Business blogging continues to grow.
The biggest reason is that consumers continue to look for information online. Even more now than in the past thanks to the growth in smartphone use.
People get their information from video, audio or text. Usually a mix of the three with many preferring to get certain information via text.
That’s where blogging provides a great platform for those looking to be sources of answers and other information.
But there are still some persistent blogging myths that make marketers and business owners hesitant to launch a blog.
Let’s look closer at a few of those myths…
1. A Link From Your Main Website (it doesn’t need to be prominent)
There is a feeling by some that you need to link to your blog from your home page or from all the pages on your main website. It certainly is nice. Most businesses today will include the link to their blog in their top navigation or in the footer.
That is usually sufficient. Sometimes, though, you may not have a link to the blog. Maybe there is a technical limitation on your main site.
This shouldn’t deter or delay you from blogging. While it’s nice to have a link, it’s not 100% necessary.
Most people that visit your blog posts come from off your site. Social media links, search engines and even email and a few other spots. A link that someone sends them via text or Facebook Messenger.
A blog post is often the first time someone has interacted with your brand at all. It’s good to have a link from the blog back to your homepage or other selling pages.
A link to your blog from your homepage is a nice to have, but not a requirement if there is a restriction.
2. Repeating Themes & Topics
It’s good to have categories on your blog. These might be the 5-10 main themes you cover with each post. It’s good to have links to these categories so that readers can discover more content within those themes.
Within those categories you’ll often have content that is similar. You might find yourself repeating some tips and advice in posts.
This is totally okay.
Sometimes people have different questions that have the same answer.
For example, two people might ask these questions:
What is the best truck for hauling firewood?
What is the best truck for hauling rocks?
The answer might include some of the same information. The posts that provides the answers might be slightly similar. That’s totally okay and normal for a blog.
3. Repeating Title Numbers On Main Blog Page
If you look at the main blog page on most blogs or business blogs you’ll often see posts with the same number in the title. It might read something like:
5 Skincare Tips For Seniors
5 Ways To Get More Exercise
5 Secrets For Feeling More Energy Everyday
The repeating “5” kind of looks a little weird. Some people want to avoid that. And you can avoid it, but don’t worry too much about it. Most people come to your blog via a post and not the main blog page. And many click to category pages or search for posts instead of using the main blog page to find more content.
4. External Links Are Bad
External links are wonderful for a blog. They provide value to readers. If you mention a stat from a study you want to link to the full study. This way the reader can read the study if they would like.
Very rarely does this hurt you. People will click away from your blog, but they will come back because they find your blog valuable. And even if they do leave they leave with that same good feeling of the value you provided. They often come back.
Don’t be afraid of external links. They’re almost always a good thing.
5. Bad Posts Hurt My Credibility
You certainly don’t want poor posts on your blog. But that’s a relative concept. What might be “simple” for one reader could be very valuable for another. And it’s not that one reader is “dumber” than another. We’re all experts in some things and novices in many things.
And when you’re starting a blog you’re always going to improve over time. Looking back on your early posts will make you cringe. But don’t let that fear stop you from starting. You often need to create some bad content to build the skill to create good content.
Conclusion
These myths are pretty persistent in the business blogging world. I hear them over and over again and each time I’ll mention that they aren’t worth the worry. Blogging is like most things in life – just take action and do it. Most businesses with successful blogs wish they would have started sooner so they could have reaped the benefits sooner.
Don’t delay.