Many folks don’t even consider a blog part of your social media strategy and there are lots of social media folks putting together social media strategies that don’t include a blog.

But, that’s a mistake!

A blog is a critically important elements of your social media strategy. Not only does it anchor the rest of your social media strategy, it provides a number of other benefits — as identified in this infographic.

Why a blog is better than Facebook

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Google, Bing, and other search engines use a sophisticated algorithm to determine where a website shows up in search results (SERPs). And, without visitors to your website, you can’t make as many buyers.

Search engine traffic is FREE! But, it’s not easy.

The Google Algorithm contains 27 variables, which recently included social media engagement as a measure of your online reputation to improve your SERPs. But, many of those measures are related to your website, which requires frequent updates to your content — a blog. Other measures include elements of a blog, such as keywords and links. Further, a blog is great link-bait — encouraging other blogs to link to you, which is a major element impacting SERPs.

Greater value

It takes space and flexibility to create value to visitors. Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter all have limitations to the size and/or form of posts that limit your ability to provide value. A blog gives you as much space as you need and as much flexibility as you want to create content that your target audience will likely find valuable. Videos, music, images, and writing that entertains, provides information, or supports your target market.

Evergreeen

Facebook and Twitter both feature feeds where content is quickly replaced by newer content. A blog is there forever and is indexed in Google so it’s accessible whenever searchers need the content.

Community building

Sure, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and other social networks support a community. But, a blog gives you the best tools for linking with visitors. Through RSS feeds and newsletter subscription options, you build your community through permission marketing so you can contact them individually.

Control

Your blog gives you total control over the look and feel of your pages, which give you total control over your brand. Facebook only gives you limited ability to brand and their terms of service specifically deny firms any opportunity to post a call to action in their branding, such as on your cover image.

Integrating a blog and social media

Of course, you’re not limited to a single form of social media — you should use a blog AND Facebook and other social media platforms. Integrating across these platforms provides superior reach and engagement.

Here are some ways to integrate across social platforms:

  1. Include links to your Facebook, Twitter, etc prominently on your blog
  2. Post content from your blog on your other social media platforms
  3. Include links to your social media platforms on your RSS feed and your email newsletters.
  4. Include links to your website and other social media platforms on all marketing collateral — infographics, YouTube videos, Slideshare presentations, images, etc.
  5. Use a plugin that brings comments from your Facebook posts to your blog posts — this heightens your SEO and encourages visitors to engage with multiple platforms.

Be sure to subscribe to our email newsletter, where you’ll get even more insights to make your marketing SIZZLE Hausman Marketing Letter