The answer is simple. To connect with customers.
In most instances we visit corporate/business websites to view new products, get details on location or hours, and find contact information to complain (most likely) or give kudos (unlikely). As a business why not take this opportunity to show your website isn’t just an online brochure but rather a place where your brand can show some humor, intelligence, and humility. There is no better way to achieve this than with a blog.
I’ve seen firsthand the numerous pitfalls to starting a corporate blog. Numero uno being blog neglect. Just because you can sign up for a Typepad blog in 5 minutes and publish links to your latest product line, doesn’t mean you then not publish another entry for 6 months when the next product launches. Your blog is a conversation starter and if you aren’t talking, no one else will.
The other major downfall to corporate blogs is deviating from a clearly defined message that your organization is trying to convey across everything you do. A blog is an incredible opportunity to share your corporate culture with customers who may already be fans or are leaning towards aligning themselves with you. A blog gives that customer a chance to comment and share their own experiences which in turn is best practice to interact with your commenters (not all the time) and let them know you’re listening.
Don’t hand the keys to your blog to an intern or employee who has been in your organization less than a year, they will drive it into the ground. It’s also risky to outsource blogging to social media experts or ghost writers as you also lose some control over your message. Identify an insider who is intimately familiar with multiple facets of your company and preferably is a skilled writer who can convey their personality and the corporate culture as one in the same.
We’ll post a follow-up suggesting strategies for corporate blogging and who is doing it right and who has no clue.
