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KristineS
08-13-2008, 04:37 PM
This came up with one of our corporate partners a few months ago. We have a blog for our company, which I write. Since we had a blog, they wanted a blog. Apparently they got the idea that all up and coming companies have blogs.

I think a blog is a benefit to companies in certain industries and certain situations, but I don't think every company needs one. I also think there are a lot of factors that need to be considered when starting a blog. Some companies just slap something up and call it good and the blog ends up doing more damage than good.

Do you think every business can benefit from having a blog, or should some businesses stay away from that form of publicity?

orion_joel
08-14-2008, 12:24 AM
I tend to agree with your Kristine, not every company business should have a blog.

while it can be a good way to convey new information to customers, and be more of a common interface for customers. It can also provide a few major flaws. For example if you have a company that has a fairly static product line and not much news, it could get fairly long time between worthwhile posts. On the other hand it could provide a good way to show different ways of using a product.

I guess there are positives and negatives on both sides, for companies and they need to be weighted up and ensure that a blog will provide a benefit to the business over a regular website.

vangogh
08-14-2008, 03:11 AM
I think there are a lot of pros to running a blog, but I don't think every site needs one or should have one. Blogs aren't something you just put up and everything is great. It's a lot of work to have a good blog and if you aren't prepared for that work then you're better off not blogging. Add a few articles to your site instead.

I disagree that it's an industry specific thing. I think a site on any subject could make a blog work, but again making it work takes a lot of time and effort. Someone has to be the voice of the blog and many companies don't have someone to be a voice that can resonate with people.

Like a lot of things some people see others succeeding with a blog and assume they need one too. Not the case at all. Blogs can do a lot to help a site, but you need to work at your blog if it's going to be a benefit.

Steve B
08-14-2008, 05:51 AM
I hope not. I don't have one and I'm not entirely sure what one is. I know I've never purposely been to a blog - although I think I stumbled on one or two, but I'm not sure.

From an outsiders point of view - they seem to be things that tons of people are writing - but, how many people are actually reading them?

KristineS
08-14-2008, 08:18 AM
Lots of people read them, Steve B. Some blogs have thousands of people visiting them every day. It's true, very few of those are probably corporate blogs, but people do read.

vangogh
08-14-2008, 12:02 PM
More and more people are reading them, though they may not realize what they're reading is a blog. A blog is still essentially just content.

There are so many benefits to having one. From being more transparent as a company and letting your personality show more to potentially better search traffic. Blogs are a great way to market yourself. It is work and it does require certain skills, which is why not everyone should just jump in and expect instant success.

But I've yet to see someone mention a site where I couldn't think of a way a blog could help. I'm sure there are some, but for the most part blogs will usually be a great addition when done well.

For corporate blogs much of it is putting a face and a voice on a company. It adds a human component onto a robotic entity.

KristineS
08-14-2008, 12:20 PM
I think most every business could be helped by a blog, but that business has to have the commitment to creating and maintaining a blog. If you don't have good content that is updated frequently your blog won't do much for you. I think that's where a lot of companies fall down. They think "oh, we need a blog, everyone else has one" and they don't consider how much work one can be.

vangogh
08-14-2008, 02:00 PM
Absolutely. I've seen some people think a blog is a magic bullet, which it's not. It does offer many advantages though if you're willing to put in the work.

A few simple advantages:

1. Opens up your site to new sources of traffic such as blog directories and blog specific search engines.

2. Get's your content indexed faster in search engines

3. Provides linkable content. There's little reason to link to a sales page. Informational content has much greater potential to gather links, which can then be redistributed to your sales pages

4. Makes your site sticky and gives people a reason to come back

Those are just a few pros of running a blog, but again you do need to work at your blog to make it successful.

KristineS
08-14-2008, 09:30 PM
I definitely think there's advantages to having a company blog. I know it can work because I've seen it work. My concern is that people focus on the fact that blogs can work and not on how to make a blog work. It's like people thinking if they put a page up on the web they have a web site. It isn't the same thing at all.

vangogh
08-14-2008, 11:32 PM
Good point. I talk a lot about blogs being great tools to market yourself and your business, but I agree you have to learn how the work and not simply think adding a blog is a magic bullet. And as a blogger I know how hard it can be to maintain one and how easy it can be to lose the rhythm.

Blogs are a lot of work. But so is marketing in general, and so is writing content for a website, and so is running a business. Blogs are another tool in it all, though one that can have a lot of benefit.

KarenB
08-17-2008, 10:44 AM
This is a very timely post for me, Kristine, because I just started my own blog a few weeks ago.

My motives were to share some of the stuff I've learned during the past couple of years being a virtual assistant working with other small businesses and entrepreneurs. I was finding that I was having similar conversations with many clients about the same subjects, so I thought that sharing that information might help...plus, I just LOVE to hear other people's opinions and figured this was a great way to invite them.

Steve is right in that if you can't keep up a steady stream of current posts, perhaps it's best to have a few well-written articles (composed when you have the time).

The cool thing for me is that a blog invites dialogue. A website doesn't really do that, nor do I want my business website to be so full of information that my key points are lost.

I don't know whether my blog is going to benefit my business directly or not. If so, great. If not, that's great too. I just really feel good about having this method of communicating with the business community in a less formal way. Most of all, it's just plain fun!

Karen

vangogh
08-17-2008, 01:59 PM
a blog invites dialogue

I ask my readers questions all the time and they usually give me some feedback. It helps me get to know them and tailor my business toward what people want. A blog is a great way to get to know your market.

It depends on the blog as to whether it helps your business directly or indirectly. Karen in your case I think you'll find that in time there will be people who are in need of your services and either found your blog first leading to clients or having found your site first read your blog to get a better idea about you when making their decision to hire or not.

Blogs can be a great way to show prospective clients that you know what you're talking about. They also give you a better way to let your personality show through. They can help sell you without being active sales pages.

KristineS
08-17-2008, 04:45 PM
Karen I'm willing to bet the blog will benefit your company more than you think. One of the marketing questions that I see coming up again and again is how to engage customers and get them to form an attachment to your company. A blog is one way to do that because it allows you to express a little more of your personality than some other media you might use. Especially in a business like yours where customers are trusting you to handle their image and their customer service, a blog makes you a bit more transparent.