Does blogging help SEO : Benefits, best practices & real examples
Back in the day, blogging was mostly a fun way for people to share their personal stories online. But now, it’s pretty much essential for businesses of all sizes that want to get more visitors, build their audience, and rank better on search engines.
So, what changed? Businesses figured out that blogging is a smart way not just to show off what they know in their field, but also to boost their SEO (which means Search Engine Optimization), basically, making your site show up higher in Google and other search results).
In fact, companies that blog get 55% more website visitors than those that don’t.
If you’ve been thinking about whether your business should start blogging or how it might help your SEO, I got you covered.
How SEO works
Remember when you wanted info about something, you might’ve asked a friend, looked in a phone book, or gone to the library? Now, you just hop on Google or another search engine and type in a few words.
The whole point of SEO is to get your business to show up near the top of those search results. Like, if you have a construction company in Dallas, you’d want to rank #1 for “construction company in Dallas” or “builder Dallas TX,” right? SEO is what helps make that happen.
SEO isn’t just one thing, it’s a bunch of strategies, like adding the right keywords (words people search for), getting links from other websites, and making sure your site loads quickly. SEO rules keep changing because search engines keep updating how they decide what’s most relevant.
If you want to learn more about how to choose the right keywords, take a look at How many keywords for SEO.
The reason companies care so much about SEO? It drives more traffic to their sites, which means more potential customers and sales. Blogging fits in here perfectly because it can bring even more leads, making it a super powerful combo with SEO.
“ Companies that blog get 55% more website visitors than those that don’t ”
Blogging lets you target more keywords
Think of each blog post as a new opportunity to rank in Google. Every post you publish can target specific topics and keywords that your audience is searching for.
Instead of a static website with just a few pages, a blog allows you to continuously incorporate new keywords, including those long-tail, specific search queries. This means your site can show up for a wider range of searches.
And more search visibility = more potential visitors.
It’s no surprise that 72% of marketers use blogging as a top SEO :
By writing about topics your customers care about, you increase the chances of appearing in search results for those topics.
For example, a bakery’s website can only have so many product pages but through a blog, they can publish posts like “10 baking tips for perfect cupcakes” or “how to choose the right flour”, each targeting different keywords that baking enthusiasts might Google.
Over time, those posts can rank and bring in traffic.
“Despite the rise of video and social media, blogging and SEO are the two foundations of any content strategy in 2024.”
Keeping your site updated with new content
Search engines like new content. For example, Google prefers fresh content and may rank newer or regularly updated pages higher in some searches.
Consistency matters a lot in blogging. If you want to know how often to post for the best SEO impact, check out How many blog posts per week.
By blogging consistently, you’re basically telling Google, “Hey, this site is alive and fresh!” Regular updates can get your site crawled more often and can improve how you rank, especially for topics where up-to-date information is important.
One survey found that bloggers who publish new posts more frequently tend to get better results.
In fact, 40% of bloggers who posted daily reported “strong results,” compared to just 10% of bloggers who posted :
Consistency matters! Even posting once or twice a week can keep your site looking fresh in the eyes of search engines (and readers).
And it’s not just algorithms, people appreciate fresh content too. We all prefer up-to-date answers, right?
“Content marketing success isn’t about publishing a target number of articles but rather showing up consistently so that your audience sees you as a trusted resource. Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines specifically mention content ‘freshness.’ By publishing content at a regular cadence, you’re offering that ‘freshness’ and building a case for why your content should rank in relevant searches”.
Set a realistic blogging schedule and stick to it. Whether it’s twice a week or twice a month, consistency is key. Not only will you please the Google bots, but your human readers will also know when to expect new posts (building trust and return visits).
Blogging attracts backlinks
One of the biggest SEO benefits of blogging is the potential to earn inbound links (links from other websites that point to your site).
When you publish high-quality, useful articles, there’s a good chance other bloggers, news sites, or even your readers will link back to your content as a reference.
These backlinks are like upvotes for your site’s credibility in Google’s eyes, they signal that others find your content valuable. And backlinks remain important for SEO. (Quick recap: Google’s algorithm treats a backlink as a vote of confidence, which can boost your authority and help you rank higher.)
Learn how to increase your domain authority.
Industry experts emphasize creating content worth linking to (think original research, in-depth guides, infographics, etc.) rather than just pushing product pages.
As Eric Ward put it, “useful content gets linked” and “the less useful your content is, the less likely you are to ever receive a link to it”.
Also, 73% of SEO professionals say link building is an important part of their strategy. So each blog post is a new chance to attract links from others who find your insights valuable. Over time, those links ramp up your site’s authority (often measured as “Domain Authority” or similar), which can lift all your pages in search rankings.
Practical takeaway: Focus on making your blog posts genuinely helpful or insightful. Do things like citing recent stats (just like I’m doing here!), sharing how-tos, or providing unique perspectives. High-value content is far more likely to get shared and linked to. Think about what would make you link to an article, then create that kind of article.
Internal linking: Strengthening your site from within
Backlinks (links from other sites) are awesome, but don’t overlook internal links, the links between pages on your own website. Every time you write a blog post, you can link to other relevant posts or important pages on your site. This helps search engines discover and index your content, and it spreads “link equity” throughout your site, which can improve your overall SEO.
Here’s how it works: internal links help pass authority from one page to another within your site. For example, if one of your blog posts has gained some strong external backlinks (authority), linking from that post to a newer post can share some of that ranking power.
“Through internal links, pages can help each other rank in search engines”
It’s like your pages are high-fiving and boosting each other up.
Moreover, internal links guide your visitors to more of your content. This improves user experience (visitors spend more time on your site instead of leaving after one page). And while user behavior signals are subtle, keeping people engaged can indirectly help your SEO by reducing bounce rates and increasing dwell time.
For best practices on how many internal links to include per page, read How many internal links per page in SEO.
Practical takeaway: Make internal linking a habit. Whenever you publish a new post, see if it can naturally link to older posts (and vice versa, update some old posts with a link to the new one). Not only will you help search engines crawl your site, but your readers will also discover more content, a win-win!
User engagement: Blogs keep visitors engaged
A successful blog doesn’t just bring people to your site, it also helps keep them there longer and coming back for more. This is often overlooked as an “SEO benefit,” but it’s important. When visitors find your blog content useful, they tend to spend more time on your site, maybe read multiple posts, leave comments, or share your articles on social media. These are signs of engaged users.
That means users want to read your content if it’s informative and interesting and they’re more likely to trust it. High user engagement can lead to positive outcomes that indirectly boost SEO.
For instance, if someone finds what they need on your blog, they won’t hit the back button to Google another result (reducing bounce rate). Engaged readers might also share your post or link to it, earning you those sweet backlinks we talked about.
Businesses with blogs can see up to 6× higher conversion rates than those without.
In the era of Google’s Helpful Content updates, the focus is on user experience. Simply put, if your blog keeps readers happy and informed, you’re aligning with what search engines are aiming for.
Practical takeaway: Aim to create content that engages. This could mean adding images or examples to illustrate points, writing in a friendly tone (no jargon overload), or even incorporating videos/infographics. The more you can delight your readers, the more likely they are to stay, share, and return, all good news for your SEO in the long run.
Example case study: River Pools and Spas : From near bankruptcy to #1 pool company through blogging
Industry: B2C Home Services : Pool construction
Strategy: Content marketing & blogging (“They Ask, You Answer” approach)
Challenge: Economic downturn during the 2008 recession
The problem
In 2008, River Pools and Spas, a small pool installation company, was on the verge of bankruptcy due to the recession. With fewer people investing in swimming pools, sales plummeted, and the future looked uncertain.
The strategy
Co-owner Marcus Sheridan decided to take a different approach. Instead of cutting back, he invested in content marketing.
He began blogging regularly, answering every question potential customers had about swimming pools.
Example topics:
“How much does a fiberglass pool cost?”
“What are common fiberglass pool problems?”
He focused on long-tail keywords and wrote honest, educational articles to build trust.
The results
At first, progress was slow:
Only 88 visits in the first month.
But Sheridan kept publishing helpful content consistently.
Within 6 months (August 2009):
70+ blog subscribers (grew to 180 just 3 months later, a 157% increase).
Blog traffic rose steadily, reaching 45,000 monthly page views by late 2010.
Each blog post attracted 300–500 views, and some long-tail keywords brought in over 1,000 organic visits in just two weeks.
Impact on the business
Blog visitors often turned into leads by filling out contact forms.
The site earned many inbound links, boosting their Google rankings.
River Pools began appearing at the top of search results for popular pool-related questions.
The outcome
By 2010, River Pools ran the most popular swimming pool blog in the industry.
The company became one of the largest pool installers in the U.S.
While 50% of competitors went out of business, River Pools grew stronger, all thanks to its content strategy.
“If we were not sharing useful information, people would never bother to visit our website and become leads… ever-growing site traffic and inbound links have contributed significantly to the online visibility of our blog and its number one status in the industry.”
– Marcus Sheridan
Key takeaway
Even a traditional local business can dominate online search rankings by being the best, most transparent source of information in its industry.
You can also check out these other SEO case studies to see how blogging drives growth across different industries.
How to start blogging for your business
So, now you know that a blog can do wonders for your business, right? But, how do you actually get started with blogging for your business? It’s not just about writing a couple of posts and hoping for the best. There’s a bit of strategy involved to make sure your blog works for you.
Let me walk you through the steps!
1. Figure out what to write about
First things first, you need to decide what your blog is going to be all about. When it comes to creating valuable content, relevance is everything. You want to make sure you’re answering questions that your audience is already asking.
Let’s say you’re running an eco-friendly product business your audience would be interested in topics like "How to reduce plastic waste" or "Best sustainable products for daily use." These are the types of blog posts that will attract people who are interested in what you’re selling.
Plus, don’t forget to do some keyword research! Using tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or InPages can help you discover those high-traffic keywords. InPages is especially great for spying on your competitors' keyword rankings, giving you valuable insights into what’s working in your industry.
This allows you to create blog posts that align with what people are searching for, meeting their needs and driving traffic to your business.
2. Set clear metrics for success
How will you know if your blog is actually working for your business? That’s where setting up metrics comes in. You need to track things like how many people are reading your posts, how long they’re sticking around, and if they’re taking action (like signing up for your email list or buying something from your store).
Here are a few key metrics to keep an eye on:
Traffic: How many people are visiting your blog?
Engagement: Are people commenting, sharing, or spending time reading your posts?
Conversions: Are visitors clicking on your call-to-action and signing up for your email list or making a purchase?
Bounce Rate: Are people leaving your blog quickly, or are they sticking around to explore more?
Social Shares: Is your content being shared by others? That means it’s resonating with people!
Once you’ve got these metrics in place, you’ll know what’s working and where you need to improve.
For measuring your blog’s performance, check out Content marketing analytics tools.
3. Invest in the right tools
Blogging for business isn’t just about writing content, it’s about creating and sharing that content in the best way possible. That’s why investing in some solid blogging tools is key.
For example, platforms like Wix not only offer easy-to-use blog templates for designing your posts, but they also provide great analytics tools to track how your posts are performing.
You can also use InBlog, which is a great tool for integrating your content with SEO-friendly strategies.
Having the right tools will make your blogging process smoother and help you see what’s working and what’s not.
4. Promote your blog
Writing great blog posts is only half the battle, getting people to actually read them is the other half. To attract traffic to your blog, you need to promote your posts on social media, email, and other channels.
Here’s how you can promote your blog:
Social Media: Share your blog posts on your social media channels, targeting platforms where your audience spends their time (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.).
Email Marketing: Send out newsletters to your email subscribers featuring your latest blog content.
Collaborations: Team up with other businesses, influencers, or bloggers for cross-promotion. You write a guest post for their blog, and they link back to yours.
SEO Optimization: Make sure your blog posts are optimized for Google so people can find them when searching for related topics.
Paid Ads: If you want to take it up a notch, consider using paid advertising on Google or social media to drive traffic to your blog.
The more ways you share your blog content, the more people will see it—and the more likely they are to become loyal readers.
When it comes to promoting your blog, learn more in Content distribution strategies.
5. Repurpose your content
Repurposing content is a game-changer! Why stick to just one format when you can turn your blog posts into other types of content? If you’ve written a blog post, consider turning it into an Instagram story, a video for TikTok or YouTube, or even a podcast episode. This helps you reach different segments of your audience and keeps them engaged across multiple channels.
For instance, let’s say you write a detailed blog post on "The best sustainable business practices." You can create a short video highlighting the key points, share it on Instagram, and then drive traffic back to the full blog post for more information.
Repurposing your content in creative ways is a smart way to maximize its impact.
Final thoughts :
So, does blogging help SEO? Absolutely yes! Blogging isn’t some outdated 2010 strategy, it’s alive and well, driving real results in 2025 and beyond.
Keep in mind that blogging isn’t an overnight magic trick. It’s more like planting a garden, you’ll need to give it regular care (consistent posts, quality content, a bit of SEO know-how) to reap the rewards.
But many have found it’s worth the effort: businesses that blog see 165% more lead growth compared to those that don’t blog.
By creating valuable, consistent content, you can:
Target more keywords and rank for a wider range of search terms
Keep your site fresh and appealing to search engines
Attract backlinks that boost your domain authority
Improve user engagement and reduce bounce rates
Strengthen your website through internal linking
Build a loyal audience who sees you as a trusted expert
And the best part? You don’t need a massive team or budget to get started. With the right strategy, tools, and a little consistency, your blog can become a central engine of growth for your business.
Want a step-by-step breakdown? Check out our blog SEO checklist to make sure your content hits all the right marks.
