Customer Service: Welcome to the Blogosphere
What is all this “social media” jazz, and why is it infiltrating my seminar schedule and business lunches? Social media uses interactive and Internet resources to create a forum where people can share and discuss news, information, opinions and experiences. Social media often integrates community interaction with other components, such as photos, video and audio, to enhance the user experience. One excellent form of social media that has become wildly popular is the blog. The blog is a Web page maintained by posting regular entries, often with other media or links, and opening them up to public discussion.
About 15 percent of Fortune 500 companies actively blog to communicate with consumers, according to a March Burson-Marsteller study. There are many reasons companies might choose to do so. Corporate blogging becomes a tool for many purposes. A blog is a great promotional vehicle to disseminate news and information to current and potential customers. Blogging is an excellent crisis management resource, customer service tool, media relations platform, connection to potential hires, and so much more – all for a relatively minimal marketing budget. Businesses use blogs to explain and clarify policies, react to public criticism or promote positive views, announce new products and services – you name it.
While most strategic marketing plans dictate a varied marketing mix to reach consumers at different touch points, social media, such as blogs, help you talk with customers, instead of at them. Having one adds a personal touch even to big corporate business, showing that owners and employees are people, too. Because of informality, timeliness and accessibility, a blog can add credibility to the company that a corporate Web site alone does not. The blog can also drive traffic to the main Web site from those wanting more information.
A lofty goal for any blog is to “go viral.” “Going viral” is a marketing term that means content is passing voluntarily – often rapidly and exponentially. This kind of content can spread like wildfire, but an average blog post is not necessarily viral material. Generally, to go viral the content must be funny, amazing, very helpful, unique or controversial.
Blogging does present some challenges. For one, there is a time commitment. Posting should be done at a minimum weekly and, ideally, daily. For another, it is not likely to yield immediate results, but the positive impressions from the blog tend to spread across other consumer touch points while improving a company with an online presence. Still, blogging does not necessarily fit with every company’s culture. Companies that are insular, have stringent non-disclosure policies or are heavily legislated or monitored may find the openness of a blog too much of an obstacle to overcome. But companies that have a personal connection with customers and newsworthy material to share with them tend to achieve more success in the Blogosphere.
What are the dos and don’ts of blogging? Do pre-approve and moderate comments before allowing them to be posted publicly. Don’t over-moderate them, though. While some are not fit for a corporate blog because they’re off topic or vulgar, others that are less-than-stunning reviews do not necessarily warrant being eliminated. Having an immaculate comments section detracts from the blog’s credibility, and stifles the conversation, publicity and feedback a blog can generate.
Do think about the target audience when creating, writing for and promoting your blog. (Who are they? Where are they online? What are they talking about? How does your company’s blog objective mesh with the readers you are trying to reach?) Do give them a good story to tell. This means be relevant to the topic at hand, be open and honest in blog communications and publish narrowly tailored content. Use newsworthy, unique, interesting, helpful and spectacular material. Don’t spam, post anonymously, post false stuff, overtly hard sell products and services, or use jargon that readers can’t comprehend.
In the end, social media is all about authenticity. There are few better ways to deliver organic, genuine content to customers and concurrently build a brand. With proper attention paid to the material published on a blog, it can become an invaluable resource to companies who wish to establish a broader presence on the Web. v
Lili Vianello is President of Visionworks Marketing & Communications, a Columbia-based full service advertising, marketing and public relations firm that offers design and maintenance for Web sites and blogs. Contributions to this article were made by Visionworks staff members. Visit them online at www.visionworks.com.