Blogging For Business

By now, most people are aware of what 'Blogs' are and where they can be found.  For the uninitiated, a blog (short for Web Log) is an online journal of sorts that provides commentary and opinion on any number of topics.  Anyone can post a blog and say pretty much anything they want. This can be both good and bad when what is published concerns your business. 

In recent years, more and more businesses are monitoring blogs in their industries for information on how to improve their products and services.  Try a Google search on your company name or with your products or services and you may be surprised at the results.  If what is said about your company is favorable, why not link to it from your Web site?  Many blogs also allow you to post a comment that is added to the topic.

Many organizations maintain their own blog to be sure that accurate information is being disseminated about the company on a regular basis and so their customers have a place to go to check facts when they read or hear something about the company that concerns them.  This technique has also allowed some companies to start an online 'buzz' about a product or service prior to its release to the general public, increasing sales potential.

There can be many benefits when you decide to maintain a business blog.  Giving the customer a place to praise your company as well as complain about it is a great way to show your customers that you listen to what they say whether it is good news or bad news.  This type of transparency aids in the building of trust by the customer that your company is doing business the right way. 

Here are several things to keep in mind if you decide to publish a business blog.  Try to include several links in each post.  This increases your search engine rankings and helps people find your blog in the first place.  Include a photo if appropriate for the post.  Share some of your personality along with your ideas and comments when writing your blog.  This helps build a regular audience who enjoy reading what you post.

This article was originally published in the November 2006 issue of the Corona Business Monthly.