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News
Is a blog a marketing tool?
Before deciding whether or not a blog is a marketing tool, let's get on the same page about blogs. What is a blog? A blog (short speak for "web log") is a publicly accessible web site that is used to chronicle or keep a record of thoughts and ideas in reverse chronological order. While blogging may have begun as a form of open journaling, this communication form has taken on new meaning as a marketing tool. Blogs have become a fast and efficient way to give your business an efficiently updated platform for discussion on the web without waiting to make a detailed change to your website.
Is a blog a marketing tool? Yes, with one caveat. As with any marketing tool, a blog is only as good as its content and the utilization of the tool. And it must be part of an integrated communications strategy. What this means is, if you're blogging to help your clients or customers hear more about what you do and why they should work with your company, reflect on your message and the tool's relative importance in your marketing plan. Think strategically about how you want visitors to "see" you through your blog, the same way you thought about it when you created your web site or other marketing tools.
And blogs offer a communication device that lets business people educate their customers without being too "preachy" or sales-focused. You'll find that blogs allow you to stay touch with your business community, allow for web "conversation" and create communities that support your brand, service and position. Plus, blogs can be a great way to drive traffic to your web site.
Before you open your marketing blog for business, consider these directives:
- Be prepared to write, and be prepared to write content that matters to your audience. Don't journalize junk. If content isn't valuable, no one will visit.
- Set aside time to blog. A stale blog is no good as a marketing tool, and does a better job of turning "off" the customer and supporting community than bringing it closer to you. Your blog requires consistent attention!
- Decide how you'll emphasize your business philosophy, customer relationships, or innovative approaches in the blog. Are you a storyteller? Do you want to promote good customer service? What is important to the blog visitor from whom you are trying to solicit interest?
- Do you want a dynamic blog where everyone can offer opinions? Decide before you begin to blog; there is opportunity for feedback and it doesn't always have to be good.
- Consider what type of community you want to create and promote your blog to those members that matter. One of the most positive benefits of a good blog is that visitors will feel as though they are part of a community.
- Consider providing "advice" through storytelling about problems you've solved for customers or clients.
- Decide if you'll link to other information, viral video, or provide pictures. Make sure the links and images reflect the quality of your business or product.
Avid, up-to-minute bloggers use their marketing blogs as enablers, allowing for fast, effective communications with partners, prospects and customers. Blogging can build your reputation and brand, and is an effective marketing tool as one element of an integrated online marketing campaign.
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