One of the most frequent questions I receive while traveling is about blogging. The questions revolve around how to get started, what to talk about, and what software to use.
My questions back to them usually startle the person, because so many start thinking about what they want to say, other than what their target audience needs to hear. Here are a few...
1. Who are your primary and secondary targets for your blog?
2. What do you want to tell them?
3. Do you understand what the key informational needs of the audience are?
4. Are you reading other blogs on that topic, and ones targeting your customers and prospects?
5. If you are reading, are you leaving comments that add to the online conversation on the blogs you cover?
6. Do you have a firm grasp on the types of keywords to focus on that would be relevant to your blog?
7. Do you follow those keywords on Technorati and Google Blog Search? Do you have alerts set up around those keywords at Google Alerts?
8. Can you commit to blogging at least two-to-three times per week? (consistency is key)
9. What is your ultimate goal in starting a blog? In one year from when you start blogging, how will your life be different?
10. Are you looking at blogging as a challenge or something that could be fun?
Of course, I don't ask all of these in order in fear I would scare them off, but these are the general starter questions. These questions should be the same for individuals as well as businesses.
The majority of blogs out there don't make it. The worst thing you can do as a business is start a consistent dialogue with your customers and then stop. Better not to do one at all.
Remember, blogging is just a tool. Some businesses aren't ready to commit resources or change their culture (full transparency) to adapt to a blog. That's okay. But all businesses must understand the power of blogging. Your brand is what people read about and talk about online. You have to decide if you want to be a part of shaping that conversation around your brand.
More Helpful Resources:
- Problogger's Blogging Tips for Beginners
- 10 Enterprise Blogging Trends for 2008
- Business Blogging: 5 Lessons Learned and Strategies Discovered
Those are good questions to ask yourself before you start blogging. Because blogging is a good way to connect with your customers and to expand your social network, you need to be careful and consistent with your blogging.
Posted by: EH | July 31, 2008 at 04:46 PM
Great post Joe. Could not agree with you more. If one does this right, then it is easy to measure and make adjustments along the way, rather than saying it does not work and having to abandon it. These metrics alos become great talking points to getting buy in from the management and also to update them regularly on the success of the effort.
Plus, it keeps you it is a constant gauge on how well you are serving the needs of your audience.
Posted by: Go-Gulf | January 26, 2009 at 11:21 AM
Good post about blog questions.I agree with your questions.
Posted by: kiran | February 13, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Is it illegal to post a customers email on a blog??
Thank you
Posted by: Paul | February 24, 2009 at 08:08 PM
I found your website and see that you are using blog material from the Printing universe. I'm a printing broker that has spent a lifetime explaining the process to others. Now I find that I need to branch out. I saw on LinkedIn that you are acquainted with some of the same people that I know, especially Marilyn McDonald. Maybe we can talk.
Posted by: Bill Ruesch | March 06, 2009 at 02:42 PM
@Bill...my start was in the print custom world. Be happy to talk at your convenience.
jp
Posted by: Joe Pulizzi | March 06, 2009 at 02:47 PM
Writing for your blog can be difficult in many ways, mind numbing at times too. Your readers want the information quickly, clear as they want it, by at large, in bite-sized morsels rather than long, buffet type spreads. This can make the art of being clear even more difficult than it might be in other mediums.
Posted by: home business leads | October 05, 2009 at 06:19 PM
I was just reading through this post and what you say here really resonates with me, 'The worst thing you can do as a business is start a consistent dialogue with your customers and then stop'.
I used to follow a lot of people in the internet marketing crowd because they shared great content. I noticed that in the last 6 to 12 months that a lot of marketers switched from sharing regular content to only sending out a post if it was promoting something that would earn them a commission.
You can guess that I no longer read these blogs. I think in these cases it very much is as you say, 'Better not to do one at all.'
Posted by: Karl | October 28, 2009 at 08:34 AM