean that is the internet. The answer is yes! The average person doesn’t have the capacity for that much information, so they have to consume the internet in small bites: one of which could be your blog. 

If you’re a business owner, you want more traffic on your website. It’s as simple as that. More traffic equals more contact form submissions, calls, and potential move-ins. There are a few ways to get more traffic, which can involve users directly typing your name in the search bar (this requires strong brand awareness), users clicking on your paid ads (this requires a budget), or users finding your pages and blogs (this is free!). 

By blogging consistent and high-quality content, you add to the number of pages on your website, increasing your chances of showing up in Google searches. You can grow these chances even more by implementing SEO best practices into your blog (read more on that here). 

Convert Traffic to Leads

Just as more pages on your website give Google more opportunities to find them, it also gives you more chances to turn visitors into potential customers! Of course, not every blog post should be overly self-promotional, but your blog should include features that make the reader want to stay on your website or learn more about you. 

This can consist of a call-to-action at the end, internal links to your services, or a button leading them to download eBooks or white papers. These features are great ways for new visitors who have never interacted with your brand before to learn about your community and services.  

Build Trust 

Not all your blogs will generate leads; in fact, most of them won’t. And that’s okay! The primary purpose of your blog shouldn’t be to sell your services at every opportunity; it should be to inform and educate your readers. You should know and understand your audience, answer common questions and address their pain points in your blog posts. By posting consistent articles sharing valuable information, you can position yourself as a trustworthy, go-to source within the industry. 

🌱 Markentum Pro Tip:

Like a good social media strategy, a good content marketing strategy should include an optimum mix of industry news and information and information about yourself. There are varying “rules” about what the ratio of these posts should be, but it truly depends on your business models and goals. At Markentum, we recommend our partners post at least one blog a quarter, solely highlighting their community and services. 

Provide Long-Term Value

One of the most significant benefits of blogging is that blogs provide value to your business long after hitting “post,” with almost no work from you! Blogs can continue to attract readers, sharers, and leads, weeks, months, and even years after they are posted. This holds especially true if your content marketing strategy is partnered with a deliberate social media strategy.

🌱 Markentum Pro Tip: 

Even though blogs provide value long after being published, it’s essential to ensure that your posts are relevant and evergreen. For example, if you have an article mentioning an upcoming event or current news story, you may want to go back later and remove these time indicators. It can also be helpful to regularly go through old blog posts and update them with more recent sources or company language. 

Start Blogging Today! 

There are many benefits of blogging for any business in any industry. From short-term benefits like social media shares to long-term benefits like becoming a thought-leader or generating leads, blogging has endless and lasting value. 

At Markentum, we help our partners create and implement an effective blogging and content marketing strategy, incorporating industry best practices and our senior living expertise. To see a blog strategy in action, we invite you to visit our blog, and for questions or support, contact our team!