Blogging
February 25, 2008
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Blogging |
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Q: Steve -- It seems that blogging is here to stay, wouldn't you say? I have been told that it makes sense for a small business to blog, but I don't really get what it would do for my business. Do you? -- Shelly
A: No, blogging is not going away anytime soon.
And I can't say I'm not surprised, because I am. When blogging first made its way into our consciousness a few years ago, I was as skeptical as they come. Was I really heard to remark, "It's the CB radio of our time!"? Yes, I was.
But, halleluiah! I see the light! I've become a convert. How much so? Yes, I have just launched my own blog, Business as UNusual.
What I get now about blogging is that it is a way to communicate with the world in ways that were unheard of only a few years ago. It is a chance to loosen the ol' tie and create a more personal, interactive, human communication with your customers, vendors, employees, and other people.
Prior to blogging, there were really very few ways to create that personal bond, especially with customers, both actual and potential. If you did not meet them one-on-one or speak with them on the phone, the only way they heard about you, typically, would be through your advertising and marketing.
But those are inherently impersonal vehicles.
The Internet generally, and a blog specifically, gives you an opportunity to show who you and your business are in a much more up close and personal way. This, in turn, allows you to you to create more of a bond, and thus more of a relationship, and that should create more loyalty.
So, to answer your question, there really are numerous benefits to creating a blog for your business:
Blogs build a sense of community. By sharing your expertise in a blog, you connect with a lot more people. And as they respond to your posts, a community is created.
They allow you to plug products and services. But importantly, you are not doing so in an abrasive way. Using the conversational style that is the hallmark of a good blog allows you to share business products in a friendly way.
They boost your search engine optimization (SEO). By their very nature, blogs incorporate the hallmarks of good SEO: Keywords and links. And, as people respond to your blog, more keywords show up.
Blogs help make you an authority. I can tell you that being published, even if it's only your own blog, gives you gravitas.
Blogs give you valuable feedback. By seeing what customers say about your posts, your blog offers valuable feedback.
So the benefits are numerous. If you want to make the most of your blog, here are a few tips:
Be frank. People read blogs to get an insight they would not normally have. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's blog does this well.
Be conversational. People like reading blogs to get a less formal view of the writer or business. The folks over at Duct Tape Marketing are good at this.
Be insightful. Try and give the people some information they would not otherwise have. Anita Campbell at Small Business Trends is good at this.
So, blog or
get blogged down. The choice is yours!
Today's Tip: What is the very first form of human community? Why, the tribe of course. That's why the book Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization is such a great business book.
As the authors explain, tribes are natural occurrences, even in business. The trick then is to create or identify your most valuable tribe members (employees, customers, professionals, etc.) and work with them to build your business. What you can do together is greater than what you can do alone. Steve says check it out!