Marketing and Sales

Should Every Company Blog?

I have been asked a question by many business people over the last couple of months. While I am still working on what my answer ought to be I have developed some thoughts. One of the great things about blogging is if you don’t know the answer then your readers will usually fill you in, my hope is you will help me come up with a better response!

So, on with the question.

Should every company blog? (or more usually phrased as “Should my company blog?”)

Before you give me your thoughts, here is what I usually say.

There are tremendous benefits from blogging for businesses

Blogging is an excellent way of demonstrating expertise
If you need to develop links and search traffic blogs can help massively in this strategy
With a decent blog, routinely updated, you will develop a loyal and interested audience
Sticky websites help build community, credibility, trust and authority
Carefully crafted blogs can generate leads without resorting to pressure sales tactics
You don’t have to get it right first time, tweak and improve as you go

BUT there are risks and challenges

It takes time and effort, can you make the time? Who will be the blogger?
Can you write? – Writing improves with practice but not everyone wants to practice
Where will your ideas come from? – If you can’t think up 20 topics right now you might be better off not starting
Is your business ready to open up? Blogging is all about conversation, some people do not find this comfortable
Will your audience find what you say interesting? Writers can find stories in the most unlikely of subject areas but not everybody was born a writer
Goof and you can do more harm than good