Ten Rules For Company Blogs

If you haven’t ventured into launching a company blog yet, you can talk to me about dipping your toes in the big blog ocean. Or if you’re trying to work out the best way to start a company blog, try reading my ten tips for writing company blogs to help you get started.

1. Be yourself! It’s what all your existing customers like about you, remember? Don’t try and write in ‘corporate speak’ on your blog, write in a slightly more informal way but without appearing too familiar or chatty. Above all, try and set the ‘tone’ for how you’d like others to perceive your company

2. Jargon – If you’re trying to reach people with little knowledge of your industry, don’t use too much of your industry jargon. If you do, consider explaining the phrases you use so that others can see that you’re taking the time to be understood.

3. Be SEO Friendly. Easier said than done, but it’s surprising how often people don’t do it. Write your title and description tags to replicate phrases that people actually use to search with. Newspaper and magazine websites are particularly prone to this. They’ll write in their title tag their headline, for example, “Phew, What A Scorcher” instead of “Summer weather reports and weather forecast advice online”

4. The Gerlad Ratner Phenomenon. If you haven’t heard of him, read this. His speech was right up there with distributing photocopies of your backside at the Christmas party. Don’t ‘Do A Ratner’. Remember that once it’s out there, it’s out there and be careful what you say about your existing customers and readership.

5. Be consistent. Both in frequency of postings and in what you say. Try and post on a regular basis. Some people say ideally every day, but for most people that’s too much. If you really want to hit the ground running with your blog and generate a big following, then consider hiring someone like me to author it for you and kick start your ideas.

6. Invite discussion. Allow comments on your blog without waiting for moderation. Wordpress has some very powerful spam protection measures, so don’t worry about Viagra ads popping up. To help prompt discussion, try finishing your post with a query or request for readers viewpoints, like I’ve done here.

7. Give something first. Social media such as blogging is different to normal marketing and promotion. Give something to your audience without expecting anything in return. Continue to do this for several months and don’t expect the phone to ring for a while. People like to see that you have knowledge on your subject so try and become considered as ‘undeniably good’ at what you do.

8. Don’t be scared! Too many people, myself included, didn’t think that what they did was particularly interesting. Indeed I initially dismissed blogging as a kind of self congratulatory ‘High Five Dude’ idea where people spouted off about themselves. How wrong I was.. People really are interested in what you do, so take the courageous step to get out there and write about it.

9. Look Inside! Many of my clients who want help with company blogs struggle for inspiration and subject matter. I used to struggle until one day, the penny dropped and this is really important! Things that to you that are every day occurences within your business are actually really interesting to other people. My motorsport clients in particular fall for this one. Every day, they deal with interesting supercars, rally cars and machinery most can only dream about, but they never give it a second thought. Unless it’s top secret, blog about it!

10. I don’t have a number ten. Remember my number six point? What’s your favourite tip for blogging and what have you learned about communicating with your clients and propects in this way?

Tagged as: beginning blogging, free advice on business blogging, starting a company blog