So you have finally stopped kicking and screaming against the social media tide that has moved over the business marketing forefront and are ready to enter the world of blogging. There are a few key items to consider when creating an “official” company blog that will increase the likelihood of the blog being a useful component in your company’s marketing and outreach strategy.
1) Set Objectives
Figure out what it is you want to achieve by diving into the blog-o-sphere. A blog without focus or purpose is not only boring to read, it also does not attract a specific group of followers. Objectives can vary in hopes of setting a company apart as a “thought leader” in their industry, further publicize products, content and services created/offered by the company, giving insight to the inner workings of a company or giving your company/brand a more “human” voice in order to better connect with your customers/clients on a more personal basis. With a clear focus to your blog, you will better be able to attract relevant readers who are interested in the type of content that you will be sharing.
2) Decide on Content
Once you distinguish your goals for your blog, it is time to figure out how to achieve them. There is a variety of different content that you can use to establish your company’s blog in the way you desire. You can post original articles, pictures, videos and also provide interactive contests or surveys to further engage your readers/followers. The type of content in the blog is completely reliant on the message that the company hopes to convey in its blog. If a company is hoping to create a more serious voice for itself, then it might be better off to use a more traditional article format for its postings. If the company is hoping to be perceived as more “light hearted” and personable then it might be a good idea to post photos from around the office or news of note from employees within the company.
3) Create a Posting Schedule
There is nothing worse than a blog that was created with the best of intentions and then left to rot in the realm of blog-o-sphere. Once your company blog is created, it is essential that it is regularly maintained and filled with varied and interesting content. A great way to do this is to create a schedule for posting of content to your blog. You can decide how often you would like to post, what type of content you would like to post as well as set goals and deadlines for your company in order to adhere to this schedule. The frequency of posting should be conditional to the number of readers/followers your blog will likely have. A more popular brand will likely have good results posting several times a day, while a smaller more locally-based company will do better to post a few times a week so as not to overwhelm their readers with an overload of content.
4) Name Your Creation!
Once you have an objective and relevant content for your blog, it’s time to come up with a catchy title that is in line with your brand and how you would like to be portrayed. It is always an option to simply use your company’s name as the blog title, but for more creative and innovative brands/companies, a unique title can be an excellent opportunity to let your creativity shine!
