You Don’t Need a Blog
You may disagree – you may think to yourself: “I have things to say and people will want to read them”. If that’s you, sorry, move along sir or madam, I wasn’t talking to you, I was talking to the other reader who doesn’t have things to say, but a consultant / friend / neighbor told them they should start a blog and post things because it will help their business.
If you are considering blogging because you’ve either been told or believe that it will help your search rankings, it will help personalize your business or drive traffic to your site. I’m telling you that you don’t need a blog.
Yes, if done effectively, blogging can improve your search rankings, generate traffic and help put a personal face on your business, but so can more effective web design and copywriting and yet most people are smart enough to outsource those two, but try and fail at blogging (a point we will come back to later).
Be Consistent or Be Dead
The web is littered with the broken remains of dead blogs. Blogs that were started years ago when the craze first began. These sites launched with internal fanfare, a few well-thought out posts, some that may have even generated traffic or comments and ended up with a last post date of 2006 or 2007. This looks far worse for the business that if the blog hadn’t been created at all. With that in mind, here is a list of reasons of why you shouldn’t blog:
- You are not a writer
- You will struggle to find new content and therefore your blog will become stale
- People really don’t care what you have to say
- Your company or industry is boring
- You are afraid of writing anything controversial (for examples, see the previous two bullet points)
- You don’t understand “technology” and haven’t figured out to how to post from your typewriter (OK, it’s unlikely that you’re reading this if you are still using a typewriter, but you know what I mean)
“I want to do it anyway”
Good for you. You have tenacity. I admire that. If you can do it without worrying about the bullet points above. Go for it – and send me the URL so I can track your success (or say I told you so in a year from now).
Here’s a tip if you think you can pull it off (and your company is big enough), use multiple authors, it will increase your number of posts and make it easier for each person to have post ideas.
“Hmm, I like the idea, but you have me concerned”
If you think you like the idea of a company blog and the items on the list above are a problem, consider another option – outsource it. I’m sure there are several freelance writers out there who can create content for you at a reasonable price (and even do it in your voice). If you don’t know any writers, email me at brian at wearespoke dot com. I’ll send you some names.
Another Option – Try Social Media First
If your goal is to make your company more personal – other options to consider are social media tools like facebook or twitter (micro-blogging). Like blogs they can make your company seem more personable and they can generate traffic to your site. If you can make the commitment and keep the statuses of those items up-to-date, start a blog.
Don’t Put Lipstick on a Pig
If you have an ugly website, don’t drive traffic to it. It’s not going to help generate new business. Focus your energy on a new website design instead, then focus on blogging. By the way, ugly doesn’t just mean the design – If your site is pointless (no clear call to action other than listing your information in a brochure like fashion) and you think it will generate business, you are mistaken. The first thing you need to consider when someone visits your site is what are they for. If you are driving traffic to a site, have a reason – (e.g. Learn more about my time saving product, learn about how I can save your business in the failing economy here).
Tell Me What You Think
If you think I'm right or wrong, let me know in the comments below. If you have any questions or want to learn more about how to improve your blog, website or social media offerings feel free to email me at brian at wearespoke dot com. Thanks for reading – Brian.
Brian: Everything you say is true. Bravo! I’d blog a response over at http://www.AdSaint.com, but posting on a blog about a post on a blog about not needing a blog makes my head feel funny.
Your aggressive, offensive approach has convinced me! To use a more obsequious agency. One that knows their place!
Just kidding. Useful websites are so rare that it almost defies belief. The only website I ever did that was worthwhile was the Saint Louis Arch, which was ages ago, when they first launched it. Most companies have no need for a website, even.
You are probably too young to remember Newsletters, but they were the blogs of the 1980s. If you were to substitute “Newsletter” for blog and “Sales Force” for website in your post we would enter a kind of time warp and all be sucked back into the era when wearing skinny ties and Ray Bans was frowned upon in most decent agencies here in Saint Louis.
Just sayin’.
@ Walt – Thanks for the Bravo. I agree with the posting on a blog about a post on a blog… just typing that much made my head spin.
@ Tony – I prefer grouchy or snarky, but aggressive or offensive could work as well.
IMO, The main reason most companies these days need a website (from a consumer point-of-view) is so that they can be found. Search engines (specifically google) are the yellow pages of this era.
There are many reasons (from a business owner point of view) that this can be used advantageously to drive new sales from the web. But I know what you mean…
Re: Newsletters and sales force, you’re right, I am too young, I’ll defer to Chuck Hart and Dan Klein, two of my partners at Spoke for those references. I’m sure they remember them and Chuck likely helped build some in his 80’s agency hey days.
I like what you’re saying Brian. Companies shouldn’t start a blog just to have one. But if they’re spending money on SEO, or any online marketing, a blog is a powerful content manager.
84% of the latest poll respondents say they don’t trust company blogs. That’s because most are terrible. This hasn’t changed much since 2005, when 70% of companies reported being dissatisfied with their blog, but 80% said their reason for having a blog was just to “have one.”
You wouldn’t hire an employee or buy office furniture without having a purpose – why would a company add a social media project without a purpose (and just a tip – blogs are social media)?
The question – is not so much if a company should have a blog, but whether a company is willing to “get dirty” with social media. It is a paradigm shift – but one that is happening with or without the company.
You can’t hide from social media. A company may not write a blog, but someone, somewhere, is writing about them. And if they have no voice – they have no input.
Very good points Jim… Until companies recognize the value of social media (all sorts, not just corporate blogs) – their blogs will be just SEO tools, not destinations (or trusted resources – per your quoted stats) for readers, clients, etc.
I’d rather a client outsource social media efforts (if they understand the benefits) than take it on themselves and fail.
You’re right about the paradigm shift – it’s already taking place – their customers, competitors and likely their employees are all using social media.
As for my header (Try Social Media First), you’re right, It should say: “Try Other Social Media First” – My point is microblogs, facebook, et al are easier to commit to when getting started that a big public facing blog that will obviously be outdated when the posts stop.
And this is why I love http://www.spokenwhirred.com. Unbelievable post.
http://downloadinsisted.blogspot.com/2010/03/download-ranking-video-ferr.html