There is little doubt that utilizing a corporate blog is a productive tool for furthering your business. The problem is that many corporate blogs (like blogs in general) can become stale and perhaps even unprofessional.

Current customers, as well as prospective customers, will soon turn away if a blog is dull, uninspired or inappropriate. It can seem like a fine line maintaining an interesting and appropriate blog, but there are a number of tips to help your business get the most out of their blog.

Writing Style

For anyone who feels they want to write their own blog, the golden rule is to keep the content formal. This doesn’t mean stuffy or without any humor, but the writer should always keep in mind that anything they wouldn’t say in a business has no place in a business blog. There is of course one very simple reason for this: your customers read the blog and anything that negatively reflects on the writer of the blog will reflect poorly on the business.

Consistency is Key

Update the blog on a regular basis. There’s no need for it to be daily (or sometimes even weekly), but the simple fact is that readers/subscribers want to know when the next update will be. If you only want to update every two weeks then that’s fine, as long as readers aren’t expecting more. Also, avoid the temptation to update more often if you don’t feel you will have the material to write about. The temptation to post substandard quality material may be too strong.

There are so many posts out there that provide you with ideas on what to write. While you might think that it’s a good excuse to just say, “I have nothing to say”, think again. Check out a few of these posts to give you inspiration, “50 Blog Topics Marketers Could Write for Their Companies”, “50 Topics to Help You Get Started on Your Corporate Blog”, and “40+ Topics for Corporate Bloggers”.

“Free” Content

Consider using a guest blogger. This can reinvigorate a blog and add a slightly different feel. A guest blogger can also stray a little (but not too far) from your usual posts, so it’s a nice way to keep readers interested. In addition, guest bloggers like to promote their own work. In other words, it can be free promotion for your own site.

It should go without saying that you need to offer some guidance and set parameters. Always read the post before it goes live, don’t allow spam, tell writers to keep links to a minimum, and ask that they participate in the comments.

Participation

Some might think that getting users to comment on a blog post is hard, but not if you follow a few steps. Try to write your posts with a call to action at the end, or as some suggest (including Convince and Convert’s Jay Baer) try deleting the last paragraph of your blog post. By not finishing the post it can prompt users to comment and put in their two scents. Always, always, always respond back to a few comments, if not all of them.

Don’t automatically delete any negative comments. If they are fair, then keeping them on will make the business seem more honest. Also, those types of comments can inspire others to weigh in and defend your ideas or brand. Sparking conversation is a good thing.

Outsourcing? Maybe….

Perhaps one of your last resorts is to look to the services of a business blog writing service or hiring a professional writer to supplement your efforts. These can be a godsend for the busy business and for a modest fee, you can acquire the services of a professional writer who will be well versed in all areas of writing needed for your blog such as content marketing and SEO content. They will post on a regular basis and following consultation will always be on-message.

A corporate blog is a great way to keep customers up-to-date with your business and to keep a website fresh and interesting, with the search engines coming back for more.

There are so many facets to managing your corporate blog, I’m sure I’m missing a few. Feel free to add your ideas and experiences in the comments below.

Steve Lazuka is owner and operator of Interact Media, a SEO content company based in Ohio. He’s also an avid tweeter (@SteveLazuka), and a regular guest blogger on social media, web content, content development, business blogging, and more.

Tags: corporate blog

Categories: Business Tips