Is Blogging Overrated as a Marketing Tool?
Creation Date : Nov 3, 2009 11:35 AM | Modification Date : Nov 3, 2009 11:35 AM
Average User Rating
(0 ratings)
This Question is Possibly Answered
1 "correct" answer available( 4 pts) 2 "helpful" answer s available( 2 pts)
18
Replies
Last post
: Nov 22, 2009 10:57 AM
byGeorge Meszaros
Expert Answer
I think the word "blog" could result in some resistance. The concept behind blogging is ancient. Blogging is about communicating, and I don't think there are any executives that would publicly denounce the importance of communication.
If one understands that when we say, "we blog", we mean we are communicating with our customers, we should have a much greater acceptance.
I think some people might be too caught up on the actual platform not what the platform actually stands for.
You Blog if you want to:
Communicate with your market;
Announce changes about your company or your products/services;
Help your customers through change;
Apologize for a mistake;
Show appreciation;
Educate;
etc.
Once must not forget that when we blog we create value for our customers, and who would be against that?
George Meszaros
George is the CEO of Webene, a leading web presence solutions provider and new media marketing firm. Webene specializes in web design, graphic design, e-commerce solutions, web application development, custom content management systems (CMS), Internet marketing, Pay Per Click management, Search Engine Optimization, email marketing, and web analytics. Author of Triumph On The Web ? Revolutionize Your Business With Simple Online Strategies. He earned an MBA with an emphasis on Technology Management and an M.S. in Computer Information Systems. He has been a Vistage member since 2005.
Average User Rating
(0 ratings)
Average User Rating
(0 ratings)
Expert Answer
Patrick and George ,
Thanks for the posts.
The age range was 29-55, so the demographics are showing a older crowd that may not embrace technology in the same way. And they are also in a position of power to make decision and influence, thus the more interesting it is that they don't utilize the "buzz" that is around them--if there is a buzz at all. The companies these executives were in range all across the board from big to small.
The blog as a communication tool is not in question, I'd agree, however the blog as a "marketing" tool, designed to engage and entice the customer may not be the best use of time in many cases. Reason being if the blog is too subtle, opinioned, conversational, folksy, left or right winged, the reader may dismiss the message due to conditioning of what traditional marketing looks and sounds like.
Let's see where this leads.
Russ
Russell Riendeau, PhD
Russ Riendeau is the founder of East Wing Group, Inc., an executive search firm. He has interviewed over 78,000 business professionals, written five books on talent acquisition and retention strategies, appeared in thousands of media outlets, is a keynote speaker, and is a faculty appointee at Northwestern University's School of Continuing Studies.
Average User Rating
(0 ratings)
Average User Rating
(0 ratings)
Average User Rating
(0 ratings)
Average User Rating
(0 ratings)
Expert Answer
Jeremy and Al,
Great insights and data. I appreciate it. The perception of FREE is dangerous and powerful no doubt. Seth and Guy have done a nice job with blogs, and they wrote tons before blogs came around.
Last week I spoke with a literary agent about another book manuscript I'm seeking to publish. His comment was to start a blog and get a buzz going about the topic and content--then a publisher will be more interested. Hmmmm, let's see, less than 3% of executives and owners read blogs, less than 25 of Americans even read one book a year, and the blog I start will help get me a book deal? Something don't add up. Is it me, is it the publishers are smoking something at lunch, is the agent chasing shiny objects, too? I'm perplexed. For the record, I'll not be starting a blog to pitch the concepts. I've got a better chance of buying a Yankees Cap in Philly.
What our conversations are slllllowly starting to elicit from our little tribe of readers is that blogs are a tool for sure yet, may I say, overrated in their ability to cure the cancer of a poor marketing program, a program that stinks, or lazy marketing staff who want to outsource the elavy lifting of pushing SEND buttons and saying they're experts.
We've lit the fuse.
Russ
Russell Riendeau, PhD
Russ Riendeau is the founder of East Wing Group, Inc., an executive search firm. He has interviewed over 78,000 business professionals, written five books on talent acquisition and retention strategies, appeared in thousands of media outlets, is a keynote speaker, and is a faculty appointee at Northwestern University's School of Continuing Studies.
Average User Rating
(0 ratings)
Average User Rating
(0 ratings)
Expert Answer
Patrick,
You said it perfectly. Let's see what others think. Thanks for the book encouragement.
I'm teaching a 2 day workshop at Northwestern U. this week and blogs will be a topic of discussion.
Russ
Russell Riendeau, PhD
Russ Riendeau is the founder of East Wing Group, Inc., an executive search firm. He has interviewed over 78,000 business professionals, written five books on talent acquisition and retention strategies, appeared in thousands of media outlets, is a keynote speaker, and is a faculty appointee at Northwestern University's School of Continuing Studies.
Average User Rating
(0 ratings)
Average User Rating
(0 ratings)
Average User Rating
(0 ratings)
Average User Rating
(1 rating)
Expert Answer
Doug,
Thanks for the continued discussion post. The fact that you can measure your success in dollars is the key. Ego or groceries as we say. You're buying groceries and it works!
In our skeptical society of all things printed on the web, the key is for all of us to show humble claims of value that can be measured, documented and become replicable for other customers.
Russ
Russell Riendeau, PhD
Russ Riendeau is the founder of East Wing Group, Inc., an executive search firm. He has interviewed over 78,000 business professionals, written five books on talent acquisition and retention strategies, appeared in thousands of media outlets, is a keynote speaker, and is a faculty appointee at Northwestern University's School of Continuing Studies.
Average User Rating
(0 ratings)
Average User Rating
(0 ratings)
Expert Answer
Patrick, I'm not sure skepticism diminishes with age however, the concept of group think, social herding, as it relates to "if all are doing it it must be legit or work" is alive and well in our culture.
The more information that is thrust on a person without the traditional filters of opinion, research data, acknowledged expert (yet another term we use often) status, the more likely the reader will not take the content in as intensely at first--unless it strikes a strong emotional chord or addresses a key tension point.
Thanks for the post.
Russ
Russell Riendeau, PhD
Russ Riendeau is the founder of East Wing Group, Inc., an executive search firm. He has interviewed over 78,000 business professionals, written five books on talent acquisition and retention strategies, appeared in thousands of media outlets, is a keynote speaker, and is a faculty appointee at Northwestern University's School of Continuing Studies.
Average User Rating
(0 ratings)
Average User Rating
(0 ratings)
Expert Answer
I think a common misconception in "blogging" is that it depends on the product or service you are selling. The biggest determinant of how successful a blog can or can't be is the value of the information presented to the people you want it to influence. If you can (1) create content (video, text, audio) that attracts your target market on a regular basis, (2) gets them to hang out on your space online, and (3) know how to convert a visitor into a sale, then a blog is probably the most powerful tools available to you today. If you can't do those 3 things, it can be one of the biggest time drains in your entire business.
I happen to believe that you can create great content for even the busiest and challenging of target markets - I've seen plenty of others do it and I've done it myself. So, I think instead of asking "should we be blogging", you should be asking "can we do it for our market better than anybody else".
I hope this helps!
Steve Cunningham
Steve is the CEO of Polar Limited, a digital marketing and innovation agency where he and his team serve some of the most progressive thinkers in the healthcare, hi-tech, home comfort and not-for-profit industries. He is a frequent speaker to groups of CEOs across North America on the power of social media and innovative web content to transform the way businesses run, and ultimately win in the marketplace.
Steve also writes The Social Business on Bizmore, a blog that focuses on social media tactics and tools.
Average User Rating
(0 ratings)
Expert Answer
I think blogging is great as a marketing tool, but we have to be honest, and ask ourselves a few questions before starting.
- Are we committed to blogging? Can we make the necessary time and resource commitment required?
- Is there a demand for the subject we want to blog about? Is there an audience out there?
- Is our content valuable? Are we committed to write valuable content? People are not interested in reading blog posts that were copied from other sources, but they are interested in unique and valuable content.
- Can we align our blogging efforts with our overall marketing goals?
Can anyone think of some additional questions?
George Meszaros
George is the CEO of Webene, a leading web presence solutions provider and new media marketing firm. Webene specializes in web design, graphic design, e-commerce solutions, web application development, custom content management systems (CMS), Internet marketing, Pay Per Click management, Search Engine Optimization, email marketing, and web analytics. Author of Triumph On The Web ? Revolutionize Your Business With Simple Online Strategies. He earned an MBA with an emphasis on Technology Management and an M.S. in Computer Information Systems. He has been a Vistage member since 2005.
Average User Rating
(0 ratings)
