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Monthly newsletter (Current Issue) free to anyone interested in the latest news about Media Monitoring and Measurement. Information you provide is strictly confidential. We won't rent or sell your information.
Part I
How to Create a Successful Business Blog —
Tips & Pitfalls You Need to Know
In this two-part article, Bill Comcowich analyzes the steps for planning and implementing a corporate blog. The first article on "Planning a Successful Business Blog" examines the key decisions on subject, mission, audience targeting, market survey, blogger selection, securing a corporate champion, and making the "go" decision. The second article on "Implementing a Successful Business Blog" dissects the steps of selecting development tools, working out a content plan for launch, making a debut, developing a style and personality, handling responses, monitoring consumer discussion on your subject, and enjoying the process. It's a roadmap to success in corporate blogging.8 Tips for Planning a Successful Business Blog
by Bill ComcowichCEO, CyberAlert, Inc.
(www.cyberalert.com)
Tip #1: Pick Your Subject
"Passion" is the litmus test of blogging. The most successful business bloggers are knowledgeable about their subject. More importantly, they are passionate. Usually, they are evangelists. It's the combination of insight, passion and good writing that attracts followers.Tip #2: Define Your Mission
What purpose is the blog to serve? What is it to accomplish? What problem is it to solve? What gap is it to fill? "Renown" and "revenge" are major motivators for independent business bloggers. Many business bloggers hope to become recognized as a thought-leader which in turn may lead to monetary rewards. Others use blogs to attack industries, companies or adversaries. In corporate blogging, the mission should be at a higher level. Potential missions: increase company credibility, improve reputation, enhance customer interaction, give customers behind the scenes "feel" of company culture, provide communication back channel, create openness, showcase innovation, air business issues, build trust, create early warning system, and more.Tip #3: Identify Your Target Audience
Whom do you want to attract as readers? What are they interested in? What needs do they have? How can you get their attention? What service can you perform for them? How can you build a relationship with them? Inevitably, the initial audience will be other bloggers who are passionate about the subject. Gaining their respect is a key first step in achieving popular success and fulfilling your mission.Tip #4: Survey the Landscape
Who are the current bloggers in the subject space? What is the positioning of each? What are their positions on issues? What is the "personality" of each blog? How will you position yourself in relation to these "competitors?" Scour other blogs within your subject area. Review their archived content, get a good grasp of their mission, positions and agendas, and get a feel for their online personalities.Tip #5: Recruit Your Blogger(s)
Selecting an individual to be the "star" of your corporate blog is probably the most important decision. Almost by definition, individuals write blogs - not companies. An ideal corporate blogger possesses most of the following attributes: | |
| • | authentic subject matter expert |
| • | passion for subject |
| • | strong opinions |
| • | solid writing skills |
| • | plays well with others |
| • | available time |
| • | commitment to blogging |
| • | corporate loyalty |
| • | respect of peers |
| • | reacts calmly to others' outbursts |
| • | sense of humor |
Tip #6: Refine Your Subject/Mission and Differentiate Your Blog
Based on the landscape survey and you choice of individual to do the blogging, you'll need to refine your subject/mission. How will you differentiate your blog from others on the subject? In marketing terms, what's the "positioning" for your blog? Is it the critic? The expert? The gadfly? The helper? The linker? The reference? The innovator? The idea person? The soother? Successful blogs have both a viewpoint and a "voice". What are yours? Importantly, both voice and viewpoint must be authentic; phoniness is a certain blog-killer.Tip #7: Recruit a Champion
Corporate blogs need high-level support within the organization - a powerful, well-placed executive who will unwaveringly defend the blog when the proverbial stuff hits the fan, including when company attorneys start raising their inevitable objections.Tip #8: Pull the Plug or Start Implementation
At this point, you'll want to consider abandoning the notion of developing a corporate blog if you haven't been able to: | |
| a) | define an appropriate mission |
| b) | find an appropriate niche in the subject space |
| c) | identify a focused target audience |
| d) | identify an individual who has the knowledge, passion, personality, writing skills, time and commitment to be the blogger |
| e) | or get the support of a corporate champion. |
Note: This article may be republished in full with proper attribution including a link to CyberAlert.com
Articles on Business Blogs
The Bottom Line on BloggingCompanies find all that Web talk builds business — Kansas City Star, 3/14/2006
The Inside Story on Company Blogs
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/feb2006/tc20060214_402499.htm
Attack of the Blogs
http://www.forbes.com/home/free_forbes/2005/1114/128.html
Why there's no escaping the blog
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2005/01/10/8230982/index.htm
Do's and don'ts of corporate blogging
http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/28/news/companies/pluggedin_fortune/index.htm
Business Blogs for Reference
Micro Persuasion by Steve Rubelhttp://www.micropersuasion.com
Seth Godin's Blog
http://sethgodin.typepad.com
Your Guide to Corporate Blogging (Sweden)
http://www.corporateblogging.info
Jonathan Schwartz — Sun Microsystems
http://blogs.sun.com/jonathan
Debbie Weil — Consultant on Business Writing and Blogging
http://www.MonaLisaofBlogging.com
KDPaine's Media Measurement Blog
http://kdpaine.blogs.com
Julie Woods — Cymfony Marketing Insight
http://www.cymfony.blogs.com
Bob Lutz — GM Fastlane Blog
http://fastlane.gmblogs.com
