With the rise of new social media web sites like Facebook and Twitter, can blogs still benefit an enterprise in some way?

Even if businesses no longer think about blogs their primary online PR tool, many are convinced that they are indeed still valuable. A number of companies started to alter their web sites just a few years ago, modifying them from sites that appeared like dull, fact-heavy reproductions of their Yearly Reviews, to sites where they and their clients could connect. A lot of this change of ideas happened on a blog, in which new products were launched or replies had been made to customer input.

Dell computers has showed the way for several years in the blogging world, being one of the first companies to make this kind of a change. Even though Dell was a very successful business, a wall continued to exist between the company and its consumers, the majority of whom had frustrating problems that were not being addressed. Once the business set up to obtain blog entries, the turnaround in its relationship with customers was amazing. Precisely the same experience was had by General Motors.

A business blog can provide a supplement to regular email newsletters as well, although some clients might still depend on the emails for updates and never think of visiting the web site, whereas other individuals are definitely more proactive and check blogs frequently to look for the latest info. Organizations need to engage customers in several ways. If it is modified frequently, the blog can provide fresh info that will not fade away down the web page quite so quickly, say, as the more ephemeral tweets on Twitter. Up-to-date business news can be posted in a pleasant, casual fashion, enabling customers to ask questions or make suggestions. And their remarks will not vanish down the page either.

Being a business owner you always have to be cautious about raising your clients expectations. Although an almost one-on-one relationship might be attainable between a business and its clients, larger companies will not be capable to follow through to all complaints or queries, and this could hurt its name if it’s not careful.

Another use for a blog, and one that companies had not even considered initially, is for inside communication. Even though employees can stay in touch via email, meetings or conference calls, an internal blog can focus on one department or a single project, providing a central place for a team to obtain regular updates or make an informal record of their progress. This technique is an effective way to keep employees informed of business news without his or her e-mail inbox mounting up to an unmanageable level.

Even though blogs are now in many ways much less active, they still have a function in giving up-to-date company information and reports to clients and getting feedback from them. Belonging to the more tried and true internet organization, they offer info in a more permanent style than other media, but still permit a business to stay in productive, friendly contact with its customers.

Other Rants from the Blogosphere!

I just watched Frank Kern’s latest free video called “Sneak Attack“, which for the first half is a bit of Frank’s usual silly antics where he attempts to sneak attack John Reese at his new south coast headquarters.

If you don’t have much time and want to zip through to the practical stuff, go through about half way when Frank starts revealing his “Triangle of Trust” technique.

I found this concept particularly relevant for us as bloggers because the method relates to combining a content video with a short pitch at the end, with a blog post and then a link to a sales page (conversion point) for either an affiliate product or your own product.

You can watch the video here -

The Triangle of Trust Technique

Although the concept is simple enough, it’s worth watching the second half of this video because Frank highlights some really powerful ideas, such as -

• Using the word “blog” instead of website attracts a higher click through rate when sending out email newsletters. This occurs because the word blog is more trustworthy for the time being because it’s not perceived as a sales tool. This is particularly true in non-marketing niches, so if you’re selling in any other markets host content on your blog and use the phrase “Go check it out on my blog” to improve response.
• Using a video as a hook point is presently powerful because of the perceived value of video. Again the trust factor here is high because videos are “cool” as Frank would put it.
• Combining the trust of the video and the blog enhances the likelihood that a person will click through to view the product on offer. Frank’s used the technique himself to make hundreds of thousands in affiliate sales.

Click Here For Frank’s Video

As a long term blogger these ideas shouldn’t surprise you, but Frank brings a strictly marketing style education to the process that’s worth watching, so go check out the video (remember the first half of the video is not the content, it comes in the second half after Frank’s messing around with John Reese).

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