Corporate Blogs

Corporate Blogs: How To Achieve Success Through Blogs

When blogging first became popular I thought of it as a trend. I was only familiar with personal blogs and saw blogging as a way for girls to say, look at me, this is what I am doing. My views agreed with James Horton who said it was for “a teen-age girl who updates her friends on her life about two times a month” (Horton, 2003). Whether for personal use or for marketing blogging is a way for people to communicate and this is why it has become so popular in marketing. Overtime blogging has popularized and has changed drastically. Although there are still millions of personal blogs, much of blogging has shifted towards the business world and has become key in business communication. As Horton puts it, “If you aren’t inviting this change into your own business--and keep in mind, your competitors are--then the writing is on the wall. No matter what your business, blogging is essential to your success, both now and in the future” (Horton, 2003). Blogging is a way for businesses to get their brand to the public to show who they are and what they offer. It provides an added value because it allows for conversation to flow between business management and the consumer. Instead of just putting an ad or a thought out on a billboard allows for the consumer to reply back and build a conversation. This not only builds a conversation but it builds a relationship, another reason why marketing blogs have popularized. Because of my original attitude towards blogs I never took the opportunity to familiarize myself with them. But upon my understanding of its importance in the field of communication I have engaged in research to make this a strength. I am very aware of what is out there and what top end blogging is all about. I will share the information I have learned and let you in on the top information on marketing blogging. Because I am interested in blogging to generate a substance I will focus on the business side of blogs and will share key ideas I have learned for setting up a successful marketing blog.

Blogs began in 1997 as a way for people to manually update Web sites (Wikipedia). As they became more relevant the business world started using them to promote their business. This then caught trend to corporate blogging or blogging for marketing purposes. Another means to spread your business, this was a great idea. Because of their ability to create conversation and personal relationships blogging is being used in the marketing place and it is beginning to grow. In one graduate student’s dissertation he writes, “small businesses need blogs even more than big ones, because they live off relationships, and blogs build relationships very effectively” (Hill, 2005). Not only do small businesses need to build relationships but also every business needs a company-client relationship in order to maintain success. How does one decipher if their corporate blog is set up for success or failure? An article called “Marketing and Blogs” states that if blogs for marketing take the right steps it can lead to a successful blog. One of the major steps is realizing that a blog is to advertise not sell products. Blogging is not a good way to get revenue for your business but it is a good way to generate talk and hype in order to get people to like your company. You have to use it in a way that will benefit you and revolutionize your business. I have created a list of the 10 steps most common steps needed to generate a successful blog.

After reading through several articles and compiling information about blogging I founds the following 10 most use steps for creating a useful blog.

10 Tips

1. Create a clear topic

In order to make a blog reliable and trustworthy the reader has to understand what it is you are writing about. If you are selling a product but you don’t give a clear idea of what that product is or what it is used for you aren’t going to buyers. The same goes for blogging if you are to write a successful blog you have to have a clear, firm, topic that is solid and easy to understand what you are getting at. This makes it easy for the reader to identify your product and choose if they want to be a part of your blog. “The best blogs have a specific focus that really connects with a specific target audience” (Simple, 2009). The more specific your topic is the better you will do.

2. Know your audience

In order to provide useful information you have to know whom you are writing to. This will help you be direct in your writing, help create a good content and provide information they can use. You have to be able to speak and talk to your audience in a way that will fit them and interest them. “One of the great things about blogs are they are digestible. Easy to read snippets loaded with advice, fun things, pictures, videos, tips, articles, you name it. Definitely know the audience you are talking to” (Simple, 2009).

3. Connect and build a relationship with your audience

Using my life experience and relationships I have learned that connecting with someone is what creates emotion and makes relationships last. That is essentially what a blog is, you are connecting with your reader and letting them into your life, your information, the things you know. As well as listening to what they say. It is purely a form a communication- being willing to share information with an intent heart and accepting the information they are sending back. This is what will keep an audience coming back to your blog. The article “12 Essential Tips” states “A blog is really a conversation. It starts with your post, of course, but it continues with comments from readers, and with comment and criticism from other bloggers. Get that conversation stirred up a bit by posting questions and polls and contests for your readers — this gets them deeply involved in the conversation that is your blog, and there’s no better way.” One of the most useful websites for blogging, Copyblogger, suggests the two most important words to put in a blog are “you” and “because.” This is because people want to hear what will help them and why it will help them. Keep your readers problem in mind and always ask yourself, “How will my blog help my reader?”

4. Keep it interesting and make it useful

You need to keep the reader coming back to your blog. I had a communication professor who related this to marriage. He said you have to keep your marriage and/or relationship interesting and keep them intrigued or else they will become bored and be gone. This is how it is with your blog, you have to keep your reader interested always wanting to be around. Readers are looking for new information, something that intrigues them, something that sparks their interest, something different. You want them to have the feeling that you provide something different, something special and if they don’t visit your blog they will be missing out. “Why would a reader keep coming back to your blog? Why would they subscribe, when there are so many other blogs out there to subscribe to? You’ve got to give them a reason. And the reason is that they can see what amazing content you put out on a regular basis, and they can reasonably expect you to continue to produce that content. They won’t want to miss out, so they’ll come back or subscribe” (12 Essential Tips).

5. Have an effective title

Your blog is nothing if you do not start with an effective title. You might as well kiss your chances goodbye. Not only are titles effective for search engine optimizations when people are looking for information, but a good title will catch the attention of a reader. It could be the difference between someone reading or not reading your blog and if it is someone with a lot of connections that could make a world of a difference in your life. “I have to admit, headlines are more important than they should be. Headlines are like advertisements for your posts — if they’re not very good, no one will read the posts. And so you could have amazing content, but if the headlines suck, you’ve got nothing, as far as readers are concerned” (12 essential).

6. Make Connections

Some keys ideas to making your blog successful is to reach out and bring people in, network, make connections. “Never Eat Alone” by Keith Ferrazzi suggests the key to becoming successful is building relationships and making connections. Reach out to people, make contacts, bring people into your blog so they can see what you have to say, form a relationship with them. Great ways to do this is by commenting on other blog posts and submitting your blogs to bigger links. Copyblogger suggests the following ways to get more subscribers:

1. Make your subscription options prominent.

2. Offer an email alternative to become a guest blogger.

3. Contributing content to someone else’s blog.

4. Start a podcast

5. Post in forums

6. Networking- Help other people out to create a base for a relationship.

7. Write from the heart

In order to make something good you have to be true and be passionate about it. Whatever you write make it from the heart and make it true. Readers can sense the passion in a post. They get a sense of feeling when reading something. The difference between a good blog and a mediocre blog is that a good blog knows what they are talking about. This generates a feeling of confidence and is what catches attention. If you are not writing something that is true and from the heart, don’t write it.

8. Open your blog with a bang

A good opening is what will catch the attention of the reader and keep them reading. You can start a blog by asking a question, using a story, creating a metaphor or using a simile. Just remember you want to keep the reader around enough to get them into the content of your post. You want them to read the important things you need to say so you can bring them back to your blog.

9. Focus on the essential

“A blogger could spend every waking hour on his blog, not only writing posts but formatting them, finding photos and links, reading and responding to comments, checking stats, seeing how much money he’s made on different ad systems, tweaking the blog’s layout and design, keeping updated with the social media, reading feeds, checking and responding to email, keeping up with Twitter … and so on, ad nauseum. It’s not worth it. It doesn’t help your blog to grow. Figure out what’s essential, what you really need to do, what actions pay off … and spend your time doing these things” (12 Essential Tips). Don’t spend endless time on your blog, remember what is important and what the reader wants to hear.

10. Reveal yourself

You have to be willing to open up. Share your ideas, let the reader know where you are coming from and whom you are. This will let them have a better understanding of you and add to your credibility. The main difference between marketing with a blog as oppose to other means of marketing is that blog is the ability to connect with your costumers. This gives them a way to know you. You need to be willing to open up and share personal information that is relevant to your blog. The more you are willing to share the more others will be willing to share and connect with you.

“Learning from The Experienced”

Curtis Funk the founder of Tukios, a video creator company for funeral homes, and Funeral Recording Inc creates and runs professional blogs for his companies. He has shared his ideas, experiences, and lessons while responding to an interview about corporate blogging.

Q: What is the most beneficial aspect your company acquires from posting a

blog?

A: Business blogs are a quick way to introduce a new idea, tip, or advice. We

can get our idea out there quickly and easily. It doesn’t cost us a lot and I can get

feedback from our customers.

Q: How long have you been using a blog for marketing?

A: I have been using a blog since I started my business a few years ago. With my

new company I have had one running for 5 months. Within the five months we

have seen an increase in website traffic.

Q: Do you write your blogs personally or have someone write them for you?

A: I write the majority of my blogs but have a worker who helps me out as well.

I like to know what is going out there and representing my business.

Q: What do you do different that makes you stand out from other blogs?

A: We make it easy for people to share on a social media website. Basic Twitter

or LinkedIn can have it go to all potential costumer’s own email account, this is

how we bring most traffic in.

Q: What is the number one advice you would give to an amateur blogger?

A: Every blog should have some kind of contact with the costumers get

them coming back and responding. Whether you are setting up surveys, games,

or using bribes, be sure you have a way to involve them and keep them coming

back to your blog.

Q: Tell me about the greatest lesson you have learned while developing your

blog.

A: Stay on top of it. Do all you can to get people involved and active in your

blog. Create comments and put work into creating more response.

“Building blogs is like building muscles—in order for them to grow you need to use them” Darren Rowse, Problogger. If you are to work your bicep you have to put it to work and be proactive. If you want success and want to build your business be proactive in your blog. Update it, make comments, share stories, make contacts and put work into it. It can’t be something that is just dabbled with, it has to be a daily active blog in order for it to be productive. Make an effort and you will get out of your blog what you put into it.

References

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