Almost like spots of rain, which one day, suddenly, became a full-on shower before some of us even had a chance to pull out our umbrellas: a superhighway of channels with many voices to listen to and an ever-changing set of algorithms to navigate.
Does this seem all too familiar? You’d open Instagram and see a glossy highlights Reel… you would sporadically check Facebook only to notice your timeline format had updated again…and low and behold, keen not to be left behind, Pinterest has now launched Idea Pins.
I like to think I had some small foresight into this. You see, I’ve waxed lyrical to my clients for a long time, “your website and blog is your home, you own it, start your key marketing there. Social media is your timeshare in a far flung, exotic destination, you only really play a small part in this exciting place”.
It’s why I feel when I am asked “is blogging still important?” I can answer the question with a confident and resounding “YES!!”. Blogging helps you attract new customers, rank higher on Google, build trust with couples, and can establish you as a leader in your industry.
“…your website and blog is your home, you own it, start your key marketing there. Social Media is your timeshare in a far flung, exotic destination, you only really play a small part in this exciting place.”
So, whether you’re keen to set aside some time for writing blog posts but you aren’t really too sure if it’s worth the time (or investment if you hire a professional like me) let’s jump in to the top reasons why wedding venues should blog.
Blogging Improves Search Engine Optimisation
Are you looking to appear higher on Google and other search engines? Do you want to attract new customers and get your website and wedding venue discovered?
Blogging is a free, organic way to do exactly that. There are a number of ways in which blogging can help with your website’s SEO…
First of all, it keeps your website active. Google does not want to send its users to outdated sites, so consistently posting fresh content to your blog keeps your website current and relevant, which in turn makes the Google algorithm very happy.
Blogging also gives you the opportunity to strategically improve your Google ranking with the use of keywords. Using words and phrases that your target audience is searching for will help your website be more discoverable.
For example, if you’re a castle wedding venue in Cornwall you’ll want your business to show up as soon as possible when someone searches “where to get married in a castle in Cornwall.” Blog posts are the perfect place to include these valuable keywords.
Blogging Allows You to Tell Your Story
Continuing on with the theme of castles…hands up if you are as obsessed with Escape to The Chateau as me… I’m asking as every business has a person behind it with a story to tell and your blog is the best place to share it!
In addition to the technical reasons why businesses should blog, another benefit of blogging is that it gives you the opportunity to show some personality. Your website is most likely full of facts and information about your product or service, but your blog allows you to elaborate on those topics and show people why your business is different from your competitors.
People buy from people. They want the opportunity to get to know you, your brand and to place an emotional investment (as well as a financial one) ahead of getting married at your wedding venue. Tell them on your blog how you can positively impact one of the biggest days of their lives in a way that feels genuine and authentic.
Blogging Builds Trust
Building trust takes time. It is very rare that a potential client will sign on the dotted line the minute they discover you…
Consistently producing helpful, relatable content also allows you to keep their trust once you’ve earned it. I previously worked with a venue to create a downloadable checklist for their blog. It was perfect for couples to work through while they viewed all potential wedding venues, not just that particular venue.
It worked on a subliminal level, every time they considered other places for their big day, they referred to the checklist and increasingly saw that my client and their venue was somewhere that was always going to be on hand to help.
Writing blogs shouldn’t just be limited to your own website. Collaborating and submitting to other large publishing platforms within the wedding sphere (like Coco Wedding Venues) is a great way of being seen by new couples. Share your expertise in planning advice pieces, submit that beautiful styled shoot or real wedding and see this type of blogging as another key trust-building exercise.
Blogging Provides Content for Social Media and Email Marketing
Finally, to answer the question we pondered over at the beginning…is blogging important or should you put all of your marketing effort into social media and email marketing?
By now you know where I stand on this, I hope I have been pretty clear. But, what I will say is that I believe blogging and social media can actually go hand-in-hand.
In addition to SEO, sharing your blog posts across your social media platforms and in your email newsletters is another great way to get more eyeballs on your website. If your content is useful (just like the wedding venue downloadable I mentioned previously), your followers may share it too, which will get your venue in front of even more potential customers.
So…in a nutshell, blogging is still very relevant for your wedding venue.