Why publish?

Not long ago, a diary was a deeply personal thing– a journal of thoughts and observations, kept under lock and key and often buried in a dresser drawer. Social Media has changed all that quite dramatically. Now, you’re as likely to hear about the first time your friend’s son shaved (Yes, that was the case with this morning’s Facebook feed) as about opinions on GMOs and the state of the economy. We’ve become accustomed to reading each other’s thoughts and musings on a wide range of topics on a variety of platforms. Blogs and microblogs like Facebook are arguably the most prominent.

Once confined to the worlds of politics and high-tech, many of the most popular blogs are food and recipe related. For some, these blogs are simply food diaries with an audience of a couple dozen, while others have spun off into cooking shows and celebrity status.  Smart brands are cashing in on this competition by posting timely and relevant information on their own websites that serve as food for thought on the products that they sell.

Blogging will not directly influence sales, but it can influence your branding and expand your reach in a few important ways.

Expose a new or little-known product or idea. Feature new products (or ones with increased distribution) to educate retailers and consumers about your line. In addition to writing about the product itself, remember to offer usage ideas or recipes to give this item relevance to today’s consumer.

Improve your SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
 Blogging is the easiest way to create and change content on your website. Making changes and consistently adding to your site is rewarded by search engines, which will then send more people to your site as they search terms in your arena.

Position yourself as an expert in an industry or field. 
When consumers see that your website goes beyond a product catalogue and actually gives usage ideas, industry insights, recipes and health tips, you become more useful to them. Who better to go to for a roasted chicken recipe than a company that raises the best chicken around? And when that recipe turns out exactly as it should, no one’s going to jeopardize recipe failure by switching to an inferior brand.

Influence public opinion.
 Many companies feel strongly that the right way isn’t always the cheapest way. For instance, going non-GMO costs more to the producer and therefore to the consumer. Blogs can be used to explain the differences that these decisions make. Once the value is understood, the road to sales is paved.

Expand your reach. Post your blogs through social channels like Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and you can begin conversing with your customers on a different level. As the source of high quality content, your articles, recipes and photos are sharable assets that have the ability to travel beyond your immediate circles.