5 Blogging Myths Businesses Should Ignore
Content marketing for your business can feel like a never-ending rollercoaster of “shoulds” and “should nots” as varying experts weigh in every day. Unfortunately, several poor practices and harmful myths have circulated, causing many entrepreneurs to miss valuable marketing opportunities. In particular, blogging myths frequently stop business owners from taking advantage of this content superpower.
At Kristin Ratten Content Services, we take away your content marketing overwhelm by creating optimized blogs for your company’s website. Our done-for-you subscription plan ensures that you have consistent, optimized content to boost your website rankings and brand authority. Book your free consult today to learn more about how we can help you show up online without stress.
Blogging Myths Debunked
Ever since Justin Hall created the first blog post in 1994, people have been sharing their thoughts, stories, wisdom, and expertise with the world through this platform. In 1996, the notion of “content marketing” arrived on the scene, forever changing how we connect with our customers and audience.
Expert opinions now inundate entrepreneurs and marketing teams at every turn. And it is overwhelming.
One area of content marketing that routinely seems to create stress and confusion for business owners is their website’s blog. It can feel daunting to write long-form content regularly, especially when there appear to be so many “rules” around it.
I am all about simplification and stress-less content creation. So let’s take a look at five blogging myths that you can ignore, starting today. You have my permission!
Myth #1: If I don’t know which keywords to use, it’s not worth writing a blog.
Ok. This idea of keywords and, inevitably, SEO can really get you lost in the weeds. Yes, keywords are important and play a role in your blog’s ranking in search engine results.
However, your blog shouldn’t exist merely to feed Google’s algorithms. Above everything else, it should be answering questions, providing value, and establishing your expertise. Your blog will naturally gain traction in search engines when it's doing these things.
If you have a list of keywords from your research or a reputable SEO expert, by all means, use them. But if not, don’t sweat it.
Too often, business owners get so hung up on needing perfect keywords that they just don’t create anything. Worrying that a blog won’t perform well without keywords is a waste of time and stops you from writing anything. And guess what doesn’t perform well on Google and other search engines. The blog you never write.
The solution to busting this myth? Just write. Get your thoughts and ideas out there because something will serve you better than nothing.
Myth #2. If I can’t write a gajillion words, it’s not worth writing a blog.
This myth is a biggie. The idea of producing 1000 or *gasp* 2000 words can stop a lot of entrepreneurs in their tracks. Did you hate writing assignments in school? Then you probably don’t love this part of your marketing either.
Yes, Google likes long content. And the length that it wants keeps growing. Recent studies and surveys have found that 2000-2500 words can offer better rankings than shorter articles. But that does not mean that shorter posts aren’t valuable.
You are better off having shorter blogs than no blogs. Google needs consistent, fresh content to guide its understanding of what your site offers. So the more often you can produce and publish content on your site, the better.
Sure, if you love to write and can pull off a 1500-word blog each week, do it. But if that is daunting or simply not in your schedule, aim for 500-800 words instead. The words you write will always perform better in searches than those you don't write!
One caveat with this myth: blogs under 300 words are unlikely to gain any traction. When you’re writing, 300 words should be the minimum.
Myth #3. Other people have already blogged about this topic, so why should I?
Oh, friend. Let’s talk. You are fabulous and unique and smart and wonderful. Just like me!
But the odds of either of us coming up with a blog topic that NO ONE IN THE WORLD has ever written about are pretty much nil.
With millions of people creating millions of blog articles around the world and around the clock, there isn’t much new under the sun. For example, when I Google “content writing tips,” I discover 4,090,000,000 results.
So why should little ol’ me feel like I can add to that topic? Because I can! I have my own way of looking at things in the content marketing world, just as you have your own way of examining your industry.
The fact that billions of articles exist about a topic shouldn’t stop you from adding your voice to the mix. Your blog will speak to your audience in a way no one else can, but it can only do that if you write it.
Remember, blog creation isn’t only to serve the algorithms and achieve first-page rankings. This content is foundational to your marketing efforts, and you can reuse it everywhere. Regardless of how many other blogs exist in your niche, no one has written the exact one that you can write. So set aside this myth of complete originality and write an article with your originality.
Myth #4. If other sites aren’t backlinking to mine, then blogging isn’t worth the effort.
I’m going to stop you right there. Wrong.
Backlinks serve a purpose and are highly valuable when developed correctly and with integrity. But in no way are they the end-all to your blog’s success. And sadly, I’ve seen businesses spend a small fortune on “developing” backlinks only to find out the so-called expert was buying the links. This practice is a black-hat SEO tactic that can do significant harm to your site.
Your blog is valuable whether others are linking to it yet or not. And guess which blogs other sites will NEVER link to? The ones you don’t write! (Are you picking up on a theme here?)
The more consistent blog content you produce, the more Google will understand who you serve and how you do it. This recognition allows Google to place you higher in the relevant search results, organically leading to backlinks from other sites. So, again, ignore this myth and just write the words.
Myth #5. I wrote a blog once and didn’t make any sales, so blogs aren’t worth the effort.
This blogging myth requires me to take many deep breaths before addressing it. Ok, I’m calm now, so let’s continue.
Repeat after me: “It is not my blog’s job to make sales.” It can be hard to accept that there is a piece of marketing that has nothing to do with sales, but your blog is that piece.
Its role is to do all of the following:
Educate and inform your audience.
Build your trustworthiness and authoritativeness in your industry.
Help search engines to find and understand your website.
Drive traffic to your website.
Provide valuable content that you can reuse over and over again.
“Making the sale” is not on the list.
On the flip side, consistent blogs absolutely can result in sales even though that isn’t their role. By establishing you as an authority and driving traffic to your site, your blog posts impact your bottom line.
Your Words Are Valuable
If you’ve ever heard me geek out over blogs, you know that I call them your content superpower. Blog articles carry tremendous value for your brand and your company, but only if you or someone on your team writes them.
At Kristin Ratten Content Services, we help you ignore these blogging myths and start claiming your superpower. Through our signature blog subscriptions, we make sure your business can stand out and show up online. As your outsourced content writer, we help you have consistent blogs that you are proud to share with the world. Reach out today to learn more and get started.
