Many companies are using social networks, including blogs, to promote their activities, share news with customers, reach new audiences, create sales and offer better service.
Social media are services that allow people to interact and share, and create content through online communities.
A blog is an Internet site that comprises a series of entries or ‘publications’ on topics of interest to the author.
The value of a blog as a marketing and promotional tool for businesses is the speed and ease with which a new blog post can be created, and the ability to interact with readers or customers and start online conversations.
Like any commercial activity, managing a blog requires planning, resources, and oversight.
This guide provides basic information on how blogs work, the potential benefits of commercial blogging, ideas for improving blogs, and details on how to manage online conversations.
How a Business Blog Works
A business blog is usually an extension of a commercial website. A good blog is a series of periodic updates that encourage people to come back and read the latest content.
Blogs are content that is continually updated in a journal format. They can be quite diverse, from written updates to video journals. Blogs often incorporate photographs, art, videos, music, and audio.
A defining feature of modern blogs is that the content is easy to upload and publish using a blog service. This has made web publishing accessible to almost everyone.
Blog Publications
Comments
One of the most effective uses of a blog is to provide an interactive experience for its readers. Allowing readers to leave comments on your blog posts creates an online conversation that can help companies get valuable feedback on your products and services.
As a blog author, you can respond to comments and may need to manage (moderate) these online exchanges.
The term “blog post” refers to the content that makes up the blog. In general, the most recent post is shown first, with the oldest posts below.
Desktop
The control panel is a common part of the blog that can only be accessed by blog authors, usually through a login.
The desktop often provides access to administrative tasks such as changing the look and feel of the blog design, managing posts, reviewing and moderating reader comments, and creating and editing new posts using a built-in post editor.
Labels and categories
Each blog post can be organized into categories and tagged keywords that help readers find posts that interest them.
Archive
A busy blog, such as one that is updated daily, will quickly accumulate many entries. These entries are organized into files that readers can navigate by clicking on a particular month, year, or date range.
Storage and backup of blog entries should be part of online and computer backup procedures.
Who uses commercial blogs?
The use of commercial blogs is increasing rapidly online with the increase in the use of social networks by businesses.
This growing use of blogs and social networks reflects the strong, continued growth of social networks as an important means of communication.
Companies that use blogs
Companies that use blogs range from large corporations to small businesses such as restaurants and professional photographers.
It is likely that companies that can benefit from a business blog:
- Have a business plan that recognizes social networks as a key marketing channel
- Targeting clients who use social networks
- Recognize the value of word-of-mouth recommendations on social networks
- Have dynamic products or services, so they often have news to share, such as new menu items, new products, new information or regular special offers
- Develop relationships with your customers over time rather than just one-time transactions
- Have a ‘personality’ as well as a brand
- Hire enthusiastic staff about social networks.
People who read blogs
The social networking report 2016 found that 60% of all Internet users read reviews or blogs online, and 40-49 year olds are more likely to do so.
On average, people expect to read up to 5 reviews before making a purchase decision.
Readers’ comments on blogs, particularly on customer experiences, play a vital role in influencing shoppers.
The survey found that people who use social networks also use their networks to find out about:
- clothing and fashion – 35%
- electrical products – 45%
- furniture and household items – 38%
- computers and hardware – 28%
- music – 25%
- software – 16
- games – 20%
- cosmetics, beauty and fragrances – 22%.
Benefits of Blogging for Business
There is a wide range of benefits for companies that use blogs for promotion and marketing. A blog is an additional tool that not only is able to reach new customers, but can also create a dynamic community that exchanges information, solutions, opinions and opinions about a company and its products, services and reputation.
Reach new customers
Using a blog as a key element of an online marketing and promotion initiative gives you the opportunity to reach new customers, and present a new commercial face to your existing customers.
The interconnected nature of social networks, where a single customer can share an experience with their own network, presents opportunities to reach many more people.
In addition, the dynamic nature of a blog, which is always updated and updated, helps to achieve a higher ranking of search results on the Internet, which in turn attracts new customers.
Develop brand or ‘personality
The personal nature of blogs and the ability to generate online conversations and interactions allow a company to develop and project a personality or specific traits, such as being innovative or focused on customer service.
However, these characteristics must be defined and managed through clear planning to ensure consistency over time.
Collection of opinions, comments and testimonials
Blogs and reader comments are a key source of information for your business and for other readers and customers.
Readers’ comments, and in particular customer comments, provide detailed and immediate feedback on your business activities, products and services.
Positive feedback gives confidence to other potential customers, while negative feedback gives you the opportunity to respond to their concerns, defend their products/services or improve their business processes.
Responding and handling complaints
Be prepared for complaints and negative comments, and do not react negatively to genuine comments.
The way you respond to criticism, especially in conversations initiated by your blog, will have a significant impact on the way you are perceived by your followers and the online community.
Negative complaints and comments can present invaluable opportunities to improve service and products in a way that wins new followers and customer loyalty.