The ROI of Blog Content for Small Businesses

Most small business owners think blogging is for lifestyle brands and tech companies. It is not. Blog content is the most cost-effective way to grow your organic traffic, and organic traffic is the most cost-effective way to acquire customers.

The Compounding Math

Here is how blog content works for local businesses:

A single, well-written blog post targeting a specific local keyword (like "how to choose a plumber in Austin") will typically start ranking in Google within 2-4 months and attract 10-30 visitors per month. That does not sound like much. But it compounds.

Month 1: 4 posts published. 0 organic visitors (too new to rank). Month 3: 4 posts starting to rank. 40-80 visitors/month from those posts. Month 6: 24 posts live. 200-400 organic visitors/month. Month 12: 48 posts live. 500-1,200 organic visitors/month. Month 24: 96 posts live. 1,500-4,000 organic visitors/month.

Each post is a permanent asset that keeps driving traffic month after month. Unlike paid ads, which stop the moment you stop paying, blog content continues working indefinitely.

The Customer Acquisition Math

Local business websites typically convert 2-5% of visitors into leads (phone calls, form submissions, booking requests). Using conservative numbers:

At 1,000 organic monthly visitors with a 3% conversion rate, that is 30 new leads per month from organic traffic alone. If your average customer value is $500 (a dental cleaning, a car repair, a haircut package), that is $15,000 in potential monthly revenue.

The cost of the blog content that drove those visits? $300/month on the SitesByTed Grow plan.

ROI: 50x.

What to Write About

The best blog topics for local businesses answer questions your customers are already asking:

• "How much does [service] cost in [city]?" (pricing guides)
• "How to choose a [business type] in [city]" (selection guides)
• "[Service] vs. [Service]: which is right for you?" (comparison posts)
• "Signs you need [service]" (problem-awareness posts)
• "[Number] things to know before [getting service]" (preparation guides)
• "[Seasonal] maintenance tips for [thing they own]" (seasonal content)

Each post targets a specific search query, includes your city and service area, and links back to your service pages. Over time, this builds a web of content that makes your site the authoritative resource in your local market.

Why Most Businesses Do Not Do This

Because it is work. Writing a blog post that actually ranks in Google requires keyword research, proper structure, quality writing, and technical SEO. Most business owners do not have the time or expertise. Most agencies charge $200-$500 per post.

SitesByTed's Grow plan includes 4 posts per month, professionally written and SEO-optimized, for $300/month total. That is $75 per post — a fraction of what agencies charge, because Ted handles the research and writing at AI efficiency.