The other day I contributed an article to the Portland Marketing Association’s email newsletter. It was entitled The Marketer’s Introduction to Business Blogs.
I was told to keep it to 400 words. For me that’s like an opening paragraph. A three inning Sox-Yankees match up. Happy Quarter Hour at the local bar. It’s just not enough.
I was able to whittle it down to 400 words, but I didn’t get as much across as I would have liked. Here’s the original rough draft, before I got to it with the red pen.
The Marketer’s Introduction to Business Blogs
If you haven’t gotten the call yet, you soon will. Maybe it comes from your boss, or maybe from a client. “I’m hearing a lot about blogs, about how every business needs one. Can you tell me why we need one and get us started?”
A blog, short for Web log, is a simple content management tool that allows anyone with a browser to post information to the Web.
Originally used only by serious geeks and extroverted navel-gazers, political bloggers received a lot of mainstream press during the 2004 election and wielded surprising power in shaping political discourse. Now, businesses are using the power of blogs to communicate with prospects and clients.
Why should a company blog?
Blogging offers benefits that would help any individual, business or association.
- Search engines love blogs. Blogs are content rich and contain lots of links between posts and other blogs…two things search engines love.
- To establish credibility. Regular posts on topics your prospects are interested in will help establish you as an expert and differentiate yourself from your competition.
- Take advantage of the current buzz. Right now it’s possible to get some media notice just by launching a blog, the way launching a Web site got attention back in the late 90’s.
- Better communication with prospects and clients. Blogs offer open communication with prospect and clients and a quick way to disseminate important information.
What’s required for a successful blog?
Passion. Time. Commitment. You’ll notice I didn’t say money. Getting a blog can be free or a few dollars a month. Expect to spend a few hours a week towards your blog. Posts don’t need to be long, and often they are just comments on news stories or other blogs. Plan on posting 2 – 3 times a week to start.
What do we blog about?
A blog that attempts to do nothing but promote your product or service is doomed to fail. Instead, write about your prospects’ interests.
If you’re a landscaper, blog about different plants and trees, and what to do at different times of the year. If you’re running a hair salon, blog about celebrities’ hairdo’s…and hair don’ts.
When you’ve captured the interest of your target audience, you can nudge them along to your Web site, or have them contact you straight from your blog.
How do we start?
The most important thing to do is to begin reading other blogs, especially blogs in your industry and blogs on business blogging. Perhaps one of the best places to start is Business Blog Consulting, a group blog written by some of the industries best-known bloggers.
Although most blogs are a do-it-yourself affair, more businesses are beginning to see the benefits of hiring a consultant to get the ball rolling. These consultants do everything from setting up the blog software, to choosing topics, to designing the blog, to marketing and promoting the blog, and even writing the blog.
Whether you choose to go it alone or bring in a professional, keep the focus on your prospects’ needs and you will add an effective tool to your marketing toolbox.
Rich Brooks
Business Blogging from Portland, Maine
