Business blogging has been around for a couple of years now, but it seems that the same concerns are still prevent among the corporate crowd. So, what continues to hold businesses back from blogging:
- Not knowing who will write for the blog (tip: find company evangelists who are passionate about your product and service and the posts will be unique and interesting)
- Afraid they’ll run out of things to say (be anecdotal, tell stories, share experiences, there’s always a new angle to what you are writing about)
- Not understanding what resources are required, especially how much time blogging takes (it is time consuming it and requires a commitment, just like any other marketing communications project)
- Not knowing how to handle comments, especially negative ones (Most comments are quite positive and this direct feedback can take you in directions you never thought about)
- Still afraid to be criticized in “public” (you are already being talking about, so get involved)
- Don’t want to lose control of their message (join the conversation and gain new fans)
- Legal and financial risks (talk to your teams on how to best approach blogging)
- Inability to quantify success (think web traffic, community building, reputation, even sales)
The best way to get the most benefit from business blogging is to plan, plan, plan. Know why you are blogging and the rest will fall into place!