To blog or not to Blog

One question I hear quite a lot from my clients is “should I create my own blog to drive more traffic?” – although it’s usually phrased more like “we need a blog on our site”.

I am beginning to hear it so often that I thought it warranted a mention here.

To blog or not to blog – that is the question.

First of all let me just say I am talking here about hosting your own blog on your own site (or at least using an off the shelf blog package like WordPress). My usual response to this question is “why do you want one?” – which sounds perhaps a little stupid but it gets people really thinking about the reasons why they want a blog. Nine times out of ten it is because they want more traffic and ultimately more sales and they have heard that blogs get lots of visitors. I would say if this is the only reason you want a blog then no – don’t have one as you’ll end up with a permanent headache trying to find content to fill it with and usually that content will be such poor quality that no-one will bother reading it anyway.

So why have a blog?

A blog is a great way of sharing information with the world in a way which is familiar and informative. If you have information which is either changing rapidly or you have so much to give that you could continually write pages and pages then a blog is a perfect platform. If you want to have a blog then you need to have a reason for it to be there – and this reason should ALWAYS be centered around your customers/the readers. You need to have a communication strategy and something to offer which is either not being offered by others or you know is in demand.

So – should you blog and if you do what could it be about? Here are a few pointers:

1. Can you honestly say you can provide valuable information to your client base – or even the wider world – regularly? And when I say valuable I do not mean just reiterating what is already on your website!
2. Will your information encourage people to return to your site frequently – or even better share your site with their colleagues/friends?
3. Do you have the time and resource to promote, maintain, grow and participate in in this new community?
4. Are you prepared to be a little vulnerable by allowing the random public and even competitors to post feedback on your blog? (you can lock it down so you authorise all comments but then why have a blog – you could just have a news/rss feed)
5. Do you actually want to contribute to the wider online community for your industry?

If you answer yes to most or all of the above then you can safely say that a blog may be worth having. If not then you don’t need to bother reading on.

OK you potential bloggers – now to think about what to put up there! Here are a few tips:

1. Are you an expert in anything? – if yes then help people out with your knowledge – gain “Guru” status and boost the perception of your brand
2. Have you got anything that others do not have – and is it sustainable?
3. Are you funny, insightful, helpful, controversial – or even just weird!?
4. Can you think of a recurring theme for a weekly post – e.g. if you are a car rental company you could have a “Five Fings in a Fiesta Friday” regular video-post slot  – which is not only amusing but also shows the versatility and spaciousness of the Fiesta (other vehicles are available, “Fings” is poetic license, that idea is mine!)
5. Can you go the extra mile – can you do something better than your competitors?
6. Can you give things away for free or regularly run special offers etc?
7. Can you create a community or knowledge base around your industry?

These are just a few things to get your mind whiring – but remember – TIME and MONEY – blogs require both (usually time costs money) so don’t enter the blogosphere lightly.

If you want to get a feeling of what it is like blogging then feel free to comment below!

(Cartoon “Hamlet” image pinched from here: http://ladderonwheels.blogspot.com/2008/04/upcoming-series-summer-of-hamlet.html – found via Google Images. Contact me if you want it removed)