Many corporate blogs have trouble gaining followers. Their blogs can sometimes have an unclear focus, or the focus is to advertise products. David Meerman Scott, a successful author and blogger, came up with his top five corporate blogging mistakes. In this post, I will evaluate Scott’s advice and decide if these mistakes are things that really should be avoided.
Scott saw corporations starting blogs without first following other similar blogs. If a company is new at blogging, it is hard to create one without first reading and commenting on other blogs. This was good advice because after looking at many different blogs, a company can have an idea of what works and what does not. I feel that commenting on blogs first helps to “exercise your blog voice.” A post from Corporate Eye also listed this as a mistake among corporate blogs.
Companies sometimes write ONLY about their products and services. This is a huge mistake! I agree with Scott’s suggestion that instead, organizations should blog about a subject that would interest the target audience.
The mistake that I found the most important to avoid was when companies focus on one-way propaganda. Companies are engaging in one-way communication when they only have links that go to their own site. This lacks credibility. Readers want to see companies become part of the online community. A company can create interest by leaving comments on other blogs and joining in on a conversation.
Scott pointed out that corporate blogs are usually boring. These tend to use all of the default settings and do not look any different from any other company’s blog. I agree that a blog needs personality to stand out. I liked Scott’s suggestion that a creative custom header, designed just for a company is a great way to attract interest.
The last mistake that Scott mentioned is that companies fail to utilize the “About” page. I think it is important for people to get to know who a company is so the reader will be more likely to engage. I think that companies should spend time thinking about what they want they reader to know about the company, and then place that on the “About” page.
I found all five of these mistakes easy for corporations to avoid. Scott gave quick solutions to correct these problems. If these blogging mistakes are eliminated, then a company is bound to see more followers and success.
