How Online Blog and Journals Can Enhance your Online Brand

In the fast-paced world of web marketing, there is one fact that has been a constant fact. Informative, timely, and engaging content, is the heart of any effective web marketing plan.

Blogging has long been the central format for companies to communicate their perspectives on their industry. Blogs also offer a forum for your press releases, white papers, and any other news that would be of interest to your target market. Some interesting blog statistics according to Technorati’s “State of the Blogosphere”:

• 77% of Internet users read blogs according to Universal McCann
• 56% say that their blog has helped their company establish a positioning as a thought leader within the industry.
• 58% say that they are better-known in their industry because of their blog

So, how can companies leverage the power of blogging to improve their online brand? When considering the overall web marketing plan, it’s important to keep the content and message consistent through all channels. This is easiest if the blog is used as a cornerstone of the communications that then feeds out to other channels like Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. If possible, the blog should be driven back to the client’s website via RSS feed to enhance the organic SEO of your website.

When planning your blogs, directing readers through hyperlinks within the post content can be beneficial. Including graphics that relate to the post, videos that support your points, or links to supporting articles can keep your readers engaged longer, advancing the possibility of conversion or, at the very least, enhanced brand awareness.

Blogs allow your company’s unique perspective within your industry to be shared with your audience. This means that when a prospective client reads your blog and begins to understand your specific views, they can relate that to the service your business provides. When the time comes to think of industry experts, their relationship with your point of view can be the difference between a call to your sales team or someone else’s.

Remember, blogs are part of an ongoing conversation you’re having with your target market. It’s not a newspaper article that they read and then throws into the recycle bin. They have the option to comment on the posts and respond to other comments made by readers. This makes monitoring the comments on your blog the most vital point of reaping the true potential of a blog. Stay engaged with your readers, monitor so you can respond to comments or questions in a timely fashion and they will have one more reason to remember you and your company’s name as leaders in your industry.