Blogging Guidelines
The following points are suggestions for making your corporate blog an enjoyable read for your visitors - and a success for your online presence management.
Stay Honest
Your readers will appreciate a blog that does more than just cheer on the company. Blogs can be glimpses into the lives behind the corporate façade. Rants are acceptable in blogging.
Keep it Moving – Post Frequently
Fresh content keeps readers coming back. If your blog remains idle for a week or more, people will stop returning to it. One post a day is not too much.
Share
If you find something newsworthy in your industry, share a link to that story or article with your readers. Linking improves your chances of being seen by others.
Tag It
“Tags” or “categories” are the words at the bottom of your blog post that tell the various aggregators what is important about this post. For instance, writing about a new technique in laser surgery might be tagged with “laser surgery.”
Put Information in Your Titles – Or Be Intriguing
The title of each post is sometimes the only thing some readers will pay attention to. Like a newspaper headline, it should “grab” or otherwise intrigue a reader to keep reading.
People Like Pictures
A picture in your post is always helpful in conveying your main idea. It can be funny or informative.
Check Spelling
Like it or not, people judge us by our use and misuse of the English language. Misspellings can hurt you. Moderate Comments
Comment moderation allows you the control of deleting abusive comments before they appear on your blog.
Allow Anonymous Comments
Some people appreciate the opportunity to be anonymous when commenting on a blog. Unless it becomes a nuisance and people are abusing this privilege, allow anonymous comments. Controlling Comment Spam
Sadly, the spammers have figured out ways to post comments on blogs. Make sure your commenters are required to type in a word verification.
Avoid Fights
Sometimes people will challenge claims you make in a blog post. They might even call you unkind things in the comments section. Address their concerns without resorting to mudslinging. Keep the discussion civil. Promote
Your blog is your blog. It is perfectly acceptable to promote upcoming events, specials, appearances, speeches and anything else about your company.
Visit and Comment at Other Blogs
A great way to drive traffic to your own site is to visit other blogs and offer relevant comments about a particular post. For instance, if you are a lasik surgeon and you note that Joe from Milwaukee blogged about squinting to read a sign. A suitable comment to Joe might be, “Hey, Joe. Bummer on squinting. You must be getting old! I might be able to help.” Signed “Dr D” with “Dr. D” being a link to your blog. And keep in mind that not every comment at another blog should be self-serving. Just showing up to offer relevant comments without promoting your business directly is in fact, promoting your business.