This is a great question and it comes up a lot.  The short answer is “maybe”.  That’s decisive, isn’t it?

Well the truth is having a blog on your website can be a really great thing.  Search engines will find your blog posts so you’ll get some traffic that you didn’t anticipate, which is always a good thing, people will come back for information and even if they don’t become customers right away, you’re building trust and familiarity.  They’ll tell their friends about you as well.  It helps you build a personal report with people.

All of these are really good things for both your website and your business, right?  So, why is it in the opening of this article did I answer the question of whether or not to have a blog on your website with “maybe”?  Well, there are instances where it can actually hurt your business.

You see, when you have a blog and people start coming back to ready your posts, you’ve built an expectation.  The expectation that the information is going to be fresh, the expectation that the posts are going to be targeted.

If you can’t post new articles every day, that’s ok BUT if your time between posts is inconsistent, that can be disastrous.  I’ve had businesses request a blog on their website and when I’ve checked back months later, there’s still nothing there.  I’ve seen others that post a lot at once and then nothing for a very long time.  This discourages people from returning you your blog and your website.  You’ve become disinteresting.

So…how do you manage your blog to keep it fresh?  Well, I would suggest that you write an article whenever the idea hits you.  Not on your blog but on your computer.  Create a “Blog post” document and keep adding to it.  Refine your articles so that they say what you want in the best possible way.  It doesn’t hurt to have another set of eyes proof ready them.  Once you have a collection of posts, then (and only then) go live with your blog and post a welcome.  Then within a day or two, post your first targeted article.  From that point on, determine the best duration that works for you and post your new articles consistently.  Keep adding to your article and your blog will always be fresh.