Today’s Wall Street Journal has an article entitled Caught in a Web of Comment. The article discusses the power given to citizen-commentators through the world of blogs and social-network sites. It also introduces the new book by Paul Gillin, The New Influencers: A Marketer’s Guide to the New Social Media.
In addition to the guidelines that are excerpted from Gillian’s book on how marketers need to treat bloggers, there is a more existential question posed – When should firms wade into the blogosphere themselves? This is the question that many of our clients are starting to ask. And here is a stripped down version of our response:
1. When you have something to say. What can you write about? Blogs that focus on specific subject matter or convey a point of view are valuable when coupled with a knowledgeable expert or a marketer adept at pointing out the work of other knowledgeable experts.
2. When you have people that are interested in hearing about it. If you write it, will they read it? Do you have a loyal customer base, user group, investors or consumers that are interested in your company or the topics that you plan to cover? If not, will you promote the blog to attract readers?
3. When you are committed to blogging for the long-term. It takes time to write and manage a blog. Are you willing to commit to writing entries on a daily basis? Weekly? Are you willing to invest the time in building a readership?
4. When you need to respond to the public/media/employees/influencers directly. Is the media filtering your message, or not communicating it altogether? Use your blog to respond quickly to critical issues and speak directly to your target audience.
5. When you have something to sell or something of value to offer. It’s the soft sell. Maybe the blog is about technical support or tips and tricks for your products. Maybe its more focused on reviews of the products you sell. Can your blog play the role of the knowledgeable, yet not pushy, salesperson for your organization?
6. When you are willing to open the proverbial Pandora’s Box. Blogs are a dialogue, not a monologue. Although as the host of the show, you can control certain aspects of the communication, ultimately blogging is about engaging your audience and letting them participate in the conversation.
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