08/ 17/ 2006
by Kelle Campbell
By now you have probably heard of Web logs (more commonly known as "blogs"), online journals that feature opinions, news and Web links that you can share with readers. Whether you create your own blog or contribute to someone else's, you can use a blog for any of the following purposes:
- Driving online traffic to your Web site
- Replacing or complementing a newsletter or e-zine
- Establishing the expertise of an employee or business leader
- Sharing news and ideas
- Obtaining immediate feedback on products/services, activities and so on
- Developing and reinforcing customer relations
- Enhancing media relations
- Recruiting new employees
Creating a blog
Choosing from among the variety of available blogging services and software can be daunting, but first-timers can opt for a relatively pain-free start with free, simplified blogs from Blogger.com or WordPress.com. If you prefer to have control over your blog's design, functions and other customizable features, you can set up WordPress software on your own server or consider other options such as Six Apart's Movable Type publishing platform or TypePad services, both of which have several pricing and licensing levels.
When launching a blog, you will need to decide what your content focus will be. Do you want to share ideas or experiences, announce company news or compose best (or worst) practice entries? Read some blogs to give yourself ideas and then decide on your focus so readers will know what to expect from you.
Whatever you decide on as your focus, make sure that your content is not overly promotional. People may find information about sales useful, and news about any awards that you win can reassure readers that your organization is their best choice. However, posting only "We're No. 1" type messages will drive away readers.
The second consideration you will need to make is how frequently you will post entries. Jakob Nielson, a well-known pundit on online usability, recommends daily postings, but posting twice a week, weekly or monthly will also work as long as you have a regular publication schedule.
Instead of waiting for readers to visit your blog, you can efficiently distribute information to regular readers by adding really simple syndication (RSS) to your blog. The advantage of an RSS feed is that you don't have to worry about the hazards that plague emails and Listservs, such as bouncing e-mails, spam filters or people who forget that they subscribed and accuse you of spamming.
RSS feeds can be used to deliver newsletters, calendars of events and announcements about prices, inventory availability, new products or services to your audience. Some software or services, such as Blogger.com, provide built-in RSS tools, but you can also opt for stand-alone tools, such as WebReference RSS Channel Editor.
The blog author (also known as the blogger) can be the CEO, an executive, engineer or any in-house expert. A ghostwriter is not a good idea because the text is not likely to have a personal feel. Obviously, ghostwritten blogs lose credibility, and consequently, their readers. If you are nervous about the blogger being unsupervised, have someone in your marketing or legal department review the text for sensitive or damaging content before the entry is posted.
Pitching blogs
"Pitching" means offering bloggers news and/or hyperlinks, either about your business or the general subject they cover, for inclusion in their blogs. Use a blog and news feed search tool like Bloglines or blog search engines like Technorati or Sphere to find and track blogs in your field.
While it is wise to identify the most influential bloggers, they're not your only resource. Bloggers typically link to each other's content, and even smaller blogs can distribute your information to a widespread audience through a chain of links.
Remember also that angering an influential blogger can also damage your reputation and your promotional campaign. Therefore, check which bloggers accept information from outside parties and how best to approach them.
Do not treat bloggers like members of the regular media and send them press releases. If possible, look at the style of other contributors' posts or, if in doubt, send a polite yet conversational message. Referring to previous posts in your pitch can also help a blogger see its relevance and value to readers.
If you find a blog that allows you to post entries, but has nothing to do with your industry or business, do not yield to the temptation to post your Web address. Your post will be regarded as "spam," which will lower your credibility.
These basics will help get you started as a savvy member of the blogosphere. Like most endeavors, learning the ropes requires an investment of time and effort, but your payoff is a versatile new means of communication.
