As corporate blogging becomes more popular, many companies are wondering if this is something that is right for them. There are many benefits that can be achieved by having a corporate blog, such as increased sales, better brand recognition and SEO, but none are as important as creating that personal link with your readers. A corporate blog is a tool that can be used to really create a relationship with readers, which can result in an increase of the other three points mentioned above.

To create that personal link there are a few techniques that should be used, as well as a few that should be avoided. In many cases, a fine balance is needed to accomplish your goals. For example, if you need your corporate blog to move a certain product, there is a way of selling it, without appearing overly commercial. Let’s look at a few ways that companies can create the personal touch with their blog.

First, the blogger needs to give at least their first name. A last name is not essential, but if you are a well known executive, this can be a good thing to add. No blogger should be anonymous, as this makes the corporate blog feel more like a promotional tool than a public service or outlet for information. In addition, it does help to have a picture of the blogger, since this does give the readers a face to go with the posts. This is is not necessary, but it is helpful.

Next, the blog should focus on providing information that is useful to readers. This point cannot be stressed enough. If a post is useful, readers are less likely to be offended if you are selling them something. Not all of your posts should be centered around “Buy our products.” You need to create a mix of personal posts, product announcements and news that is related to your industry.

The next point is vital – creating the right kind of relationship. When you first start blogging and you’re getting new readers that are interacting with you, it’s easy to let your guard down and let that level of professionalism slip. This should never happen on a corporate blog. If you need a personal outlet – create your own blog – but don’t bring your issues and opinions to your corporate blog.

This is your company’s public face – do you want it to be perceived as unprofessional and scatter brained? No! Each post should be written in a concise format that uses appropriate language and humor, without crossing the line. This is a balancing act that can be difficult at first.

We recommend using a blog management service that can assist you in finding that balance and avoiding the pitfalls that doom corporate blogs to failure. These are powerful tools, but you need to make sure that you are using them in the right way to avoid having a disaster on your hands that is hard to erase from the public’s mind.

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Originally posted 2008-06-27 05:37:17. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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