Seven Best Practices For Business Blogging
By Karoline White, Mon Jan 2nd
Blogs have become one of the hottest communication tools on theWeb. Offering the opportunity for anyone to create their ownfree Web site, encouraging opinions and interaction, blogsprovide forums for individuals to create their own highlypersonal presentations to the Web audience. They also providefor consortia of all types to experience the sort of onlinecommunity feeling that was pioneered by early newsgroups and bythe phenomenal success of AOL in the 1990s.
Blogs have reached into the corporate and government sectors aswell. What started out as an outlet for teenage expression andgrassroots journalism has turned into a lucrative communicationstool for small and large businesses alike.
Corporate Blogging refers to a company producing or supporting ablog that it uses to accomplish business objectives. As withanything, there are certain "best practices" to be followed toensure your company reaps the maximum benefits. These seven tipsguidelines will help make your blog a success.
1. Fine Print. Blogging can lead to legal issues. Companiesshould have real concerns about liability, exclusions andlimitations, and indemnity. Although there are laws that protectagainst libel, misappropriations and other injuries suffered asa result of posts on the Web, companies can still be held"vicariously" responsible for statements made by employees thatare harmful to others. Since there are so many legal issuessurrounding blogs, it is imperative that the site has some sortof disclaimer and limitation of liability.
2. Know What You're Doing. Senior management should be educatedby the corporate communications and legal department about whatblogs are and how they might affect business. That way, they canbe contributing members of the blog, further improving employeerelations. Their support and participation is often what makes ablog more effective.
3. Create blogging policies. In any medium where an employee issharing information, there is the possibility of leaking tradesecrets or financial information. Blogging also has a tendencyto become personal. A company should have a list of policiesregarding blogging to ensure that trade secrets are kept secretand personal lives do not become public. Policies may includekeeping financial information from being posted, as well assevere consequences for anyone using the blog for negativepublicity.
4. Avoid the Marketing Blog. Making your blog into a blatantmarketing campaign is a bad idea. Customers are looking for realanswers and honest opinions. They will pick up on insincerityinstantly. Use the blog for what it's for, transparency. This isan opportunity to make a real connection with your customers.Don't ruin it by filling it with empty advertising.
5. Keep It Fresh. are usually judged by their amount ofnew content. Easy to add on to, they are designed to be updatedconstantly. To keep your readers coming back, make your contentrelevant and timely. Don't forget, content can include anythingfrom product releases to job openings, recent news to thoughtsfrom the CEO. It's practically impossible to run out of material.
6. Reinforce the company's core values. Use your blog to reflectyour company's inner soul: its mission, goals and direction. Ablog is just another medium by which you interact with yourcustomers and employees. It's another part of the brandexperience. It should be consistent with the impression thecompany wants to make.
7. Encourage employees to use it. Create an atmosphere wherethey are comfortable asserting their opinions and concerns.You'll be surprised how the quietest employees will speak upwhen given such an opportunity. With all communication, bloggingcan become negative, so remind employees of the public nature ofthe and the ramifications for their actions.
About the author: Kari White is a Content Developer for Brook Group, afull-service Web development firm near Washington, DC. Morearticles by this author can be found at http://www.broogkroup.com/resources and http://www.usabilityandbranding.com.
