Are Weblogs worth the pixels they’re printed on, and does your business need one?

Many London, Ink clients and others have asked about the viability of 'blogs as marketing tools for companies, associations and other entities. So many, in fact, that I have devoted this 'blog posting to the subject.

The answer depends on your capacity and aptitude for several things:

• Dedicating a lot of time to writing.
• Enjoying writing.
• Being relevant.
• Being frequent.
• Self-promoting.

Let's say you are a subject matter expert or authority on a topic: perhaps legal issues surrounding wireless telecom. You've heard about 'blogs and enjoy writing, so you set one up (see how below). Then you eagerly post a couple items--probably a Welcome message, then a brief perspective on a current event in your field.

Now what? (Imagine the sound of cyber-crickets chirping.) You refresh a few times to admire your work. Check the feedback section to see if your work has resonated enough to generate any comments. What’s next?

First rule for any type of writing: keep writing. Not for the sake of writing, but for relevance to your audience. Are you really providing a unique perspective that people will find interesting and hopefully useful? Have a few friendlies (associates, partners, friends) ready the 'blog and give unvarnished feedback, even if it hurts.

Wait a minute, this seems odd. You're right, we skipped a few basics. Like any sound business initiative, starting a 'blog without having goals, expectations and a plan is probably a waste of time. Goals and expectations. Do you want your blog to drive traffic to your main site or the other way around. How will you know if its working? Be honest: is this just a vanity project? Plan. How often are you prepared to write? Do you have a list of topics that will last for a few months or will you be deciding as you go? Can someone else in your organization assist with writing or publishing?

Promoting your 'blog. By the way, how do you expect your audience to find your 'blog? By definition most 'blogs are niche-focused, so you have some work to do to find your target and promote the site to them or through them. This is analagous to the early days of the World Wide Web, when content was exploding but search and index sites were not ready for prime time, nor did they provide the advertising and promotional opportunities they do today.

There are two types of promotional vehicles for a 'blog:

Free. Usually the most relevant and cost-effective way to showcase your 'blog is by promoting it on your main (corporate) Web site. This should ensure you are reaching a relevant base of readers. If your site isn't particularly high traffic you need to find online outlets that target a similar group. If you're fortunate you might find some free outlets who think your content is so valuable and relevant to their audience they will promote it for free. There are also a number of 'blog search and directory sites that attract growing audiences. Be prepared to do lots of legwork for this.

Paid. There are also paid promotional channels such as search engine keyword advertising, which charge you for each person who clicks from your ad to your 'blog. This is a good way to build an initial readership base if you do a good job selecting your keywords and writing your ad copy. If this proves cost efficient, keep doing it.

Call to action. Your 'blog is a marketing tool, so don't hestitate to direct people where you want them to go: Contact Page, shopping site, order form, etc. These calls to action can be interspersed in your postings and on sidebar ads provided by most Weblog tools.

How to start a Weblog. Go to www.blogger.com, a division of Google. Its a dummy-proof way to publish a 'blog, with templates, easy interfaces and lots of options for ambitious 'bloggers.

Bottom line. As with any other form of marketing, nothing beats word of mouth for cost-effective growth and building a loyal following. This means having a great product that gets people thinking and talking. This means writing a ‘blog that’s relevant, of value to your target, and updated frequently enough to keep them coming back.