In Blog

Blogs

Today, almost every company seems to have its own blog. Why not? It’s easy, relatively cheap (even free for some), helps with traffic and “engagement”, so it can’t hurt, right? Wrong! When it’s not done right it can have no results (best case scenario) or even hurt your company/brand (worst case scenario). So, for today’s irony we have the following: an article about the harsh truths about corporate blogging on…a corporate blog. Why? Because at Quicken Websites we like jobs done right and with the right purpose in mind. Without further ado, let’s begin:

  • Brutal Truth #1: Corporate blogs are not magic traffic wells. In other words, don’t expect the number of visitors to double up in the first 3 days after starting your blog. Instead, expect a steady increase over several months BUT only if you’ve done your job right (created good content with relevant keywords). In terms of traffic, a good corporate blog will create a lot of returning visitors who can easily be turned into customers.
  • Brutal Truth #2: A corporate blog is not a free tool to advertise your products. Actually, I cheated a bit here, as these are two truths, not one, but they come together oftentimes. Let’s start with the first one: a corporate blog requires commitment, analytical capabilities from the blogger and many, many other skills. The old “I know someone who can put two phrases together and call it a blog post” tactic is no longer viable. You need a *good* copywriter who is able to analyze market trends and deliver the content that people *want* to read about. Also, that’s never-ever advertising.
  • Brutal Truth #3: A corporate blog is not a wire service or a news board. You launched a new product and have a killer press release about it? Great, send it to the media (that’s why it’s called a PRESS release); don’t put it on your blog. Instead, prepare a more comprehensive piece about the product and post it there. Try to avoid stereotypical phrases like “the best”, “revolutionary”, “no one else does it better than us”. Write honestly and present the benefits in a neutral tone. Try to think about your audience and what would really get to them; try to bring some value to your piece of content; then start writing.
  • Brutal Truth #4: You’re just another face in the corporate crowd. If all your blog posts are stern presentations and self-bragging, you have failed terribly. People don’t like corporations. At all! (Sorry, but I did mention the article is about *brutal* truths). If you want engaged readers and actual fans, try to humanize the blog a bit. Talk about the people in the company; write general articles about industry trends and posts that actually help someone. Also, be honest. Be honest even when you mess up. People appreciate companies with a “human” face and we all know humans are bound to make mistakes.

This is just the tip of the iceberg or, better said, the most common misguided expectations and ideas people have about corporate blogging. However, if bloggers would let go to these four stereotypes, the corporate blogging world would be a much better (and more populated with readers!) world.

What about you? What do you expect of your corporate blog?

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