Optimizing the content on your bank website is essential for providing solutions to your customers’ problems. But, how can you continue the conversation once you answer their questions?

One way to extend your online marketing strategy beyond your bank website is with a blog. In this two-part series, we’re going to examine the advantages of setting up a blog and give you tips for creating and maintaining it. This week we’re focusing on the reasons why blogging is beneficial for ongoing communication, customer education, search engine optimization, and sales conversions.

 

A Blog Announces News

Although a blog is mainly a marketing tool, you can also use it for journalistic intentions. Keep customers informed about the latest news and happenings at your bank or credit union. Use the blog as an opportunity to demonstrate your mission statement, vision, and values in action. This builds credibility and develops trust with your customers.

 

A Blog Provides Resources

A blog allows you to educate both current and prospective customers about financial topics. Consider the questions a customer might have about a product or service. For instance, a customer might wonder how a money market account is different from a checking or savings account. You can explain the topic more thoroughly in a blog than you could on your website. You can also initiate a dialogue with customers by responding to any questions or comments they post to the blog. By using your blog as an educational resource, customers will view you as an expert in the industry and your community.

 

A Blog Improves Search Result Rankings

When developing blog topics, consider your keywords and keyphrases. Blogs are an organic way of boosting search engine optimization (SEO) with quality content. Use each blog as an occasion to answer a customer’s question or guide them toward a solution to satisfy a need that they might type into a search engine. The more blog content you have about a specific topic, the higher your financial institution will rank in search engine results.

 

A Blog Increases Sales

As an extension of your marketing plan, your bank blog plays a vital role in your sales funnel. As your blog gains popularity with search engines, more people will be able to find it. Once someone clicks through to the blog, it acts as a gateway to your website. By linking to high-conversion pages on your bank website, you bring the reader one step closer to finalizing a sale. Even if the reader doesn’t immediately become a customer, you’ve succeeded in increasing awareness about your brand.

 

Final Words

Having a bank blog is an easy and effective technique for ongoing communication between you and your readers. Our BankSITE® Builder CMS (content management system) makes adding and maintaining a blog to your bank or credit union website so simple, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start blogging sooner. If you still have questions about blogging, next week, we’ll share some tips to help you get started!