Ms. Rose

Social Media & PR

To Blog or Not to Blog: That is the Question

By Clara Rose, Executive Director of Operations, ADA Friendly

The early 1990’s brought the internet, a global system of interconnected computer networks, to the business community via the World-Wide Web, the service or application that links it all together. This service was free and for the first time collaborators in remote sites could share their ideas and all aspects of a common project. Additionally, a forward thinking business could potentially reach the world with their products, services or message.

Business as a whole experienced a major paradigm shift and marketing was changed forever, as big business rushed to become a part of the revolution. To have a presence on the World Wide Web they had to hire a designer to create an information based, digital brochure of sorts. The business could then potentially be found on this amazing new digital phone book. Businesses joined the bandwagon and consumers embraced it as an information resource.

Similar to handing out a printed brochure to customers or clients, a static website provides consistent, standard information for an extended period of time. The website was seen as a tool to increase brand awareness on a larger scale and attract new customers, the idea of connecting to consumers had not even crossed our collective business minds.

The next phase of this evolution came in the form of editing tools. Text editors, template based editors and WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) tools offered the technically savvy individual or business the ability to change the content of their static website periodically. These sites are still considered static websites, as information is not changed often and it is not an interactive experience for the website visitor. Static sites offer products or services or capture information but do not allow engagement with the audience directly.

The single largest obstacle for the traditional static website was, and still is, visibility. How does a business get potential customers to find their website in this sea of competition? This dilemma gave birth to other great tools and the age of social media.

The advent of publishing tools for the web made it possible for the nontechnical user to publish content without knowledge of HTML or FTP, and ushered in the era of the web blog… a term used to describe web sites that maintain an ongoing chronicle of information.

Prior to the late 1990 when the term web log (a place to publish online) was coined by Jorn Barger, the question “To blog or not to blog” would have meant very little to the average business owner.

This new online advertising medium made it possible for a business to post new information about goods or services as often as it suited them. Additionally, it offered the ability for the consumer to leave comments or feedback for the business, information that was previously only available through costly research, surveys or consumer study groups.

As with all things related to web technology, blogging tools and platforms have kept pace with the growing demands for faster, easier and more user friendly interfaces. Some blogging platforms, such as Word Press, offer the option to simultaneously create an interactive website and blog, which is a great alternative for newer companies that don’t already have an established web presence.

Blogs can be created by an IT department as a part of a current web presence with an addition of a CMS (content management system) allowing access to the website blog, so content can be added without the aid of the web developer.

Additionally, many blogging platforms require no technical assistance for the novice. They provide the features required to create and maintain a blog, and can make publishing on the internet as simple as writing an article, giving it a title and organizing it under a category. This allows the writer or marketing professional to create and publish content at any desired interval. It also makes it possible to moderate comments and respond to visitor inquiries or complaints.

The latest advances also allow almost any kind of media to be linked to, or inserted into, a blog post with the click of a mouse, creating a multimedia, interactive experience for the visitor.

Blogging is often referred to as a form of social media advertising. The question that businesses are now asking themselves is one of participation, should their company be blogging? To Blog or Not to Blog: that is the question.

To Blog

Why should a company consider the time and financial investment of starting a blog?

• Blogging offers a platform for educating customers about current products and services. Additionally, it is a great place to talk about new products or to reward loyal customers with special offers. Weekly specials, contest or other benefits will keep visitors returning to the company site and blog.
• Blogging can improve search engine ranking for your website. With thousands of websites competing for the first page of a search, ranking is king. Statistics show that very few consumers will search past the first page of listings. If your company is not hitting the first page of a search, your chances of being found drop substantially. Better ranking = better visibility.
• Blogging offers your customer an interactive platform for giving suggestions or asking questions. This is an opportunity to hear what customers are saying and to respond if necessary. A customer who had a bad experience might leave a comment in frustration, but a timely response that resolves their issue could save the relationship. It is more cost effective to keep a customer than to find a new one. Think of your blog as an extension of your customer service efforts. Businesses continue to grow best through referrals from happy customers!
• Blogging helpful content will lead to consumer trust. Give them the information needed to make informed decisions and you will establish a trust relationship. Trust = Leads = Sales. Blogging can help build brand credibility and influence consumer opinions about your company as a whole, as well as your products and services. Use your blog to keep customers informed about your business and industry trends.
• Blogging turns your website into a multimedia marketing hub for your company and helps to establish it as an expert and industry leader.

A company blog can act as the newsletter or bulletin board where you keep your visitors informed about your business and industry trends, which keeps them coming back to your site. Without some sort of updated content, there is little reason to visit a web site more than once. A blog can change your static, online, brochure style website into an interactive experience that educates and creates customer loyalty.

Not to Blog

Are there any good reasons to Not Blog?

• Lack of resources. This is not a set it and forget it endeavor. It is better to not start a blog if the resources are not available to properly maintain it. Usually the financial investment for starting a blog is insignificant, the real cost comes in the form of man hours related to maintenance.
• Lack of time. It can be more damaging to start engaging with customers and then ignore them when they comment or ask questions. Don’t ask your visitors for their opinions and then not listen to what they have to say.
• Lack of knowledge. Learn what the requirements are for a successful and effective blog before making the decision to start one.

From a business perspective, it is always about return on investment. Before making a commitment, learn about the basic recommended minimum requirements for blogging. It is worth your time do to a little of your own research but here are a few commonly held beliefs about blogging effectively.

• 400 words is the recommended minimum for a blog post.
• Blog posts over 2000 words tend to not hold a visitors attention well.
• 800 words is the recommended blog post size, from a search engine perspective.
• The recommended minimum number of blog posts per week is 3-5, more is better.
• Social media marketing is recommended for building traffic to the blog.

Although the task of managing a blog can be a formidable one, the benefits will outweigh the time and expense. Businesses that embrace it are more likely to open up dialogue with the consumer, getting to know them and building personal relationships with them. Relationships foster and increase customer loyalty and retention, helping to spread “word of mouth” recommendations to potential clients.

Traditional Marketing and advertising will always be an important part of any business plan, but the current trends toward social media advertising is forging a new era in customer expectations. With a steady increase in consumer demand for more information and interaction, it might be time to consider a company blog.

In 2010 Ms. Rose joined ADAF, Inc. as the Executive Director of Operations, a role that allows her to engage in the creative activities she enjoys while making a difference in the world around her. ADAF, Inc. is the first company to offer a rating system and certification for ADA Friendly hospitality properties. It is Ms. Rose’s vision to be instrumental in the endeavor to grant access for guests with different abilities, to enjoy the full benefits of vacations and travel. To that end, ADAF offers sensitivity training for hospitality professionals and an accessibility rating system with a certification process. Utilizing an objective, standard and uniform rating system, potential guests can quickly recognize a hospitality property that can meet their own accommodation needs. Ms. Rose can be contacted at 800-530-5316 or clararose@adafriendly.org Extended Bio...

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