I have always thought that corporate blogging is one of those unfortunate, oxymoronic phrases. Blogging at its best is not about corporate formality. It is more about communicating in a voice that is genuine and authentic.
Having said that, many companies are looking to use blogs to expand their communications efforts and build online influence. Paul Gillin offers excellent advice in his post Blogging Blunders, Part I.
The first tip advises against using the blog as a dumping ground for marketing and PR content such as press releases.
Communications professionals are skilled at delivering messages, not promoting conversations. When presented with another channel, they tend to use it to push out a message. In the worst cases, these messages are nothing more than press releases. Lacking interactivity and insight, they fail to generate any reaction. Worse, they make the company look clueless about the medium.
Although I agree with the larger point, I take issue with the first sentence above; many communications professionals are involved with promoting conversations these days.
He does say PR should be involved, but relegates us to an advisory role
Contributors should be the experts within the company. They are most likely to be the ones who will have meaningful dialogue with the audience. The communications people should focus on big-picture issues like voice, topic selection and quality of writing. They should also sweat details like copy editing. Like orchestra conductors, their role is to bring out the best from the individuals in the ensemble.
With that qualifier, we are on the same page. I tell clients that the
blog is not something that can be completely outsourced to the agency.
He also advises against using the blog for chest beating, over things like awards, saying few people will care. I generally agree here, with a caveat. Ideally, people will get to know you and your blog over time. They will hopefully become familiar with the voices and personalities behind the blog. To the extent that they care about individual contributors or the company at large, they may well want to know what you are doing and share in your excitement about successes.
Similarly, some people dislike mundane updates on Twitter about what you are doing, and others enjoy these. It doesn’t have to be all business and deep insight all the time. Some of the most successful blogs and widely followed Tweeters do a fair amount of name dropping, chest beating, etc.
Finally, Gillin suggests getting a distinctive look for the blog by going beyond the canned templates:
It’s difficult enough to distinguish yourself among the millions of sites that are already out there. Don’t make it worse by looking just like them.
He points out that for a small investment you can get a custom design or, at a minimum, explore the extended set of third party templates.
I offered some tips that go into more detail on this and other apects of blogging in my post Launching a Company blog in 3 Easy Steps.
