5 Reasons Every Business Should Have a Blog

Did you know that about eight in 10 consumers trust blog content and that nine in 10 companies use some sort of content marketing strategy? 

If you don’t have a blog for your company, you should consider the benefits of doing a 180-degree turn. Blogs provide businesses with advantages that shouldn’t be overlooked. Let’s take a look at five reasons businesses need a blogging strategy.

  1. Increase Website Traffic

Having a website is essential if you own a business. But people won’t visit your site just because it exists. There are around 1.88 billion websites online today. So, simply having a website on the world wide web isn’t nearly enough. You need a way to interest consumers and attract eyeballs. One way you can do so is by adopting a consistent blogging strategy. Studies demonstrate that businesses that blog can bring in more consumers than businesses that don’t. The more traffic you bring to your site, the more opportunities you’ll get to gain additional customers. And this means more potential revenue, so you can’t afford not to start a blogging strategy.

  1. Demonstrate Industry Expertise

Another reason it makes sense to start a blogging strategy is that you can demonstrate your subject matter expertise. No matter what industry you operate in, consumers want to find service providers who are on top of things and can provide expert commentary. So, you’re missing out if you’re not blogging to share insights with customers and prospective customers.

“For my law firm, the articles I write for my blog give prospective clients an idea of how I think and show that I’m keeping up with changes in the nuances of my area of law,” says Rowdy Williams from Rowdy G. Williams Law Firm P.C. “It’s also a place for me to write about successes I’ve had with clients, which helps with credibility and conversion.”

Consumers know that one of the best ways to tell if a service provider will help them is to see how they’ve assisted customers in the past. So, demonstrating how your business has met the needs of customers will help potential clients see that your business is worth patronizing.

  1. Differentiate Your Company From the Competition

You can also use a blogging strategy to differentiate your company from competitors. Focus on explaining the value proposition you offer to customers. You can do this by demonstrating how your products and services can meet the needs of consumers. If you’re blogging, but your competitors aren’t, you can gain a competitive advantage that sets you apart in a good way.

  1. Engage With Consumers

Blogging is also a way you can encourage engagement with consumers. They can respond in the comment section, you can react to their comments and suggestions, and they can share your content with people they know. Engagement will expand your business’ reach, build trust between your company and consumers, and strengthen brand loyalty.

  1. Tell Consumers More About Your Business

You can use blogging to let consumers know more about your company. Consumers want to make informed buying decisions. Before they patronize a business, they want to know they can trust it to provide the best products and services. Do your products and services require explanations? You can set up question-and-answer content so people can get the answers they need to make informed decisions. 

Another way to let consumers know more about your business is to combine a blogging strategy with a social media strategy. Doing so can help you supercharge efforts to reach out to customers and potential customers so that they know what your business is about.

Starting a blog is a good idea if you operate a business. In this digital age, you can’t afford to ignore the benefits that a blog offers. 

 

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What Should You Do If Your Building Is On Fire?

When you’re a college student, you probably share a space in some form or another with other people. This can include being in a dorm or an apartment building. 

While that’s part of the quintessential college experience, it can have downsides. 

For example, you’re at risk because of things other people do. If there’s a fire, it can be out of your control, but there are things you can do to keep yourself safe in this situation. There are also preemptive steps you can take to avoid being someone responsible for a fire in your building. 

The following are things to know about fires in a dorm or apartment, especially if you’re a college student. 

Dorm and Apartment Fire Safety

If you live in a shared space, you want to make sure that you have fire alarms on your floor. If you don’t see them or aren’t sure, talk to the RA or apartment manager. It’s their responsibility to ensure there are working fire alarms on each level of a multi-story building. 

These alarms should also be outside every sleeping area and in every bedroom. 

Talk to the person who’s in charge onsite and figure out when the last battery test was. 

There should also be fire extinguishers available on each level of your apartment and, if applicable, in the kitchen. 

Proactively you also need an escape plan. Think about what your route will be and give yourself different options. 

When you live in a multi-unit residential building of any kind and you’re living close to other people some of the most significant fire risks include:

  • Cooking: Even if you live in a dorm and there aren’t kitchens, other people in your building might be using hotplates, microwaves, electric kettles, or other small appliances. It’s essential that if you are using any of these items, you don’t ever leave them unattended. You need to turn them off as soon as you’re done preparing food. If you live somewhere with a kitchen, be especially careful of grease or oil and keep your clothing and combustible items away from flames. 
  • Heaters: There should be at least three feet of clearance space around heaters. Things like fireplaces aren’t as common in apartment buildings, but if you do have one, you need to make sure you have it professionally cleaned and maintained. 
  • Candles: Probably one of the most significant fire risks, if you’re a college student, are candles. You should never leave a candle unattended, and make sure they’re placed far from things like curtains or anything combustible. Before you go to sleep you should put any candles out, and you might need to check your lease or dorm agreement because they might not be allowed at all. 
  • Smoking: If you’re a college student, never smoke indoors in your dorm or apartment. Not only is it very likely against the rules, but you’re putting yourself and others at risk if there’s a fire. 

A few other fire safety tips include:

  • Use surge protectors for all of your appliances
  • Don’t run cords under rugs
  • Don’t have cords running between rooms
  • Don’t store anythingcombustible

So what should you do if your building is actually on fire?

Never Ignore a Fire Alarm

If you hear a fire alarm, you shouldn’t ignore it. You should get your room or apartment keys and let the people around you know as much as possible. It’s essential to take your keys in case you have to turn around because of any flames in the hallway or smoke, or a blocked entry. You may need to go back into your apartment. 

Begin to act right away, but try to stay calm. If you’re on your bed, roll-off and crawl to the door. Remain low in case there are fumes or smoke.

Check doorknobs before opening them. If there’s heat that you can feel on the doorknob, it can indicate there’s a fire behind the door. 

If there’s an elevator, don’t take it. 

If you can’t leave, stay where you are. This means that your apartment isn’t immediately threatened. You can put wet towels or rags under your doors and cover the vents to prevent smoke from coming in. Call 911, and open a window to wave a brightly colored cloth or towel outside the window. If possible, you might use a flashlight as a signal. 

If you have to escape through smoke, along with staying low, you should close doors behind you. 

If you have a window, don’t break the glass unless you have to because it can draw the smoke in from the outside. 

If you see a small fire somewhere in your building and you’re comfortable doing so, you might be able to use a nearby extinguisher. 

You should not enter a smoke-filled room, even if it doesn’t look like there’s any fire. 

Other key takeaways in the event of any kind of fire include:

  • Activate the fire alarm if that hasn’t already been done
  • Alert people in your direct area
  • Avoid fumes and smoke
  • Try to identify an exit you can access
  • Don’t attempt to go back into a building until you’re told it’s safe. If you’re worried there are pets or other people still inside, notify the first responders. 

When you live in a shared building with other people, it’s so crucial that you’re proactive about fire safety. You might not think about it until it’s too late. It could save your life to know what your escape plan is. 

If you’re on a high floor of a building, you might even invest in an escape ladder. 

There are just so many variables around you when you’re sharing this kind of space with other people, and there are many things out of your control. 

If you have any concerns about fire safety in your building, whether it is a dorm or an apartment, talk to someone who’s in charge about what those are and what you think can be done.

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