Why A Blog Is Your Most Important Content Marketing Tool

When blogs are done well, they can be helpful. Informative. Thought-provoking. They can showcase your brand personality, engage your audience, increase traffic to your website and drive consumers to other content you’ve developed. But the central reason why a blog is the most important content marketing tool can be summed up in three simple words.
You control it.
From the domain to the design to the content, your blog is truly YOURS. You are not at the mercy of the tech geniuses sitting in Silicon Valley, or anyone anywhere else for that matter.
If you’ve focused on Facebook, for example, you’re probably more than a little freaked out right now by reports like this one from MediaPost: “…brands are reporting reach rates as low as 1% to 2%, and the expectation is that Facebook will eventually cut organic reach for brand pages down to zero.”
If Google+ is your master, then the recent departure of Google+ mastermind Vic Gundotra and the subsequent roar of rumors and speculation regarding the network’s future left you feeling panicked.
But if you’ve built a strategy focused on your own blog, that kind of news won’t keep you up at night.
Facebook, Google+ and other content channels should continue to be part of your content marketing plan, but your blog is the portion of that plan that should run central to all other components. With all other channels, you’re building on borrowed land. With a blog, you’re building a legacy and a future, all on your own terms.
Start—or jumpstart—your blog now with more help from these past blog posts:

• The Best Blog Service For Your Content Marketing Efforts
• 13 Expert-Proven Tips For Writing The Ultimate Blog Headline
• It’s a Blog! 5 Reasons Why Having A Blog Is Like Having A Newborn Baby
• 5 Quick Blog Fixes To Make Your Post Instantly Pop
• Create Outstanding Content With These 3 Content Idea Tools
• Blog On, Blogger: 7 Blogging Tips for Non-Writers