As web publishing has gotten easier, more and more organizations have turned to corporate blogs to share industry news, company announcements and insights. Self-service platforms like WordPress make it easy for small organizations, and individuals even, to easily create and publish a blog, and increasing numbers of businesses are taking advantage. (On WordPress alone, which is used by businesses that range from A.wordsmith to TechCrunch, TED, CNN, Major League Baseball and the National Football League, users produce about 53.6 million new posts and 59.3 million new comments each month.)

No matter the size of your organization, a blog can be beneficial to your business. Regular blog posts can help you build your brand identity, attract great people to work with you and bolster your email list. A blog can help you become a thought leader within your industry and help you connect personally with clients. It helps people find you online, because it can improve your SEO, and it’s credible: Due to their personal natures, blogs have been rated the fifth most-trusted source for accurate online information. And it’s an incredibly cost-effective method of doing all of these – the only thing blogging costs you is your time.

Some of the corporate blogs often feted for being done really, really well include Virgin Atlantic,  Coca-Cola Unbottled,  Whole Foods and Wal-Mart, and it’s clear that each company has a crystal clear understanding of its target customer. They find interesting stories and approach them in unusual ways, and they strive with each post to make a personal connection with their readers.

The topics you choose can span anything, really, that is of interest to your customers and prospective customers:

  • Stories that align with your corporate objectives
  • Expert opinion on your market or vertical
  • Product or service features, news and updates
  • Solutions to your customers’ pain points
  • Commentary on mainstream news, specifically how it affects or relates to your industry. Personalized aggregators like LinkedIn Pulse can help you find the most relevant news, quickly
  • Tips and hints
  • Visuals and infographics related to your business

 

What types of blogs have you found resonate with your target customer? If you haven’t started a corporate blog, what’s holding you back?