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What is, how it works
Blogs are a product of web 2.0, social networking tools. Blogs are websites in which the content (images, text, video) is user-generated. Entries are primarily ordered in a chronological order, but can be arranged also according to topics (tags or categories). One of its most emblematic features is the possibility for visitors to leave comments to each entry, making it a user-interactive media. The usual purpose for a setting up a blog is to share information.
Corporate blogs are managed by company employees and feature company information about its products, policies or any other kind of relevant information for their intended audience, which can be internal or external to the company.
External oriented corporate blogging aims mainly at strengthening the relationship with targeted costumers and position the company or specific company employees as industry experts.
Internal oriented corporate blogging can promote discussion and collaboration between employees at all levels of an organization, allowing them to share information, ask questions, comment and make suggestions in rather an informal way.
Bain & Company, a global consultancy firm, studied several corporate blogs and found that in order to be successful, corporate blogs should:
- Establish the blog's focus and mission;
- Develop a simple-to-use site and update it frequently;
- Create links with key audiences;
- Ensure consistency with corporate image and product branding;
- Employ RSS (Really Simple Syndication) technology: RSS encourages readership by displaying recent posts without the need for readers to log onto the blog website;
- Consider the option of wikis (named for the Hawaiian word for "quick")—a variation on corporate blogs that promote collaborative brainstorming, in which visitors can easily add, remove or alter the content itself by using links at the bottom of a page;
- Establish clear blogging guidelines for the corporation and educate employees about potential legal repercussions (postings become part of a permanent public record).
quoted from Bain & Company
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Possible general uses
Blogging is a powerful communication tool, and the corporate world is using it as a helping hand to reach their goals: increase sales, respond to crisis, reach to new markets, encourage teamwork.
External corporate blogs can be used as:
- Marketing tools: improve brand visibility, brand awareness
- Loyalty tool: promote customer loyalty by providing specialized information to narrow segments of the market;
- Market research aid: get direct feedback from costumers;
- Presenting CEO’s as bloggers establishes them as experts and reinforces the company’s image by providing costumers direct access to top management.
- Extra tools in managing company crisis – they’re a quick and effective way to communicate first hand with the public.
- Encourage employees to share information;
- Incentivate employees to contribute with suggestions for brainstorming and decision making, even if they haven’t been involved in the process;
- Be a virtual meeting room and build a feeling of community for employees of global companies who work in different offices.
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Example of concrete usage
A good example of external corporate blogging are the blogs of several offices of the advertising agency TBWA. It is of relevance that TBWA is one of the top world advertising and communication experts, and that they are pionners in using blogs to promote themselves.
The blog of the portuguese office is kept quite much up-to-date with the work that the agency develops.
Although the intention is clearly to expose the agency creative work, it also has entries about current issues and work of other TBWA agencies in the world. The intention is to give the feeling of a larger community under the TBWA brand name.
On the portuguese version of the blog (called Tblogwa) there are several comments and critiques left by people from outside of TBWA, some of them claiming to also work in the advertising field. In this way the blog is being used to build a network of contacts and critical mass (although many publish their comments under a nickname), and to show that the brand TBWA is a leader in the field (it attracts visits from competitors).
The blog also has a special area to promote books about marketing, pitching, creativity and other areas related to advertising. Some of the books have been written by employees or ex-employees of TBWA. There is also a place to post articles and insights from traditional media about actual trends in the markets and consumers. With these areas the company not only shows its capacity to keep up-to-date with the latest theories in advertising but also that it employs top-qualified professionals.
In another section of this blog there are photos of everyday life at the agency, and social gatherings. This is a more personal approach, which I believe aims to create a familiarity bond with the readers and helps strengthening the team spirit among the employees – it feels as a “family” album.
In yet another section there are posts of articles or references about TBWA offices, work or interviews with TBWA managers that came out in the press worldwide. This is also aimed at reinforcing the company reputation since it gives the reader a sense of solid background and continued reliability.
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References
Articles
Rigby, Darrell, 2007. Management tools 2007: An Executive’s Guide.
Available from Bain & Company
Carr, Nicholas, 2006. Lessons in Corporate Blogging.
Available from Business Week (18th July)
Websites
TBWA blog (portuguese office)
http://www.tbwa.pt/tblogwa/
The podcast roundtable – about blogs
http://podcastroundtable.com/?cat=16
1 comment:
Now I understand better what you are doing in Finland.
;-)
bjs
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