We are all familiar with the axiom, “Publish or perish.” In other words, be visible or expect to disappear. Restated for the the 21st Century business world, the contemporary version would be, “Self-publish or perish.” To be even more concise, “Blog or die.”
“Blog or die? Ouch! Aren’t there any other options?”
Sure, you can continue to spend increasing amounts of budget on traditional advertsing just to yield the same results. Yes, there continues to be a place for targeted and intelligent use of such mediums, the fact is their influence is diminishing. In fact, maximizing offline mediums often benefits from integration with online efforts.
With that said, there’s no denying that the internet is the channel that is trending up. More importantly, technology has triggered a shift in the public’s expectations. No longer are marketing messages accepted at face value. The Web 2.0 enabled public shuns spin. They now expect, if not demand, transparency and authenticity, as well as the option to participate. We’ve all said it a million times, “I’ll just check their website…” And if a website hasn’t been updated, what do we think then?
“Oh, I see. A blog is a direct communications channel through which the voice of my brand can initiate and participate in a two-way conversation. It’s about sharing and listening.”
Well done! I couldn’t have said it better myself. A blog is an ideal vehicle for letting people get to know you, and you them. The static “brochure” website model from the previous millennium no longer applies. On the other hand, a blog is an ideal opportunity to:
- show your authenticity
- share content (e.g., photos) and announcements (e.g., news and/or sales);
- share your knowledge and expertise
- listen to input and feedback from an engaged public
In short, a blog is a great vehicle for building trust.
“I agree. I have those same expectations. But it still seems like a lot of work.”
Yes, like anything that adds value to your organization an investment is necessary. The good news is, relative to other media channels blogs and blogging are typically cost effective. I’m going to explore implementation in Part 4. But before I address the possible scope of the commitment, let’s first cover some of the fringe benefits that blogging can provide.
Mark Simchock 
Chief Alchemist
Alchemy United