10 Harsh Truths About Corporate Blogging
published on 29.10.09 by J Corn
I have reached the conclusion that most organizations have a blog simply because they feel they should. Many marketing departments fail to “get” blogging and have poorly visited blogs with few comments. Because their blog fails to perform, they conclude that blogging is an ineffective marketing tool and either remove it entirely or leave it to languish.
However, it does not need to be this way. Corporate blogs can be a powerful communication tool that builds brand awareness and nurtures a sense of engagement. You only need to look at the vibrant community surrounding the 37Signals blog to know that corporate blogging can work.
Why are most corporate blogs failing and why do the few succeed? To answer these questions, we need to face a few harsh truths about corporate blogging.
1. A blog does not magically generate traffic
2. Good corporate blog requires long term comittment
3. Teaser feeds are a wasted opportunity
4. You are not “engaging” anyone
5. Press releases shouldn’t appear on a blog
6. You sound like a faceless corporation
7. You need to show the warts and all
8. Marketeers often make bad bloggers
9. You expect too much from your readers
10. Your competitors will read your blog – Get over it!
Original article content from Smashing Magazine
Written by Paul Boag - the founder of UK Web design agency Headscape, author of the Website Owners Manual and host of award-winning Web design podcast Boagworld.com.
I have reached the conclusion that most organizations have a blog simply because they feel they should. Many marketing departments fail to “get” blogging and have poorly visited blogs with few comments. Because their blog fails to perform, they conclude that blogging is an ineffective marketing tool and either remove it entirely or leave it to languish.
However, it does not need to be this way. Corporate blogs can be a powerful communication tool that builds brand awareness and nurtures a sense of engagement. You only need to look at the vibrant community surrounding the 37Signals blog to know that corporate blogging can work.
Why are most corporate blogs failing and why do the few succeed? To answer these questions, we need to face a few harsh truths about corporate blogging.
1. A blog does not magically generate traffic
2. Good corporate blog requires long term comittment
3. Teaser feeds are a wasted opportunity
4. You are not “engaging” anyone
5. Press releases shouldn’t appear on a blog
6. You sound like a faceless corporation
7. You need to show the warts and all
8. Marketeers often make bad bloggers
9. You expect too much from your readers
10. Your competitors will read your blog – Get over it!
Original article content from Smashing Magazine
Written by Paul Boag - the founder of UK Web design agency Headscape, author of the Website Owners Manual and host of award-winning Web design podcast Boagworld.com.