Great content generates a whole series of benefits for your business. It shows you have the knowledge and expertise your clients need. It shows how you can help them. It attracts website viewers through improved SEO. You've invested time and, probably, money in generating that content, so let's look at why you shouldn't try to sell within your article.

Viewers are not ready

If they are reading a blog, they probably are in a research phase, not a buying phase. They are looking for companies they believe can help them. Trying to sell to them will only put them off.

There's nothing wrong with links to your products and services (open in a new tab - please) so you make it easy for them to find what the blog is about, but make them relevant and never to the home page.

They may return to your blog once they are in the buying phase, but that is most likely because your page is cached and the address bar auto-fills. Chances are they will flick quickly from there to the home page and beyond.

What can you do?

There is nothing wrong with offering them the opportunity to subscribe to your newsletters or marketing material, but do this subtly. Don't make them choose before they can leave the page - they will simply close the window and vow never to return.

You can also encourage them to read other blogs. The more time they spend on your site, the greater the brand recall when they move into the buying phase. If your blogs are published in a very specific order, you may need to point them back to the first in the series. If less structured, suggest related blogs that will build on what you've talked about in the one they have just read.

I hope this helps.