The Business of Blogging
by Nick Hershberger
The channel a business uses to
communicate information to customer is extremely important. One channel that
effectively conveys information to the customer base is a blog. A blog is a
discussion or information that is published to the web through a series of
entries or “posts”. This information is typically arranged in reverse
chronological order. Obviously you are familiar with a blog, because you are
reading mine right now.
Maintaining a blog can have a number
of advantages for a business. First, it is an excellent way to attract users to
a business site. For example, a website about laundry detergent would not be
valuable or exciting to a consumer if it only contained product information.
However, if the company introduced a blog that discussed topics like how to
remove stains, compared products or discussed other related topics, the user
would be more attracted to the content of the site.
Another advantage of a blog is the
ability to continually publishe content to the customer base in a short amount of
time. This gives a company’s web presence a feeling of sustained relevance and
newness. In the best-case scenarios, a blog on a company website may attract
the attention of many Internet users and begin to trend on social
networks and other information sharing sites. Obviously this increase in
exposure is beneficial for a company.
The key to a good business blog is
to provide information that a wide audience can use and the content has mass
appeal. If the information is based entirely in the details of a product or
service, the blog will feel like an advertisement. The following are five
examples of blogs that either individuals or companies use to promote a product
or service.
Dave Ramsey
Dave Ramsey is
the host of the syndicated radio program The Dave Ramsey Show that
discuses debt and financial issues. In addition to the radio broadcast, Ramsey
manages a blog on his website.
What this
blog does well: The blog
on the Dave Ramsey website continues and expands on the themes expressed on the
call-in show. All the articles have mass appeal and give the impression that
they were written by experts like Ramsey himself. The advantages of the blog is
it attracts consumer to the site for basic information on financial concerns
and at the same time offers solutions through many of the products and
classes Ramsey offers to help individuals manage these issues.
Interesting
Post:
http://www.daveramsey.com/blog/things-to-never-buy-at-yard-sales
Joel on
Software
Joel Spolsky is
an entrepreneur and owner of Fog Creek Software. Spolsky also maintains the
widely known blog Joel on Software, which discusses many issues and
mythologies associated with the development of software.
What this blog
does well: The bulk of
the content on this blog was written in the early 2000s; however, the
information was written generic and with mass appeal. Consequently, the site
still attracts visitors and is an effective way for Spolsky to advertise his
company and current projects.
Interesting Post: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000072.html
Nuts About
Southwest
Nuts About
Southwest is a blog that communicates interesting information about Southwest
Airlines. The information is always relevant to the airline; however, the
content is entertaining and interesting. Topics range from philanthropy at
southwest, to safety information, to flashback pictures that show the airline in
its early years.
What this
blog does well: The
content on the Nuts About Southwest blog is enjoyable and engaging. It focuses
on information a consumer may not know about the airline and presents this
information in a new and interesting way. In some ways, this blog humanizes the
airline, leaving the reader feeling that they can connect with the company
personally.
Interesting Post: http://www.blogsouthwest.com/video/flashback-fridays-mad-dogs-last-run/
Stephan Pastis
Stephan Pastis
is the creator of the Pearls Before Swine comic strip.
What this
blog does well: This
blog is hilarious and is a joy to read. The content is based on Pastis’s
experiences and insights on a number of topics. Expressing this humor in a blog
format gives Pastis the opportunity to make users aware of products he is
selling and special events he is hosting. It also serves to demonstrate that a
blog is the perfect solution for small businesses to attract attention.
Interesting Post: http://stephanpastis.wordpress.com/2013/12/16/dilbert-creator-scott-adams-and-me-go-head-to-head-and-it-does-not-end-well-for-one-of-us/
Scott Berkun
Scott Berkun is
an author and professional speaker.
What this blog does well:
Berkun’s blog does an
outstanding job of establishing his own personal brand. Visitors get a taste of
his writing style and his personal viewpoints on a number of topics. Berkun
also provides insights into the world of writing and speaking. The use of this
blog is brilliant because it establishes Berkun as competent writer and speaker
in the minds of the readers and in some cases this will lead to book purchases
and speaking engagements.
Interesting Post: http://scottberkun.com/2014/how-events-should-end/
The examples are endless, as
the numbers of blogs available are numerous.
Sound off: What blogs do you
think do an excellent job promoting a business or individual? Do you regularly
visit blogs? What type of information of format do you find valuable?
Blogs are a great way to keep conversations going, just as Dave Ramsey does. I am a Dave Ramsey fan and enjoy how he and his team have embraced technology in radio. Dave Ramsey is using podcasts, involving listeners and encouraging sharing of videos and stories not only on the show, but online and via their social media pages. Dave Ramsey's blog is constantly updated and informative and encouraging when it comes to going through the journey of becoming debt free. There are many great blogs, like those you have listed and they all have similarities of posting interesting and relevant content. Some blogs are random or don't post consistently which can make them less popular.
ReplyDeleteOutstanding blog Nick! The examples you provide, with descriptions regarding what each does well in terms of engaging their audience, is excellent. To be honest, until recently, I did not really understand the value of a blog. After all, at a time when most online communications are moving towards more brief communications, why would there be a need for longer post in the blog format. Further, who has time to read all of that? However, I think the key is developing a targeted audience. Most blogs, within or outside of the structure of a formal website, do not appeal to everyone – nor could they. However, what blogs are apparently good at is developing a niche following, based on the subject/topic. For those interested in the blogger or the subject matter, checking in periodically to see what is new or what is on the blogger’s mind, can become part of their regular online routine. This is similar to developing a relationship with a newspaper columnist that writes about certain topics (sports, finances, agriculture) – back in the old days. It is a great way to build a relationship with an online audience.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the insights!
David
I really enjoyed reading your blog this week for a couple of different reasons. The first reason is that before I took this class I did not really understand why blogs have become so important. With the information that you had presented, I understand more about why businesses and some individuals choose to use blogs over other social media sites. I think that blogs have great advantages over other social media sites because like you mentioned businesses not only talk about what products or services they have to offer, but they also discuss ways in how using that product is effective. This gives customers a better insight into how a certain product can be effective. The other reason I enjoyed your blog is because of the examples you gave about why certain blogs have become successful. I really liked how these other blogs incorporated other interesting topics, but still managed to focus on the topics that they have discussed whether that be on the radio or about certain products.
ReplyDeleteWell done blog, Nick!