A Blog is more than a “High Tech” Website

You might wonder why your organization needs a great blog when it already has a great website. A website is an excellent tool to publicize a quarterly calendar of events, long range expectations, fund raising goals, or other static content. It can promote areas of expertise, affiliate organizations and provide directions. All of this is one–way communications. A website is like an advertising billboard with periodic changes and infrequent updates.

A blog on the other hand is a more personal, interactive, and real-time communications medium. The content is dynamic and evolving. Using advanced technology and blog software, your organization (or more appropriately, the blog administrator or team) can efficiently post daily items of interest and respond to comments posted by customers.

Benefits of an External Blog

While the advantages of an external, or public, blog are many, it’s only as effective as the commitment of the Marketing, Communications or IT Department to utilize this Web 2.0 technology. Fortunately, no real technical expertise is needed to respond to posts once a blog application is in place.

• Build Rapport: The interactive and conversational nature can build rapport with the customers or clients. They feel like they are part of the process when they see their response to posts published. Daily posts can also give investors or customers a small glimpse of company life.
• Provide Information: Post items of interest to customers that would not normally be published on website. Provide information about temporary situations like construction inconveniencies.
• Enhance Marketing Efforts: Post new ideas or future initiatives and get feedback from your customers. This is a great low cost way to conduct market research.
• Display a ‘High Tech’ Image: Pack your blog with new content daily, invite reader participation, provide RSS feed, and develop a dynamic blog roll. Customers expect relevant information. What they want to see is innovation, excitement, and implementation of current technology.

Examples of Excellent External Blogs

The Platform: The Official Cisco Blog

Running a Hospital: by Paul Levy, President / CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston

Skype Blogs: written from the perspective of the people who work at Skype

The Wall Street Journal

I challenge you to take the next step. You can learn a new technology, develop your writing skills, and gain project management and collaboration experience. Enhance your career by taking a leadership role in implementing a public blog for your organization.

Contact Mike Mitchell at [email protected] for further information.