As the user generated content business gets into full swing, many corporate blog owners are wondering whether or not using videos in their blog will be advantageous. There are a few schools of thought on the matter, as well as some basic ground rules that can be followed. In a nutshell, video can be a very powerful medium, but only if it is used correctly.

First, it’s best to determine whether or not video content will enhance your blog, or take away from it. If you are selling products for example, uploading a video on how to use the product, or something interesting about it, could be very advantageous and can work as a powerful selling point. However, if you have a video that does not showcase the product to its full potential, that can be disastrous.

Any video content you put on your blog should follow some basic principles. If it’s yours, it should be as professional as possible, easy to watch and should not bore the viewer. If you decide to use someone else’s video, it is vital to do a little background on that person to make sure that you won’t run into any problems through your association with them. You’d be surprised at how easy it can be to ruin a reputation, simply through association.

Let’s say that you find a great video that works well with your content, and is already quite popular. You add it to your site, and your viewers go to watch other videos from that person. If they happen to be a white supremacist this could definitely work against you. Always go through the video collection before you actually post someone else’s video on your site.

For most corporate blog owners, it is best to stick with videos that are made in-house, and by a professional team. If you are using a bad camera with shaky audio, it’s going to give your audience the impression that you don’t know what you’re doing. On the other hand, if your videos are crisp and clear, that will give the impression that you are professional.

The videos you do add, if you do decide to go this route, should be brief and to the point. Many people make the mistake of droning on in their videos, and end up losing viewers as a result. If you have a longer video series, you may want to consider breaking it up into a few parts. This works in two ways. First, you won’t be overloading your viewers with information. Second, they’ll have an extra incentive to keep coming back to your site.

Corporate blog owners that do start adding video should remember to keep a good balance between written and video content. Don’t lose your focus and become solely a video blog, since you may end up losing those that prefer to read your information. Try to find a good balance between the two so that you can capitalize on the benefits of both forms of communication.

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Originally posted 2008-10-10 05:49:46. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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When it comes to corporate blogs, many people think of just the standard blogging format and they are afraid to break out of the box. However, there are quite a few options that will help bring your blog to life and may even make it easier to get your message across. If you’ve been interested in starting a blog but you’re worried that you can’t get your message across in print, these options might appeal to you.

1. Audio Blogging –

Audio blogging is very similar to podcasting, or simply recording short bits of conversations or your own thoughts an uploading them to your website. This works very well if you have trouble writing down your thoughts but you are a very gifted public speaker. You’ll be engaging your audience on a different level and it will feel even more personable than a static blog.

Audio blogging can be a lot of fun and for a busy executive, it might be easier simply to record a brief snippet on the way to work, instead of having to sit down and type something in. The main downside with audio blogging is that it can be a bit expensive at times, especially if your blog becomes popular. You’ll need to pay for bandwidth as well as more storage space since audio files are quite a bit bigger than text files.

2. Video Blogging –

This is an area that has not been explored enough when it comes to corporate blogging. This is a very great way to get the point across that your company has a human face since that is what your viewers will be seeing. It’s a lot easier to build a relationship with your viewers since they will be able to see as well as hear you.

Video blogging will cost a little more than audio blogging in terms of storage and bandwidth, but for many companies, it is well worth the extra expense. You can look at your video blog as a mini television show that is designed to showcase your company. This is a very effective means of communication with your audience.

Keep in mind that no matter what format you pick, your audio or video files should be about 5 to 10 minutes in length. Special occasions may call for longer files, but this is a good guideline to follow.

If you aren’t sure which format will work for your company, you may want to try a mix to see which one gets the best response from your audience. This is a great way to see what is really on their minds and what they truly like. Hiring a blog management company is also recommended since it can take a lot more resources to produce a video or audio blog than it does to produce a simple text blog. These professionals can make it easier to get your point across quickly and effectively. Give audio or video blogging a try and see what it can do for your company today.

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Originally posted 2008-07-17 05:32:56. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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If you are completely new to corporate blogging, it can be difficult to know how to format your blog so that it is reader friendly. Here are some tips to help you create a blog that is easy and fun to read.

1. Avoid run on sentences.

Practice the art of effective communication by keeping your sentences short and to the point. Don’t be afraid of the period. By keeping your prose pithy and direct you will run much less risk of boring your readers. In addition, shorter sentences are easier to follow than those that just keep running on, missing the point and wandering off of the issue until you are not really sure what the whole point of the sentence was in the first place and you’ve lost your reader’s attention – like this.

2. Break up your paragraphs.

This is an important concept that many companies follow in web design and content, but miss when it comes to blogs. The fact is that shorter paragraphs are easy to follow. The reader will not get intimidated. A good rule of thumb to follow is that each paragraph should be about two to three sentences long and never more than four.

You can also use this formatting technique to get your point across. The written word can be pretty static and sometimes, a statement will come across as more forceful when it stands alone on a page. When you need to make a point don’t bury it in a paragraph.

Give it its own space.

3. Don’t be afraid of pictures.

There are numerous sites out there that offer royalty free images that can be included in a blog. You can also include your own pictures. This really makes a difference and will make your blog much more interesting. It is a very good idea to include pictures of your corporate events as well.

This can make a story about a company event come to life since you’ll have the pictures to show what happened. In addition, this shows that your company is full of people that you are about enough to showcase. Pictures really are important and although you shouldn’t go overboard and have ten or more in a post, at least one per post is a very good idea.

4. Bullets and bold.

Bulleted lists are easy to read and will engage your reader. Again, if you’re trying to make a point, having a visually interesting post will assist you in this. Bold text is also very useful when you need to make an emphatic statement. Moderation is key, but this can help you get your point across more effectively.

If you’re stuck on how to format your blog, you may want to work with a blog management company that can assist you in planning and execution. These services are very useful when it comes to creating blogs that get noticed and meet corporate goals of traffic and increased customer confidence.

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Originally posted 2008-06-19 05:09:53. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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