In Blog We Trust – why blogs are a smart addition to your digital marketing footprint
So if you’re blogging and sharing information on your website, you’re likely to be more trusted than journalists, celebrities and politicians! (Ok that last one isn’t all that surprising).
What does this mean for your business?
Taking the time to draft real, relevant and informative content tailored to your audience is worth more than a multi million dollar celebrity spokesperson spruiking your brand!
Have a look at the full affilinet Trust Index list below. It’s also interesting to note that social media contacts come fourth on the list. In fact, the first four items fit very well into Businessary’s approach to creating a digital marketing strategy for micro, small and medium size businesses. Building your digital marketing presence should be part of a holistic and integrated strategy, which is designed to share your key messages at the right time, to the right people and in the right channels.
affilinet Trust Index: Whose opinion do you trust the most?
- Family
- Friends
- Bloggers
- Social media contacts
- Colleagues
- Journalists
- Religious leaders
- Celebrities
- Brands
- Politicians
Further affilinet comments about the study
UK Managing Director of affilinet Helen Southgate, commented on the findings, “…I’m not surprised to see politicians at the bottom of the pile but perhaps a little surprised to see brands so low. What is encouraging though is the role that bloggers and social media play within consumer trust. But we must as marketers respect that and not take it for granted or abuse the position of trust earned by these affiliates.
“Is this a wakeup call for celebrity endorsement? It seems consumers are growing cynical of this tactic because celebrities are also at the wrong end of the trust index. Advertisers need to work smarter and look at who’s really influencing their target markets.” said Southgate.
What kind of content should your blogs be about to be trusted?
The survey also revealed the kind of content that consumers are particularly looking for when they arrive at a blogger’s site, and tips, hints and how-to guides were what consumers were particularly after (52%), as well as content that’s on a particular area or niche interest.
Southgate added “The fact consumers look to bloggers to provide them with information about areas of specific interest, goes right to the heart of the evolution of digital marketing…The media industry has changed so much in recent years. For bloggers to have become more influential on consumers purchasing decisions, speaks to the importance of why brands need to be reaching out to them to connect with their audience, as much – if not more – than they have done with more traditional media outlet.”
Right – what’s next, how do I get a blog?
Are you convinced? I hope so. Blogging is one of the most effective things you can do to improve the digital marketing footprint and performance for your business. Done correctly, creating a blog and regularly posting good content (and sharing your posts to your network via social media) will give you one of the best returns on your time and money investments.
If you already have a website by Businessary, getting a blog is easy! Just contact me for a tailored quotation to get you started. The quote can be for just blog set up, or it can also extend to include a range of content creation or management options.
Don’t have a website with us? Don’t stress. Give us a call on 03 9662 9900 and we’ll help explore the best options for the next step of your digital marketing solution with you.