In the world of promotional products and online marketing, a professional blog lets businesses relay important messages to a large audience instantly, making blogging one of the most effective tools available on the internet. However, a blog can just as easily hurt a company if not treated carefully, and small businesses must be vigilant to avoid common mistakes.
The first thing to decide is whether a blog will be professional or personal. There are really only two types to choose from, so it shouldn’t be too difficult of a decision. A professional blog should be certain to comment on industry-related topics and maintain an objective tone. Corporations can also use this type of blog to announce promotional events or tradeshow giveaways, and to make official statements about the company itself.
A personal blog offers more leeway in terms of actual opinion, but one must be extremely careful when leveraging viewpoints and advice. Plenty of publicity fallout can occur from a hasty comment on a social media website. Remember, a personal blog is the direct voice of a person or company, and anything written will be directly attributed to the party publishing the content.
One thing to keep in mind with both types of blogs is the advantage of securing a unique web address. By having a specific URL instead of a generic address from a free blogging website, companies can ensure that a reader will be linked to their custom content and not bombarded by competing advertisements or services. Although it will certainly not be free to obtain, a private blog also allows a level of customization that normally is not provided by free blogging sites.
Once a blog is set up with content and published, how does one attract viewers? A good way to start is incorporating common keywords into written content. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Marketing is an integral part of online media today, and keywords ensure that readers will be able to find a blog through a generic search engine and not just a single website. Linking to similar blogs will also boost readership, even if one is linking to a directly competing site.
The pen is always mightier than the sword, and in the right hands, a blog can be a powerful marketing tool for any business.