The process of getting a business blog online is in many cases an easy process, but building a relationship with your readers is easier said than done. To shed light on this topic, some blogging veterans from Dell, Yahoo, Facebook, and Kodak, spoke at Blog World about the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Bloggers to build relationships and legitimacy among readers.
Understanding that the relationship with your readers is a complicated one is important, and much what you write can either satisfy what readers are in search of, or simply deter them from reading further. One of the biggest tendencies that put this relationship at risk is the tendency to rehash press release content and other information that may already be known or readily available to your readers elsewhere. This is perhaps one of the easiest sources to generate ideas for content, but taking a unique approach to your blog’s content will surely payoff. For example, the official Dell Blog could have been used to regurgitate new product introductions and press releases, but instead the blog took a different approach and discussed stories and topics that may not be out in the open, while also discussing stories pertaining to customer service and issues that are more helpful for customers.
Another important habit for bloggers is to tell honest, current stories within your blog. Using natural language and getting personal with your readers can often have the best results. Having this approach can keep readers coming back to your blog again and again, and can also encourage them to subscribe by email or RSS. By being honest, and perhaps a bit informal, you can separate your blog content from the content you would release via a press release.
Although there may not be huge limitations when it comes to car dealers, knowing your limits is important for any business blogger. In some cases, legal issues could be raised if you blog about something that you shouldn’t be discussing. In the case of Yahoo’s Nicki Dugan, Yodel Anecdotal’s Blog Editor, there are plenty of times when posting something seemingly innocent could have serious legal implications. For example, during Microsoft’s failed attempt to purchase Yahoo, anything said within the Yahoo blog was under scrutiny from the company’s entire legal team. But luckily in most cases, car dealers can make posts to their business blog without the limitations of serious legal problems.
Another habit that was recommended by the panel at Blog World was to make lemonade whenever handed a lemon. For nearly any business, there are opportunities for negative experiences among customers, and as such these folks may leave negative comments on your blog. An interesting strategy would be to own up to such negative feedback and respond to the comments in an understanding and apologetic manner if the customer was somehow unintentionally wronged. Doing this would make your blog a powerful PR platform and may help customers understand you a little bit better, and let others see your side of the story. Also keep in mind that most blog platforms allow you to turn off comments completely, so it’s up to you if you choose to utilize that feature.
One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to blogging, and that couldn’t have been more evident based on the eclectic panel. Some car dealers, for example, will not have the legal limitations of Dell’s blog or Yahoo’s blog, nor will they drive the same amount of traffic. But there are still opportunities when it comes to blogging, especially in being able to talk directly to existing customers, potential car buyers, as well as your dealership’s entire community. As such, it’s important to find the stories and the angles that seem to fit for your dealership and your community.
While one size doesn’t fit all, it’s important to learn as you go. There are plenty of ways to utilize a blog, and for many dealers just getting into blogging, there are plenty of things to learn. With the growing number of tools, widgets, and blogging platforms to choose from, blogging is often a continual learning process, but that’s also what makes the process extremely fun and rewarding. When blogging, your mantra should be “It’s not about us,” and it should help guide your posts and content and steer it in the right direction.
Lastly, don’t think of your blog as just words on a page. As we’ve already discussed, your blog is a new media platform, and can support a variety of content beyond just copy. Using video, photos, and audio, can easily add greater interactivity to your blog, and give readers even more insight into who you are and what you’re all about.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I found your site on Google and read a few of your other entires. Nice Stuff. I’m looking forward to reading more from you.
Thanks for the comment, Dan! Although much of what’s covered here is related to the automotive industry, we generally love all things SEO and internet marketing. Glad you’re enjoying it, I hope you keep checking back!