Blogging in the Corporate World – The Company Blog, Part 2

In Part 1 of Blogging in the Corporate World, we discussed the significance of blogs, who has a company blog, and the different implementations of them. In Part 2 we conclude our look at the company blog landscape first with an examination of the pros and cons of having a corporate blog. We then move on to Best Practices, Key Takeaways, and finally a look at whether having a company blog is right for you.

Pros of running a company blog

• Excellent communication and positioning vehicle – the format allows for clear, organized display of thoughts
• Inexpensive with 100% delivery – there is no spam, that is unless you write useless, self-promotional content
• Participatory – the blog format encourages users to dialogue about specific topics
• Enables thought leadership (ex: Reprise Media’s Search Views) – imagine the power of having people look to what you say in addition to the typical media outlets. A well done blog can position the company as a place to turn for industry information, and that has serious power.

Cons of running a company blog

• Takes time and a commitment – blogging might be a hobby for individuals but companies will flounder if they approach it with the same attitude.
• Doing it half-ass is worse than not at all – along the lines of blogging requiring time and commitment, if you can’t give it the time, do not do it at all. You will lose credibility and respect, which are two key currencies in the world of blogs.
• Not a vehicle for press releases – want to still lose credibility, trust, and respect; just post truly corporate pieces instead of original content.
• Less quantifiable return on investment – you will spend time and effort, all of which will yield perhaps nothing tangible. Most companies though do see a return on investment in lower customer service costs, more inbound leads, and more qualified leads of those they do contact.

Best Practices for running a company blog (For a great best practices, see Forrester’s Charlene Li’s Blogging best practices paper – Blogging: Bubble or Big Deal Business Blog Consulting.)

• Blog frequently – it’s part of the commitment and a way to earn trust and respect; be frequent (once per day or perhaps three times per week) but also consistent. Don’t blog five times one day then not publish for a week.

• Syndicate, and Enable email subscription – this is critical; you don’t need a blog to syndicate; think of this as, if you have content that changes that people want to know about – new home listings, top dvd rentals for the week, then you want to let your consumers keep up with that without having to go to your site.
• Make your blog(s) searchable – blogs are linear and time based, but once you start to have a lot of content on there, you want to make it easy for people to find.

• Have an author with a real personality – much like companies hiring spokespeople for commercials. Blogs are, by nature, more personal and informal than almost all other forms of corporate communication. It’s essential that yours follow this convention, which is best done by using real people and their style – people that represent the company and culture well.
• Be active – reply to comments and encourage comments; blogging is not one-way nor should it be; you want more comments than posts.

• Address problems right away both on your blog and on the blogosphere, manage bad news truthfully and quickly. This is a point that Charlene Li makes, and it’s an important one.
• Don’t just post press releases – this is a point that was made earlier; there is a reason that companies have news sections of their site, and one of them is as a home for such releases. The blog is not that home.

• Make sure your writers read other blogs – you want the keepers of your blog to be part of the broader context and abreast of the landscape; they will write better, connect better, and you will have a greater chance of success if they do.
• Remember, the rules of blogging came before companies that adopted them – this is also a point worth stating again, especially if you didn’t read Part 1. You don’t play a sport without knowing the rules, go to a country without learning their customs. The same holds true of blogs and the blogosphere.

Key Takeaways from the discussion on company blogs

• Consumers are shaping brand perception online; blogging enables you to join and shape the conversation – this is to remind you that first and foremost blogs represent a chance for you to take part in the dialogue that is already taking place; by serving your customers and the overall industry you can influence and own your identity.

• A blog is a part of a “complex ecosystem that customers, employees, and executives use to communicate with each other” – Charlene Li’s quote serves as reminder that you will be entering a world of many readers, stakeholders, and perception holders. You can’t control it, only participate in it.

• The Blogosphere is highly democratic – good content is good content regardless of who writes it, even if the author is your competitor; A prime example of blogging running counter to normal business is in its democracy. Look at Google’s blog, Yahoo’s, and you see them linking to each other. As a member of the blogosphere your duty is really to the blog and that means acknowledging your competitors blogs if your customers will find them helpful. Being insular will only insure that you cut yourself off from the broader dialogue.
• Blogs consist of linear communication, but each post has the potential to turn into its own dialogue – check back on your entries. Loyal readers will follow your posts as you publish, but very often people will come to your blog after performing a search on an engine or from a link on another site. When they do, they treat the topic and conversation as fresh even though, to you, it might not be. You will want to monitor new comments and what visitors read if you plan on keeping them and continuing to attract new readers / customers. Unlike the Showtime Rotisserie Oven, with blogs you don’t’ set it and forget it.

This entire discussion perhaps leads up to this question, “Is blogging right for your company?” You can definitely succeed without blogs – companies prove this daily, but having one could help you become a step above in the ever crowded marketplace. If you:

• Have frequent contact with customers (as a group), e.g. product updates
• Have a newsletter
• Have found times when being able to communicate more often and less structured would help
• Are judged on your knowledge of an area or industry
• Have customers technologically savvy and expect the same from you

Answered yes to any of the above…? Then, consider starting a company blog. Yes, it’s a complex area, but overall, it’s actually easier than you think. And, you’d be surprised at how accommodating the blogosphere is at helping you get started. Or, you can always contact us and we’ll point you in the right direction too.