Business Blogging: It isn’t easy, it may be risky but it’s worth every penny.
Jan 15
An estimate given by J. Bernoff of Forrester Inc.a year ago indicated that only 16% of online consumers who read corporate blogs actually trust them. I believe that this is absolutely true because corporate blogs that talk about their products are not worth the time required to visit them and read their content. Blogs and especially corporate blogs make sense if they are “usable” and exercise “thought leadership”.
Here are some universal blogging thruths:
• Corporate blogging is not about companies and their products or services it’s about the customers.
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• If we are to rise above the crowd our corporate blog should be about the customer’s problems.
• If we can bring value to our present and potential customers by talking to them about their problems and needs, then they’ll become loyal visitors to our blog.
• If our offering is known and liked, then we can mobilize those loyal customers with our blog. As a result:
our customers are gradually organized into an interest group with common agendas, then we can encourage them to connect, through our blog , with one another and create a “snowball effect” in our favour.
• If the corporate blog is B2B, it should not be written by a communication expert. The only way to do it is to involve the marketing and sales staff who are in a position to understand the customers’ needs. Only then will our customers participate in the dialogue and trust the content of the blog.
In conclusion:
Standing out from the crowd becomes a very difficult job and those companies that shamelessly blog about their products and services are just adding water to the mill of those who argue that corporate blogs cannot be trusted.
On the other hand, honest and transparent blogs that address the customers needs will definitely attract appreciation and awareness.
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Jan 16 at 17:03
You are absolutely right when you say that business blogging is not easy. It takes time and in my opinion, if you are not offering useful advice, than don’t bother. Blogging is a great way to establish credibility and show off your expertise when done properly and consistently. We started our blog a little over a year ago and have had great success. Our blog offers advertising and marketing tips and advice and fits in perfectly with our business and target market. Most every post is inspired by a client or situation in our industry. We use LinkedIn, facebook and Twitter to promote our blog. Since all writing and research is done internally, the cost to create and publish this blog are relatively inexpensive. But it can be a time sucker! I honestly believe our blogging efforts have paid off big this last year and this is why. During this time of great economic uncertainty, when other ad agencies were struggling to keep their heads above water, we increased business! So, is blogging worth the time? Absolutely! Check out our blog at http://www.ChaRene.net/blog
Posted by Charisse Louis
Jan 20 at 09:44
Blogging, like all things must be from the heart & the mind, otherwise, if it is not genuine, people feel this.
Jan 20 at 12:27
I think you are absolutely right when you say that it is important that the blogs should be about the clients of the company, not about their products and services. And I also think that a company is very lucky if it has people who are able to write in marketing and sales positions.
If blogging is the new way of marketing, then I think at least people should be given a change to make it a profession in itself, not an extra job while they are selling anyway. “Multitasking makes people stupid” is all over the web right now. And I believe there is some truth in it.
So yes it it worth the time–if you do it right! And because it is such a time sucker, it is worth thinking of as a job worth doing well, not just an extra on the side that we may make some money on.
So teaching or showing people how to do this is a possibility, by all means. Hiring a “ghost-writer”? Why not. Blogging is here to stay and should taken seriously as a powerful trust-builder. And also as a specialty.
Feb 25 at 09:43
Corporate blogs should have interesting content and should not be another display for products.
Keep in mind that corporate blogs are in the last position of sources that people trust (http://www.buzz.gr/2008/12/blog-post.html)
Mar 06 at 16:01
Agreed. Blogs, as a B2B marketing activity, serve two goals. First, they are to advance the thought leadership play and, second, serve as a SEO keyword net.
A third, and the most difficult goal of the corporate blog, is the ‘forum.’ Here, the idea is not for the corporation to supply editorial content, but rather their customers and prospects. Such is the case with American Express’ http://www.OpenForum.com/ .
I wonder what the results of the survey would be if the sample was only of fortune 1000 corporate blogs in existence more than 3 years. I would venture to guess the number would jump to more like 70% trust.
Posted by Justin Downey
Mar 06 at 16:02
Of course the public doesn’t trust corporate blogs that push their own products and company. Given what has happened in the economy and who is doing well vs main street and middle class, is it any wonder that all corporations are viewed with suspicion? The public’s trust has been badly damaged. Winning back the trust will require major changes in corporate policies and practices, including how they talk to their customers and the public as well as what they say and how they behave. The convergence of “saying” and “doing” along lines that fit the social good may help to restore that trust. But it won’t be an easy job or something that occurs overnight.
Posted by Valerie Curl
Mar 06 at 16:03
True, since the corporate blogs ’smell’ of advertising. They do not have the power of ‘word of mouth’. I visited your ownblog- useful. Thanks.
Posted by Nikhilesh Deshpande
Mar 06 at 16:05
Like any other communication, it will take both high quality content and time for a blog to establish itself and find its audience. We all tend to trust that which is most familiar to us, so the blog that was started first, that we see has been maintained over time, that consistently gives us good content, will be rewarded with trust.
Now note that I did not say “that gives us Pulitizer Prize winning content,” or “wholly objective and timely news” content; I said good content. If I pick up a corporate blog and it has information about an issue and links to it’s products that relate to that issue, I know what that blog is about and what it has to offer me. If I pick it up six months later and see an issue article with links to their products that relate to that issue, I am reassured by their business plan consistency and I can trust that the article I read two years later will follow the same formula. My trust level rises.
“Selling” is not inherently evil. I read issue articles and appreciate quick links to products all the time. If the writing is high quality and I am engaged and interested in the issue, those links are valuable.
It takes time and consistency to build trust, not a certain kind of content. Like Justin, I expect that overall number will always be a bit low, but will rise over time as the platform itself becomes more accepted. In the end though, the only number that counts will be how many people trust YOUR blog.
Posted by Liz Micik
Mar 06 at 16:06
That fits with my feelings about a corporate blog. They are being used as another advertising channel which means that people will view them cynically. Part of the problem is that sales people write sales blogs. What people want is user experiences, not sales words.
A number of years ago, Radio Shack had a “Flyer Side Chat” in their marketing flyers. It was written from a user’s perspective and was simply a chat. It was kinda fun to read. The person writing it tried to hand it off to the sales department. The sales person writing the replacement was “closing all the time” and it was a turn off.
Posted by David Randolph
Mar 06 at 16:08
Based on the experience we have developing Web 2.0 marketing strategies for B2B and B2C clients across a variety of industries ( http://www.merricktowle.com/categories.asp ) , I would say that corporate blogs will only work if they are engaging the consumer in a discussion and welcoming customer comments, even negative comments. Corporate representatives have the opportunity to address those comments and steer the conversation. They need to get over the fear that having honest discussions with customers and potential customers will always hurt thier brand.
A great example of this would be the new Dominos Pizza campaign where negative consumer critism was used to re-energize and reposition the brand.
I agree that a company needs to have a “thought leader” represented on the corporate blog who writes on topics that relate to the brand, but aren’t necessarily all about the brand. Content needs to provide value to consumers in order for them to trust the information. If all a blog does is promote the company’s products and services, then it will come across as a sales pitch, not beneficial to the consumer and therefore not trustworthy.
Posted by Laureen Peck
Mar 06 at 16:09
It’s a slow process as usual, right? It’s about providing brilliant and accessible content, faithfully over time, and slowly building your fan base. If the corporate blogger is able to express as a real person and if s/he is indeed a thought leader, trust may accumulate. Same process as for anyone.
The corporation that configures their blog as glorified advertising can’t expect to be trusted; the corporation that endows its representative blogger with freedom of expression will more quickly gain respect.
Posted by Mary Ruth
Mar 06 at 16:10
You’re right to suggest that blogs aren’t part of the “sales funnel”. They’re more of a way to tell interesting stories about the company and its people…to generate or take part in discussions about issues. Blogging is kind of like dating — a good personality is important, as are honesty and openness. And like dating, not everyone’s going to buy into your story; that’s OK, though. When they do, you have long lasting relationships…which ought to be the goal of blogging, right?
Posted by Stephen Flick
Mar 06 at 16:11
Possible leakage of information that they may not want to publish, some competitor’s info, etc. That’s what’s keeping one of the clients the agency I’m interning for from starting a blog. I find your argument interesting and would love to present to them.
Posted by Wei (Norah) TANG
Mar 06 at 16:13
The word Corporate.
Q: what is the reason for the existence of a Corporation? To make profits.
This DNA function spills out of all their actions…including Online Actions. People smell this, they have been “YELLED” at for decades & now they can take control to decide for themselves.
The Corporate Culture lately does not help either – corruption, mass sackings, bankrupt, evil practices,…
Corporations must being to LISTEN …participate in conversation with their clients, suppliers…”stakeholders” & exchange ideas & thoughts. Do some positive actions to win over the lost confidence & credibilty. Once they can do this …product/service “placement” can be implemented in the long run.
The key is this: BEFORE the corporation went out “hunting” for there clients NOW they have to listen & participate in active conversation & if done sincerely , the client will come to you. Corporations now have to work, listen & WAIT!
Posted by Frank Rodríguez
Mar 06 at 16:17
Dimitri, I couldn’t agree with you more. Let us not confuse products and services with content, When a blog focuses on its products and services, it’s not, by anyone’s measure, considerered content.. Which is not to say that many blogs don’t have a legitimate purpose.. Blogs can impart information – hopefully information people are interested in, they build trust, credibility, and a following, all of which should utilately translate to sales. When I visit a blog hawking products or services, I immediately reach for the “back” button – I don’t care how good their product or service is – that’s not why I visited.
Jeff
Posted by Jeffrey Moskovitz (jmoskovitz1@gmail.com)
Mar 06 at 16:19
Even though my organisation was not too keen on social media a few years back, it now understands that banning social media would indeed be a big mistake. Once the mindset of all the working minds in the org are set in stone that social media is something shunned at, it would take ages for them to come back to it and again, they do lose, but the org is at a greater loss.
Corporate blogs should be thought leadership based and it should give an insight into what the top management of the company believe in. If it promotes direct selling, it ceases to be a corporate blog!
Posted by Subhendu Pattnaik
Mar 06 at 16:19
I agree Dimitris. Too many marketers see a corporate blog as an opportunity to sell themselves and everything is always AOK in their world – something that is just not realistic and so easily seen through by today’s media savvy consumers. Corporates that embrace social media and tell it how it is, warts and all, are much more believable. The message should be – don’t talk about consumer engagement unless you are fully prepared for a genuine two way conversation, whatever the response!
Posted by Barbara Stopher
Mar 06 at 16:21
Be devoted to selflessly publishing articles that only entertain, empower, satisfy interests and give things away. Its a ‘pay it forward’ attitude. Also take advantage of other social media like Twitter. Once you have mavens on your side, things should snowball. I know this works from first hand experience.
When it comes to empowering the customer and giving things away, you do feel you are giving things away for free, however, it is a minimal cost of attracting customers and when they need that information, they remember you and need the full package.
There is little harm linking to web pages from the article, as long as it is what the reader wants.
Posted by Marc Bubel
Mar 06 at 16:22
I’m agree with Dimitris.
I think because at least 90% of corporate blog are managed like only-one way communication and especially, this is the real problem for me,these corporate blog to use the “mouth of word” and the interaction with the users ONLY for personal business like a traditional “advertising page”.
For example: why a real estate blog (or other) can’t to write about food? Or vicerversa?
I believe so much in cross-business blogs because these blog have more possibilties to capture a bigger quantity of user than normal corporate blog … cross-business = cross-user
htpp://imprenditoreonline.it
Posted by Ferdinando Vighi
Mar 06 at 16:23
Couldn’t agree more, Dimitris. Corporate blogs should exist to share value with readers. Even a business’ most loyal customers don’t want to read self-promoting product descriptions and corporate messaging.
If a business wants to establish a successful blog and actually cultivate an audience, they need to discuss topics their target audience cares about. If they showcase interesting content and provide thought leadership on a particular subject, their audience will grow.
It’s okay to talk about yourself and your company occasionally, but only when it fits within the context of meaningful content.
Chris Brogan stated in a post a while ago that when it comes to blogging for business, “above all else be human.”
Communicate with your audience openly and honestly; share value, not a sales pitch, and good things will happen for your business.
Here are some tips I put together on blogging effectively — for business, SEO and, above all else, people:
http://sixestate.com/blogging-tips/seo-value-of-blogging-focus-on-people-not-google/
David Reich
SixEstate Communications
http://SixEstate.com
Posted by David Reich