July 29 2008 | posted by Joanne Curtis | comments [0]

Strengthening CIB’s new media skills, our very own Alasdair Glen recently attended an effective corporate blogging seminar.  The course was too extensive to delve into too deeply, but we’ll certainly be looking to lead by example on the CIB blog.

Blogging is one of the most popular forms of new media in both the public sphere and commercially.  Over 70 million blogs are currently in existence, and in the US 7 out of 10 companies now use one for their CEO to communicate with their customers.

From a PR perspective, blogs are one of the most credible ways to directly communicate with the public for any brand.  The personal feel of a blog is very effective and can have a real impact on the readers. However, it’s really important to keep in mind a few key points when setting up a blog.  Here are some blogging basics to point you in the right direction:

1. Have a clear reason for blogging – whether it’s purely as a marketing tool, as a type of focus group, an opportunity for thought leadership or a platform for a viral campaign, blogs can have many different purposes. Keep yours clear and at the forefront of how you blog.  And remember – people will only read your blog if they can get some kind of benefit from it.

2. Update constantly! – blogs are successful because they are relevant and interactive, so respond quickly to posters and update frequently.

3. Stick to blog etiquette – like any other media, there are ways that things are done in the blogosphere.  This means avoiding misleading or “False Blogs,” never reproducing the content of another blog without linking to the original, and bear in mind that all comments on a blog are open to the public.

4. Remember: you’re responsible! – as the site owner you count as the publisher of all the content on the site; including comments posted by readers. Be sure to moderate content quickly, and remember that anything libellous is just as illegal on the internet!

For more information on developing a corporate blog for your company, contact CIB.