From Coca-Cola and GM to Southwest Airlines and Marriott, companies everywhere are jumping on the blogging bandwagon. In fact, 60 Fortune 500 companies publish blogs on their websites. Even Martha Stewart is blogging!
Reach Out and Virtually Touch Your Customers
Blogging continues to be a very powerful branding strategy, one that may be even more promising than advertising campaigns. What other medium gives you direct, unadulterated contact with your customers? TV, radio, print, and even PPC ads all feature one-way communication. In contrast, through the prose penned on a company blog, you can connect with your customers on a personal level, giving your target audience a chance to comment and provide feedback.
In addition, blogging is a powerful and affordable way to reinforce your branding strategy. For example, Southwest Airlines’ “Nuts about Southwest Blog” publishes humorous, personality-infused posts about new events and corporate culture that continue to extend its quirky branding strategy, while simultaneously connecting on a personal level with passengers.
With the branding benefits of blogging (no alliteration intended), how can you market and maximize the impact of your company’s blog?
Steer Clear of Advertising
While it may seem counterintuitive, you should not use your blog posts as an opportunity to advertise – at least, blatantly. Instead, the most successful corporate blogs provide interesting value and personal insight. For example, in a recent entry, Bill Marriott blogged about how the recession is impacting Marriot Hotels and what all companies can do to effectively cut costs to stay profitable. Coca-Cola’s historian Phil Mooney shares interesting tidbits of information about the beverage company’s illustrious past. Martha Stewart becomes even more endearing when she shares photos of her kitchen and the adventures of her adorable French bulldogs.
The common thread that runs through all of these corporate blogs is that they are not utilizing the platform to blatantly advertise or toot their own proverbial horn. Instead, through sharing personal insights and interesting information, they are building brand affinity, a strategy that allows the customer to feel a deeper connection with the company.
With brand affinity created through your blog posts, you don’t need to vulgarly advertise. For example, if you read Bill Marriott’s post about the fact that he is personally cutting 75% of his 2009 salary to minimize the number of employees that need to be laid off, wouldn’t you want to naturally make a reservation at a Marriott Hotel because you feel a personal connection with Bill? Or if you read Southwest Airline’s blog and have been keeping track of flight attendants Jodi and Christie on The Amazing Race, wouldn’t you feel inclined to click the “ding” button on the right sidebar to make a reservation? None of these blogs blatantly promote their businesses, but the subtle, humanizing connection translates into a healthier bottom line.
Whether you compose your own blogging prose or hire a freelance writer to express your thoughts, one fact is certain: your corporate blog can lead you right into the hearts and pocketbooks of your customers!
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