Is a BLOG Right For Your Business? |

Travis McAshanMarketing
Mar 2010

What is a Blog?

While a blog can mean different things to different people, at the core is the ability to create meaningful connections with your audience. In the business world, this translates to improving your company’s communication and culture, enhancing your marketing efforts, promoting public relations and solidifying your company brand.

A Few Statistics

One in four Americans online today are reading blogs, according to Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff’s Groundswell. Blog-related activity is growing by the day, and blogs are now competing as a source for people’s first news sources. Over 175,000 blogs are created every day, and bloggers write over 1.6 million posts per day, according to Technorati. There is both a need and an obvious move toward a read/write internet.

Do you have the four Ps?

Maybe you own a business, and at some point, some techie made the suggestion that you “need a blog” for your business website. While there are quite a few benefits to having a business blog, I’m going to focus on FOUR important questions. They are the “Four P’s” required to having a successful blog.

The Cheat Sheet:

Do you have a strong message worth following? (POINT)
Are you willing to regularly read/learn/grow in your industry? (PASSION)
Can you commit time/money to creating quality content? (PERSEVERANCE)
Are you a good communicator? (PERSONALITY)

Point (a strong message)

In my opinion, one important aspect of a great company is the overall concept or message it stands by. Typically, this is the result of a company’s values, vision, mission and primary aim. If your blog becomes a place of contact for potential customers, you definitely want to make sure you are getting that POINT across. Perhaps it’s your extensive expertise or passionate customer service, but whatever the case, it should show through in your overall message.

Passion (interest and desire)

Are you an industry leader? Are you willing to read/learn/grow in your industry to the point that you are considered a leader by your peers? Perhaps you’ve been working in your field for the last 30 years; while having this experience is invaluable, you’ll need to continue to grow and learn in order to stay relevant to your target audience and to the web in general. People want to see not only that you have experience but that you’re truly invested in your craft and have something interesting to share. Additionally, your blog can become a “voice” for your industry or at least your geographic region for that industry.

Perseverance (patience and discipline)

The important point to remember when starting a blog is to know that it’s NOT going to make an immediate difference to your sales or lead generation. However, the great thing about blogs is that they accomplish the age old saying that “content is king”. Each time you make a new article or post, you are adding to the value of your website and online presence. At the absolute bare minimum, you need to be posting a new article or post once a month. A better goal would be 3-4 blog posts/articles per month. Overall, whatever frequency you decide just be sure to stick with it.

Personality (the X factor)

Beyond the obvious factors, having a message, being an industry leader, determination to stick it, you need the presence to keep people’s attention. The idea is to form the site around the message of your company and to let your personality show through as much as possible (if appropriate). Make sure you interject humor, personal stories, antidotes, morals and your own unique slant on life in everything you write. That could be the difference from a dry business-like read to a truly interesting story/article.

Benefits of a Blog

Establishes you and/or your company as a “thought leader” in your industry
Changes your website into a dynamic source of information
Gives your customers a way to engage without a sales pitch
Dramatically improves your SEO
Makes it easy to add simple content regularly without having a web guy do it
Your customers are starting to expect a social media presence (including a blog)
Allows subscribers to get regular email and updates
Provides customers with relevant news about your company
Provides “inbound marketing 101″… (please read this article)
Adds a cheap and easy means of advertisement to an existing site
Gives you a step ahead of your competition
Grows your customer base beyond your current geographic reach
Fans the flames of customer evangelism

Conclusion

All in all, blogging can position you as an expert, put more money in your pocket, help you establish your company as a thought leader and much more. However, we don’t all have infinite time, and if you’re anything like me, you’re looking to spend less time at work and NOT more. My best answer to those asking if they should start a blog is to honestly answer the questions above. If you still feel like your interested, ready, and able, then don’t hesitate. Get started today!

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