Small Business Blogging Makes Happier Customers

Jennifer Leggio has a post up on ZDNet today about small business and social media.  In a report issued by SurePayroll, they found that “36% of online users think more positively about companies that have blogs. In the SurePayroll survey, 85% of business owners participating in social media for business are doing so by way of blogging online.”

Think about why blogging might have such an impact on how customers view a company.  Blogging does three things for you:

1. Let’s your customers know that you know what you’re talking about.  When you blog, you have the opportunity to share your expertise with people who are looking for that expertise.  If you own a book store and you blog about books, you have the chance to demonstrate your knowledge of the market, share your thoughts on new releases, and make recommendations that come from experience.
2. Let’s your customers interact with you.  Imagine two scenarios…First, I come up to you and start talking at you but never stop to let you get in a word and when I’m done talking I turn and walk away.  Now imagine that I come up to you and tell you something interesting, then ask you a question, then listen to your response, then engage you in conversation.  Which is more compelling to you as a customer?  Traditional websites are the first scenario, blogging is the second.
3. Allows you stay stay relevant and up to date.  How long does it take you to update your website?  Can you do it in 10 minutes?  A day?  A week?  With a blog, you can get real time information posted about your business to provide the most relevance for your customers.  Nobody wants to know what happened three weeks ago, they want to know what’s happening now.

When you look at these things holistically, it’s no wonder that customers think more positively about businesses that blog.  Are you blogging yet?  If you are feel free to share your experiences and any lessons learned in the comments.