25 Effective Blogging Tips

At the first-annual BlogWorld & New Media Expo, held last month in Las Vegas, independent and corporate bloggers—both active and aspiring—converged on the Las Vegas Convention Center to learn the ins and outs of using blogs and other new media tools, such as social networking and podcasting, from a host of Web 2.0 experts. These experts included representatives from companies across a variety of industries, including publishing, who spoke about their respective companies’ experiences with corporate blogs and how they’ve utilized this online forum to increase brand awareness and strengthen brand loyalty among their customer base. They also spoke enthusiastically about their successes, from a single post that received more than 700 comments and a write-up of the blog in The Wall Street Journal to positive feedback from both customers and employees on feeling more informed and connected to the company. Here are 25 of the best tips from BlogWorld on how to get started and how to maximize your blog’s effectiveness: Before You Launch1. Understand that executing a corporate blog takes a significant amount of time, effort and resources. Before you proceed, take time to thoroughly plan your blogging strategy. For example, consider: Who is going to write the blog? How much time will the company devote to it each day/week? Will you allow comments on the blog, and if so, what process will you institute for screening and approving them?2. When determining which staff member(s) will write for the blog, do not simply assign someone the task. Ask for volunteers, gauge your employees’ level of interest and enthusiasm, and consider their written communication skills to determine the best fit for the job. Who has something to say and is comfortable writing? Don’t force the blogging culture on employees. 3. Most companies do not have staff dedicated solely to writing and managing a blog, even those with successful, high-profile blogs. Remember that whomever is charged with blog-related responsibilities will have to carry out these duties in addition to their regular workload. 4. Make sure to involve your legal team. Almost all corporate blogs have a legal disclaimer stating that the opinions expressed on the blog are not necessarily those of the company. Additionally, be aware of other legal concerns––such as properly crediting sources and ensuring that employees do not reveal proprietary information––and consult your legal team, as necessary. 5. If you decide to allow comments on your blog, be sure to establish a process for screening and approving them. The process must be a swift and efficient one in order to keep the conversation “fresh.” Also, consider establishing user guidelines that set basic ground rules for comments, such as “no use of profanity.” Some corporate blogs choose not to allow anonymous comments and require potential contributors to create user names and passwords; however, this method often generates significantly fewer comments. 6. Be sure to have one of your public relations personnel on-board. Generally, a PR person assumes authority over a corporate blog, and has final approval of all posts and comments, ensuring that the blog’s message and the company’s message are working effectively in tandem, and red-flagging any potential legal concerns. Getting Management on Board7. Create a prototype of your blog and fill it with sample posts to pitch to management. Research other companies, particularly other magazine publishing companies, who are achieving success with corporate blogs and use them as examples of how blogging can have a positive impact on your company.8. Remind management that when you have a blog, you have ultimate control over its content, including which comments are posted. It is your channel of communication to utilize however you would like.9. Emphasize the benefits of a corporate blog, such as potential media exposure, real-time discussions about new products and initiatives, and immediate feedback from customers. Additionally, blogs also can have internal benefits, such as providing employees with a channel where they can learn more about their company, as well as with an opportunity to serve as a mouthpiece for the company. 10. Consider experimenting first with an internal blog among employees with the goal of facilitating a collaborative workspace. If you see a positive impact from the internal blog, use that as part of your argument to go external. CEOs: To Blog or Not to Blog?11. If you are a CEO who is considering launching a blog, think about how well you communicate in writing. Is this a particular strength of yours? If your verbal communication skills are stronger, consider making a short (approximately three to five minutes), weekly video blog to post on the company’s Web site instead. 12. Some CEOs use a “ghostblogger” to write their blogs, but be cautious of this approach. The blog may lose its “authentic voice,” and your audience may question its—and your––sincerity. Content That Engages and Builds Your Audience 13. Remember that you are engaging in a conversation, not conducting a lecture. When writing posts, imagine that someone in your intended audience is sitting across the table from you, and you are having a conversation with them on your topic. Also, don’t feel compelled to fill out every idea or finish every thought; encourage your audience to add to, or “interrupt,” the conversation. 14. Be helpful, not “hypeful” when blogging about your company and its products. Remember that your blog is about your audience, not about you/your company. Focus on information that readers can apply to their daily lives, and compelling stories that draw people in. Be mindful of the difference between content, which informs, and copy, which persuades.15. Don’t overwhelm your audience with lengthy copy. Try to keep posts brief and to the point. For longer posts, display the first paragraph or two with a link directing visitors to the full text. 16. It’s essential to audience-building to be consistent with the frequency of your blog postings; you will “train” your audience to return regularly for new content, and they will come to depend on you. Ask bloggers to write at least two postings a week, although many corporate bloggers post every day. 17. To manage your blog’s content, brainstorm potential post subjects in advance and create an editorial calendar, highlighting important dates such as new-product launches or holidays that you can build content around. Tie a press release into a blog post; this gives your customers an opportunity to join in your company’s news and give their thoughts. 18. Keep a bank of posts that you can draw from when you’re pressed for time, but remember that the content must appear timely and fresh. Blogs Come to Life in the Comments Section19. Don’t be too discerning when it comes to approving comments to post on the site. Many corporate blogs allow the majority of the comments they receive—both positive and negative—to be posted with only a few exceptions, such as if the post contains profanity or a personal attack. Many successful bloggers will tell you that the most contentious posts are often the best and draw the most attention.20. Acknowledge your audience by posting comments as well and joining in the conversation. When you receive a negative comment, always listen and give a thoughtful response. Offer to discuss the issue at hand offline, if necessary. 21. As a blogger, a thick skin is a requirement. People are often more brutally honest from behind the safety and anonymity of their computer screens.22. If a visitor comments with a very specific customer concern that generally will not benefit your blog’s audience, offer to continue the conversation with them offline. Promoting Your Blog23. Pitch your company’s bloggers to the media as potential sources. You can even pitch a specific blog post to the media if it’s particularly strong or has generated particularly noteworthy conversation. Also, point the media to your blog as a source for the most up-to-date information on your company/products. 24. Remember that blogging is built on community. Interact with other bloggers: Pitch story ideas to them, give them a heads-up on an announcement you are about to post, post comments on their blogs, and link to their blogs from yours. 25. While most companies receive traffic reports for their blogs, many measure their blog’s success through a variety of other factors, including the number of comments received, links to the blog from other blogs and Web sites, mentions of the blog in the media, and customers’ and employees’ reactions to the blog.

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25 Effective Blogging Tips

Janet Spavlik

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