What is a Business Blog?
Although Blog was the most requested word of 2004 as per Merriam Webster Dictionary Online, there are quite a few people, for whom the word Blog is still unknown.
Blog is an online journal of events, raves, rants of the people. When blog first came, it was gladly adopted by teenagers and later by adults to write about their daily lives. Then writers and journalists entered the mix, writing about books and investigative reports on their blogs. Blogs gained prominence in 2004 US Presidential Elections. Meanwhile few innovative people invented "Business Blogs", "Corporate Blogs" and "Company Blogs". Suddenly Blogs started appearing on the Company web pages. Somewhere along the line, people discovered that search engines like Google and Yahoo were displaying Blogs, in most cases, above other search results. Impact of this discovery was huge! Corporations started writing blogs in the hope, to get more prospective customers to visit their websites.
So what exactly is a Business Blog? It is a blog about a business. It is a carefully planned journal about company products and/or services, tips and tutorials about using company's products. At times, customer service issues are addressed using a blog. Some companies have put up white papers on blogs, while others are achieving branding of their products on the blog. On rare occasions, blogs are used to launch or test market the product.
Here is a classic example of business blog. The Stonyfield Farm has not one, but four blogs to interact with customers and community about each of their four product streams. Each of these blogs does more than just praising their products. They provide service to the community. Read this blog here: http://www.stonyfield.com/weblog/
Larger corporations are able to allocate technical writers and/or sales and marketing personnel to write blogs for the company. To a certain extent, medium sized companies may be able to allocate resources for blogging. However small businesses maybe at a disadvantage, when it comes to writing and maintaining Blogs. Mostly a small business is one person show, trying to manage every aspect of business. Although, someone who owns the business or is experienced in the business is most suitable person to write the business, but now there is an option available - Business Blog Process Outsourcing.
How does Business Blog Process Outsourcing work?
Process starts with a thorough study of client's business. If client has a website, blog is embedded in it. If website does not exist, it can be created. Next, a series of posts (articles) are prepared, covering various products or services in consultation with the client. Client approves these posts and they are posted on a pre-selected schedule. Other services include, popularizing the blog by submitting it to various Blog Directories, making blog available via feeds and RSS Readers, optimize the blog for the search engine.
Blog posts generally receive comments which are good and at times not so good. Service includes moderation of all comments. All issues are resolved in a positive manner and in consultation with the client.
Take-away: With 80% people turning to internet to search for products and services, small businesses cannot afford not to be easily findable on search engines. Business blog is an easiest way to improve search engine rankings, provide customer response, tips and tutorials to better use company's products and services.
Harish Keshwani is a Strategic Blogging Consultant, Software Developer, Blogger and an Entrepreneur. He is focused on consulting and guiding small and medium businesses in setting up their blogs and managing it for them as an outsourced process.
He guides corporations of small and medium size to realize the potential of blogging for their business. With appropriate content, he helps companies to keep their customers satisfied and in close touch. He promotes blogging as a marketing and customer response tool to the companies.
His contact information is:Email: businessorati-at-gmail-dot-comCompany: Ideologic L.L.C.-A Small/Medium Business Blog Process Outsourcing Company.Website: http://www.ideologicllc.comBlog: http://www.ideologicllc.com/wp