Recently, a client asked me whether his company should be blogging?  I asked him what was he trying to accomplish by having a blog and he said he did not know.  He said that it seemed like every other company was doing it, so he thought maybe his company should, too.  I told him that if his only reason was everyone else was doing it, then the answer was easy – no, don’t start a blog.  Does that mean I do not think blogging is useful or beneficial?  Of course, not.  I am a big fan of blogging, as I have a personal blog and you are reading my company’s blog right now.  However, if you are a business or a person planning to start blogging, I think it is important to understand why.  What do you plan to accomplish with your blog?

Oddly, my personal blog started by accident and with no strategy, so I will admit I did not practice what I am about to preach.  However, I did learn from it.  I created my blog as a way to share Halloween pictures after a Halloween party I hosted in October 2007.  Almost two years and 2,250 posts later (yes, I know that is an average of 3 posts per day. Like I said, I am a big fan of blogging) it is still alive and kicking.  So why do I blog and what am I trying to accomplish with my blog?  For me, it is where I think, plan and reflect.  It is a place where I can express myself without censorship.  It is a way for me to share with the world what I find interesting. It even allows me a forum to vent from time to time.  In many ways, it is my little corner of the world.  Some of my posts are very generic and just recap a day, so at times it is my journal.  Other posts are quite personal and almost like therapy. Sometimes I find the best way to release something, is to put it out there in writing.

I doubt you are going to start a blog for your business as a way to post Halloween photos or as a place for your own personal therapy, right?  Correct.  Although, I do love Halloween and would love to see any great costumes you have done in the past.  No?  Okay.  That does not mean your business does not need a blog.  So why should a company have a blog?  I can think of several reasons:

Reason #1 – blogs are an ideal way to communicate with your customers.
Unlike a Web site or a contact us form, a blog allows comments and gives your customers a way to participate in a conversation with you.  They can offer suggestions, feedback and even ideas to help your company grow.  It also allows your customers and even postential customers, to see what other customers are saying.  I know what you are already thinking.  That means my blog may become a place where someone could say bad things about my company. Yes!  But, wouldn’t you rather get feedback, even bad feedback and deal with it to become a better company than pretend it does not exist?  As I see it, a negative comment on your company blog may be an opportunity to change an unhappy customer to a happy, loyal customer.  We all want happy, loyal customers.

Reason #2 – it is instant content in the blogosphere about your company.
It is a great place to announce product updates, company news and other information you want to get out to the world in an instant.  Best of all, a blog increases the content on the Web about your company.  In an age of search engines like Google, the more relevant content about your company, products or services on the Web, the more likely you are to rank and be found via organic search. Content is king and a blog is all content (if you are posting on it consistently).

But remember, blogging is not as easy as it sounds.  A blog must be fresh and have updated content.  If not, you can end up boring and alienating your customers.  As I said early on, a blog, especially a successful blog, requires thought and strategy.  Some questions to ponder when developing your strategy:

• Who will write posts?
• Will they have time?
• Will they say the right things?
• Who is our target audience?
• What are the goals of our blog?
• Are we trying to attract new customers?
• Are we trying to create a resource on a topic in our industry?
• Are we trying to build brand loyalty?

It is important that your blog authors know why they are posting and that you have a goal in mind with your blog.  Otherwise, how will they and you know it is time well spent and a good return on investment?

Reason #3 – blogging can impact your business’s bottom line.
I have seen and even helped several Bridgeline customers start their own company blogs over the past few years.  I have seen firsthand that if done right, a blog can have a huge impact on your company’s bottom line.  Take one of my favorite clients for example, the Denver Botanic Gardens.  They began a blog over a year ago.  Not only have they created a very strong following but they have also generated a ton of content that has driven traffic not only to their blog and their Web site, but it also has lead to increased attendance at their visitor center.  Most of all, I feel it has allowed their organization – made up of horticulturists, scientists, volunteers, educators, marketers and event planners to be heard individually – all sharing their love of plants.  It created a platform for their voices, thoughts and ideas to shine.  A company or organization is made up of people and a blog can help those people be seen by your customers.  People like to connect on a personal level, even in business.  We all want to work and associate with people we like, that are smart and are like us. A blog can help build this connection. Denver Botanic Gardens’ blog is a shining example of creating this connection.

Happy blogging, good luck and if you need any help or advice – drop me an email at twhittaker@bridgelinesw.com.