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BLOGGING: A POWERFUL WAY TO GET INSIDE THE MIND OF YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE Though a blog is technically a platform for publishing content, the type of interaction that has evolved through blogging has resulted in a type of business to consumer communication that was never before possible on such a mass scale. Today’s savvy companies are leveraging blogs to:
A strategically executed blog marketing campaign puts buyers and sellers in direct contact with each other, breaking down the traditional barriers between companies and their customers. Smart companies are utilizing blogs to gain insight from their target audience, test new concepts, and discover untapped needs in order to position themselves as leaders in their industries. Though blogging, companies are generating buzz about products and services, discovering strategic partnership opportunities, and encourage endorsements other bloggers with established readership bases. Bill Gates terms this type of practice “friction-free capitalism.” Jon Buschlen with .COM Marketing said, “As easy as blog marketing
may sound, 90 percent of corporate bloggers are not doing it right.
Most people think of the corporate blog as an extension of the public
relations function – pushing the company’s messages
out into the marketplace. While that may be the ultimate goal, it
certainly isn’t the strategy that will gain traction in the
blogosphere.” THE STRATEGY The act of blogging is a lot like traditional social networking – it’s about building relationships, promoting others in related but non-competing industries, and establishing trust. Pushy, overt marketing tactics don’t fly on blogs. Blogging is centered around trust - when readers come to trust a blogger and that blogger recommends a product or service, the conversion rate is like nothing we’ve seen from any other online marketing format. Once a relationship has been established within the blogging community, more companies shoot themselves in the foot by not completing the circle, said Buschlen. Bloggers not only want to provide input, but they want to know how their input has been used. They need to feel like their time was well spent and their opinions were valued. It’s important for writers to contribute to other bloggers’ articles – a type of pay-back in the blogosphere. Creating these types of back links to your Web site has the added benefit of helping your site receive a higher placement from search engines. To really gain credibility among the blogging community, you have
to think like your readers – and credibility is key, added
Buschlen. The corporate blogger must be a perceived industry expert
who understands that relationship building and two-way dialog is
key. For example, many high-tech companies rely heavily on their
internal bloggers to help develop new products. The ability to speak
directly to end-users and understand their pain points at the front
end can directly translate into sales on the back end. THE PAYOFF From building a community to increasing a company’s position among search engines, the benefits of blog marketing are tremendous. Riding the wave of consumer advocates who actively make purchase recommendations can help companies create the type of loyalty that can never be bought with advertising dollars.
.Com Marketing - Call us today so we can help you navigate the New Digital Future. 1-866-266-6584. The Firm
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