Corporate Eye

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Bridget Wright

Bridget Wright

Tangible Effects of Corporate Blogging

Media relations or any public relations efforts by corporations play an important marketing aspect in most any business. Whether the business is a a brick-and-mortar business, or whether it’s a home-based business, corporations want to make as significant an impact as possible with potential customers. They want to establish a long-term business relationship with customers and create a working relationship that will last for quite a while. Establishing this long-term working relationship does not have to be lengthy or complicated to be successful. The tenets of blogging will do just fine – – with the basic elements of journalistic style and quality in every post.

Although there are many, many avenues with which to market a business, blogging by far has grown to be one of the most popular and most widely used way to gain and retain customers. Corporate blogs have shown that not only are they widely read, but the information given in the blog is highly beneficial to business owners.

Blogopreneur made a post on their website about some of the benefits of corporate blogging and the multi-level benefits of blogging. While the list itself is not all encompassing, it does give great information on how corporate blogs can thrive on the internet. Very often, the main complaint from blog producers is that they cannot “see” the blogging benefits. However, blogging is not an instant gratification sport. It must be properly cultivated, strategically marketed and the content continually refreshed in order for it to be successful.

What Does Blogging Do For Your Business?

Aside from the immediate and instant exposure that blogging provides, corporations stand to gain an immense amount of media relations from their corporate blogs. For instance, in the case of GoDaddy.com, founder Bob Parsons has found success and a little fame even. Many readers, including myself, follow his blog and glean business and site development tips from his journal. His business has become of the elite few blogs that has garnered success as an information-presenting blog. Why is his blog so well-read? Mainly, I think, is because he provides timely, technology-relevant, up-to-date information from a CEO’s voice. Just how many corporate blogs do you know of where the CEO addresses the reading audience on a regular basis?

The kind of exposure that a well-written blog produces is invaluable. However, with good, solid and timely information, a corporate blog that is well-presented makes it even more valuable to its readers and to the corporation. This can create links from other websites and blogs and mentions of your blog on other blogs and websites. This can also create an internet buzz about your product or company.

Is Sales Tied to Your Blogging Efforts?

There was a very interesting post by Pilsa on their blog about blogging and the relationship that it has to sales. This question certainly asks whether or not there is a tangible factor in blogging, and the short answer is “yes.” Successful blogging is directly related to profitable sales. If your corporation is blogging and strategizing their media relations efforts towards being information producers, it would be almost inevitable that they would success in their profits as well.

Sales is the final result that is desired after a marketing campaign to get the customer to buy. In blogging, making succinct and crafty blog posts is akin to the “marketing” aspect of the business. The courting period between a potential customer and the company is the time where they get to know each other. The customer gets to see how the corporation views certain issues, how they are involved in their community and how serious they are about doing business with them. Blogging is that platform where this happens. Blogging doesn’t necessarily ask for the sale nor does it even hint towards one. But what blogging does do is provide enough information and slight motivation to make considerations towards a sale.

What strategies does your company utilize to campaign? How do they ‘ask for the sale?’

The Challenges of Having a Corporate Blog

Business owners have to concern themselves with many things that are directly related to the success of their livelihood. There is client acquisition, client retention, sales quotas, marketing strategies and administration. All of these issues have to be dealt with in order to stay “business-afloat” and competitive in the market place.

With marketing being the primary anchor of any business, whether its a product or service, it is the number one area that needs the most attention. As it needs the most attention, it is also a critical area that is the most challenging to handle. It is the most challenging because it requires the business owner(s) to be innovative, creative, flexible and intuitive in order to find what works and what brings in the sales. One highly effective form of marketing that I concentrate heavily in my blog posts, is well, blogging. With the advent of one of the most powerful marketing tools now available  –  blogging  –  business owners have to continually be concerned with having a successful, competitive blog. But is being concerned a reason to panic or worry? Absolutely not. The main idea and focus is to simply keep your blog engaged in the following factors to be successful:

Drive Blog Traffic

This is one of the biggest challenges that corporate blogs face. While some may say that the traffic “will come”, your blog team must do their part to help bring the traffic in. This includes things like being active on the social sites like Twitter, LinkedIn, and even MySpace and Facebook. Corporate blogs would do well to establish a presence on these social sites and become an active part of the online community.

Provide Interesting Content

This means providing content that other bloggers will link to, post about and tell others about. Providing rich, interesting content for your readers can have a lasting effect as you want them to come back frequently, for more. Your corporate blog posts may also inspire and encourage others. For instance, this blog post about corporate blog challenges was inspired for me from this post that I read by Buildify. When you provide good content, it’s a win-win situation for everyone.

Avoid Irrelevant Content

Be careful of providing content that has nothing to do with your blog’s goals or objectives. Sure it’s fine to venture off the trail every now and then, but highly discouraged on a routine basis. This is a great way to lose customers and readers as they will deduce that your blog is out-of-touch  if you cannot focus on one topic.

Post Frequently

This is one of the main and most important factors. Posting frequently gives your blog life and lets your readers know that you are real and in touch. Often, corporate blogs tend to only post when there’s news to report. Bad idea. Corporate blogs should post frequently and engage their readers on a routine basis.  How often is frequently? That’s relevant to your business and what your focus is. It could be anywhere from daily to once a week (not suggested). A posting schedule of 4-5 times per week is ideal and definitely enough frequency to keep the readers engaged and coming back.

Personally, as a blogger I have found that corporate blogs are no different than, say, a personal blog. They both need valuable content, a personal voice and frequent communication. The only difference is the reading audience, and that only serves to help you form your posts outline and pitch. To be successful in corporate blogging, you must find what works and what works well with your niche market.

What are some of your challenges that you face with your blog? What do you think you can do to improve your blog’s visibility and reduce challenges?

What To Say: 4 Things That Can Make Your Corporate Blog Get Noticed

No doubt that if you have a corporate blog on your site, you’ve run into the trouble before of not having material to write about. At one time or another, most any corporate blog has had that same issue and has had challenges in finding a solution to it. In these days when blogs are dominating the internet and there are blogs ranging everywhere from business to personal to unusual topics, the main goal of any blog is to get it noticed. To get it to stand out from others in the crowd. To get readers to read the blog and then participate (if they should be so lucky!) Blogs have become more than just a journal of one’s daily happenings or a list of lunch buddies. Blogs have become an integral part of businesses and their dealings with their core audiences. Their main goal is to simply get read. But how?

Who Do You Read?

What sites or blogs do you frequent on a daily basis? Which blogs appeal to you? Why? Is it the graphics? Do you know the blogger personally and visit out of obligation? Or, is there truly a wealth of information on the site that you look forward to reading on a frequent basis? In other words, does the blogger write in such a way that it keeps you coming back for more and more? And more?  If you find that you are signing on to a particular blog or set of blogs on a daily basis to read what has been posted, you have just discovered the first way to get your corporate blog to stand out and get noticed:

1. Provide Invaluable Content

This would not be the content that is regurgitated from somewhere else or general information that can be found anywhere on the internet. You want to provide invaluable content to your reader from your own experiences and the experiences of others. Give your readers something they can use now and something they can use later. Keep them coming back for more. One site that I visit on a daily basis is Copyblogger because of the immense wealth of information that I get there. The site is primarily for those who are professional bloggers and writers and the blog host, Brian Clark, provides frequently-published  rich content given by himself and guest authors.

2. Be Personal

This doesn’t mean sharing your daily lunch schedule, or talking about your pet Puddles, or telling us what you did on your vacation last month. Although at times, this would be acceptable. No, what this means is simply letting your readers know that you are human. Don’t talk in the third person or a distant tone. If you have a business strategy to share with your readers, share it by telling them your experience with the strategy as well. Let them see the advice in action. Share with them the mistake (if any) that you made in getting the strategy to work. Show them that there is a human behind the blog post. Your readers will thank you for it.

3. Engage the Readers

Talk to your readers through your blog. Ask them what they think, how they feel, what their experiences are your particular industry. Show the readers that you want to know how they feel and to hear their contributions. Now this doesn’t mean that you will release control of your blog to your readers, but it means that you will engage your readers to create a sense of community and dialogue within your blog. Naturally, if the tone of your blog is to increase readership and and participation, engaging the readers is the vehicle to do just that.

4. Link Out

There is an incredible post that I found the other day that I want to specifically list in this post because of the wealth of information contained in it. Peg at Network Solutions wrote a timely post on the immense benefits of Twitter. I bookmarked her page and will refer to it often because of all of the great information that she’s written. I’ve posted a link to her post here so others can enjoy it as well. Herein is the benefit and value of linking to others. You create social connections and you share valuable information with others. When there is a rich and valuable post made on your blog, others will reciprocate and you will also begin to reap the rewards. Link when appropriate, when necessary and as often as is possible.

What can you do on your blog today to increase its effectiveness? How can you increase your blog’s readership with your current posts?

Should Corporate Sites Air Their Business? American International Group (AIG) did, and it Worked!

Are the websites the appropriate place to be casual or direct with customers? Or, should that be done in a direct letter to the customer?

Just how much information should corporations release about their financial dealings (and otherwise) to customers?

The Function of Corporate Communications

A corporate web presence is usually created to keep a line of communication open between the company’s customers or investors and the company’s executives. This can be as lengthy as several paragraphs or as short as one-liners (as in Tweets) or emails. In many cases, a company’s blog or website is the first place people will turn to in order to get a better idea about the company and their practices. Corporations can also use blogs to really gain strength in the marketplace and develop a strong presence in the minds of consumers.

Corporate blogs also serve to keep the public informed and abreast of what’s going on in a particular area of the company, or, about news developments and/or discoveries. Although blogs are generally positive in nature, there are instances where the blog may discuss issues that are uneasy or embarrassing to deal with. When, and if this happens, there must be some type of mechanism in place to deal with the situation and create the best possible outcome for the company, no matter what.

That Will Be $1 Please

American International Group (AIG) has been under heavy, heavy fire in recent months about their financial activity and their dire need to be bailed out of a particularly unpleasant and unpopular financial crisis. The mega-large U.S.-based insurance brokerage group was bailed out by the government to the tune of $150 billion not too terribly long ago. They have also been under heavy scrutiny for their various financial actions and activities and have tried to offer explanations for their activities via their website. Taking a look at the press release where AIG discuss the company’s finances, I noticed that AIG seems to try to answer the accusations and scrutiny by explaining (in detail) why they’ve decided to take action and what they expect to have happen as a result. This is ultimate corporate responsibility and excellent media relations because it shows that the company is not ignoring the pink elephant in the room, nor are they offering a myriad of excuses. They have responsibly faced what has happened and have addressed it directly. Whether using the website to discuss certain issues was a (opinion) mistake or not, AIG did quite well in facing the issues and answering to the public about their actions. 

The news press release that announced that Mr. Liddy and other executives of AIG will not receive a salary (or a significantly reduced one) for the years of 2008 and 2009 shows not only an immense understanding of the company’s financial obligation, but also shows that the executive team understand and are sensitive to the company’s needs and the public’s perception of them as leaders. Did it work? Was that a good idea? Will it be effective and profitable for the company? No one has any way of really knowing how the entire situation will turn out. But, because the company’s top executive has decided to receive only a $1 salary for 2008 and 2009, and the company’s top managing executives are going to forego their annual bonuses, they are showing that the bailout will not be for naught. Discussing it affirms their intentions and shows everyone they’re serious.

But, On the Website?

Was AIG’s website the proper place to make such an announcement about the company’s decisions? Why wouldn’t it be? Actually, the site was the perfect place to make that type of announcement. Corporate media relations announcements are not meant only for journaling the company’s highs, profits, sales or growth. Well-presented corporate media relations announcements can help a company excel in the marketplace, whether things are favorable…or not. It is not the job, function or duty of a blog to only paint rosy pictures of the company. To do that could possibly backfire and cause other potential problems. And, in order to avoid said problems, companies should allow their communications to be transparent. However tact should be used in choosing the right words and tone for the media.

After reading about the salary decrease, you may perhaps find yourself thinking about just how serious a move that was for AIG and how serious they must be in getting the company back on track. So really, the website is the best place to make such an announcement. It is the best place to air the company’s “not-so-good” news. It is the best place to reach out to customers, outside media, investors and other interested parties. Hence, for AIG, discussing it on their website, in the open  and upfront is going to be the best place to get their message out and convey their seriousness in the process.

Connect with Your Customers Using the Ozzy Osborne Method

When you are trying to reach your customers through media relations efforts, it is a good idea to be as creative, as out-of-the-box thinking as possible. You want to make a significant enough impact with your customer base so that your business image is not easily forgotten by those who partake of your business. You definitely want to be unforgettable.

Media relations creativity can run the gamut of hokey, wild media stunts to well-thought out, strategic marketing tactics that gets your company noticed, which is, your ultimate goal. Customers react to different marketing strategies.

Samsung performed a classic and highly popular commercial showing the rocker trying to communicate with a fast-food worker, a taxicab driver and a psychologist. He was somewhat unsuccessful, that is, until he started texting his requests to the service people. The commercial is a very good example of just how effective media can be if placed in the right hands of the right people.

The Samsung commercial with Ozzy Osborne is also a classic example of how creative and effective companies can be with their marketing message. Customer relations is marketing relations and marketing relations is media relations. In other words, the media venue is a significant player in how corporations reach customers and maximizing the exposure of their offerings.

Media Creativity

What can you do with your business to spark creativity and make a splash? Here are some suggestions that you can incorporate into your own business to enjoy the Ozzy effect.

1. Be Innovative and Creative in Your Strategy. If you can’t find a celebrity to endorse your product, consider using local celebrities. Community business people, politicians and CEO’s are all good ideas for getting someone who can call attention to your site.

2. Maximize Your Products. Use what products you already market to re-position yourself and your business. Many times, consumers may not “get it” at first, but if you present your product in a different media setting, they may look at your company and your product in a different way as well.

3. Give the Customers What They Want. There’s nothing like having a whole lot of somethings that you can’t sell. Make sure that your media product is more about something that consumers want and less of what you think is cute. In business, the sale of products and services are generally moved by how the customer feels at the time of the transaction.

What can you or your corporation do to get the Ozzy effect in your business? What wild and creative things do you think would work? Does it depend on the industry, the marketing department or the individual?

Is Your Corporate Blog of Value?

Today, I’m going to let you all in on a little secret that many of you may already know, and some of you may find surprising. This is for all of those corporate blog writers and content providers who maintain your company’s website:

No one is reading your blog!

You’re likely shocked, I’m sure, but that is just the plain truth. No one is interested in reading your blog and you may even find that it’s hard to drive traffic to your site. Why am I making this unveiling? You see, when readers scan, peruse, search and Google sites for information, they’re looking for relevant, concise and timely content. They’re looking for information that they can use to apply in their own businesses, practices that have been used over and over, and even case studies that have been shown to provide value. In other words, if your blog doesn’t provide anything of essence or value to your reader, they won’t be back and they will likely click away faster than the time it takes for your web page to load in their browser. Fast.

The Reader Doesn’t Know

What is it that your corporation does or what product do they specialize in? How does your corporate service or product affect the community? How can it make a difference in the life of the reader who’s scanning your post(s) right now? The whole reason that a reader would visit your blog would be to:

1.) find out new information

2.) confirm information they already knew

That’s it. Those are the only two reasons that a reader bothers to read the first few lines in your blog entry. They are skimming for value and want to see if you can enhance their knowledge base in any way. If you do manage to keep their attention, great. If not, well, clicking they will be. It’s unwise to confuse the reader with irrelevant or inapplicable material. While you may think that the television commercial that your corporation made was fantastic (and it may well be), you can enhance the spotlight on this by creating something of value to your reader and share your good news at the same time.

Create Value?

Yes, you can and should create intrinsic value in your blog or website that will make your company a potential household name. For instance, consider maximizing the coverage of that television commercial your company made by offering a free signed copy of the CEO’s book to the first 50 commenters on a blog post. Or, how about establishing a (small) grant as an incentive to a young, budding entrepreneur with an untapped idea. His motivation? Write an essay on how he thinks your company can help make him successful. Post this social activity on your blog or website and let the communities work their magic. Once the Tweets begin and your article appears on Digg or StumbleUpon, you’ll wonder why it has taken you so long to catch on to this idea! It is so advantageous to use the power of media to bring attention to a business.

Jeremy Woolf of the Public Relationships blog wrote this amazing post on how effective (and ineffective) the power of blogging can be if it is not properly strategized. He shed some valuable insight as to why blogs fail. The one that caught my eye almost immediately was because blogs aren’t being read. Bingo.

Per Jeremy:

It appears that in many cases, we’ve simply brought with us the tactics that failed to win the hearts and minds of “old” media to the blogging “new” media. We’re not reading their posts. We’re failing to develop relationships. We’re spamming them with marketing gobbledegook. We’re also assuming they work the same way as journalists.

Good call Jeremy. We’re so busy trying to sell our product, we’re not focusing on relationship building and nurturing. How true is that! So essentially, you get a mix of people, all trying to move their product and not listening to the pitch of the other. They are so consumed with meeting quotas and making sales, they’ve lost the art of good old-fashioned networking. Corporations are especially prone to this type of environment because of the very nature of the way they deal with individuals – usually at arm’s length. Corporate environments have to work even harder to build and gain relationships and often have to go to greater extents to nurture them. Although a challenge it may be, it can be done.

Is your corporate blog connected or in just in existence? What do you do to bring your reader in, share solid, relevant information, provide a foundation to encite learning and community?

Or do you exist just to exist?

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