Rules of Engagement: Blog Benefits
We’ve talked a number of times about how to leverage Twitter to grow your brand and engage your customer base. However, one of Twitter’s few limitations is that you’re only allowed 140 characters. This is great for micro-blogging, but what about sharing more substantial content? This is where your good old-fashioned blog comes into play. Technically, the tip you’re reading right now is a blog entry and the argument could be made that it’s working. After all, you’re reading it, right? 
Although the idea has been around since the 90’s and unlike a lot of web practices that have come and gone, blogs are still very relevant and offer tons of value to today’s online experience. What was once considered a sort of online diary has evolved over the past nearly two decades into a viable way to communicate on a mass scale with a broad array of those who are interested, perhaps none more important than a business to its consumers. A willing follower is an open ear and an open ear is an audience. Having a blog for your business allows you to speak to your customer base on a different level than just about any other medium: different than email blasts, Facebook posts, tv or radio ads, and yes, Tweets. In fact, may of these tools can be used to drive customers to your blog where you have as much time and space to share anything you’d like.
Have a new product line that you’re excited about? There’s a blog entry. Receive high profile reviews somewhere? Blog it. Have a neat public or tv appearance? Another. Hire a new valuable member to you’re staff? And another. Running a big sale? Involved in a charity you’re passionate about? Want to wish your customers a happy holiday season? You get the idea. There’s no limit on the type, amount, or frequency of entries you can post. Many of the biggest companies in the world have blogs that contain everything from traditional text, to images, hyperlinks, even video (vlogs). They may have a link on their sites such as “News”, “What’s New”, or “About Us”, but make no mistake, those are blogs. So what are you waiting for? Get bloggin’.
Chris is a Senior Account Executive at Nexternal and has been with the company since 2005. Before joining Nexternal he worked in the cloud-based educational software industry. Chris enjoys establishing new relationships with online merchants and working closely with those clients as they grow.
