Clients often ask me whether blogging is still worth it now that people also search with ChatGPT and other AI tools. It is, and the same posts help with both. Here’s how I’d approach it for a small business site.
Why blog at all
- More ways to be found. Your service pages can only rank for a few phrases. Each good post is another page that can show up for a specific question.
- It answers questions before people call, so enquiries are better informed.
- It gives you something to share in emails, social posts and follow-ups with leads.
- AI tools quote clear answers. Pages that answer a question directly are more likely to be cited by AI search. More on that in how to get your business mentioned in ChatGPT.
How often to post
Pick a pace you can keep for a year. Two posts a month every month beats twelve posts in January and nothing after. If you have more time or budget, four a month gives Google more to work with, but only if quality stays high.
What to write about
Start with the questions customers already ask you. Every question you answer on the phone is a post. Good types of posts for service businesses:
- Cost posts: “How much does X cost?” with honest ranges and what affects the price.
- Comparison posts: “X vs Y: which is better for…?”
- How-to and checklist posts: “How to prepare for…”, “10 things to check before…”
- Problem posts: “Why is my X doing Y?” and what to do about it.
- Local posts: projects, guides or advice specific to your area.
To check what people search, use Google’s autocomplete and “People also ask” boxes, Google Search Console (which shows the searches you already appear for), or a keyword tool like Semrush.
How to write a post that ranks
- Answer the question in the first paragraph. Don’t make people scroll through an introduction.
- Use clear headings that match the follow-up questions people have.
- Be specific. Real prices, real examples and real photos from your work beat general advice.
- Write from experience. Say what you’ve seen with clients. That’s what makes a post worth reading and trusted by Google.
- Link to your service page and to two or three related posts.
- End with a next step: book a call, get a quote or download a guide.
The basics to get right
- A clear title and meta description that include the main phrase.
- A short, readable URL.
- Compressed images with descriptive alt text.
- Fast loading on mobile.
- Your name and a short bio, so readers know who wrote it.
How long until it works?
Expect three to six months before posts bring steady traffic, sometimes longer for competitive topics. Check Google Search Console monthly: you’ll usually see impressions grow before clicks do. Update your best posts once or twice a year so they stay accurate.
Common mistakes
- Writing about your company news instead of customer questions.
- Posting a burst of articles and then stopping.
- Publishing generic AI text with no real experience or examples in it.
- No links from posts to your services, so readers have nowhere to go.
- Never checking which posts actually bring visitors and enquiries.
Doing it yourself vs getting help
If you enjoy writing and know your topic, you can do this yourself with a simple plan and a calendar. If you’d rather keep running your business, a blog package can cover topic research, writing, publishing and the SEO details, with you approving each post before it goes live.
If you’d like a blog plan for your site or someone to handle it each month, get in touch.