Have a blog or no blog?

[Toni]

Do you think that attachming a blog to your site may give the impression of being an unprofessional company?

I ask because I have never seen any major company have a blog.

[Leo-InstallingIT]

Hi

I think it depends on the nature of your company. In some cases it may give the impression of a smaller company.
I have seen large companies implement blogs, they tend to have blogs for individual people. This keeps the professional company image, but also allows the person writing the blog to communicate to the audience as a human, giving a friendly feel.

I hope this helps.

Many Thanks

Leo

[An Oasis]

Toni I love your sig it goes down as the #2 best UKBF sig for us.

However to answer your question...having blogging for a long time time the term blog if crap and probably deters many companies. Is it useful well switch the term blogging to news outlet or anything of that ilk, what do you think?

[Dawg]

Do you think that attachming a blog to your site may give the impression of being an unprofessional company?

I ask because I have never seen any major company have a blog.

A blog is basically a diary/web log and thus personal. Major companies are not personal which is why, outside of news organisations, they don't have them.

The alternative impression might be that by not having a blog you are either a stuffy old f*rt, or you have pretensions of grandeur.:)
(Disagree with Richard that doing a NuLabour/Nuspeak rename would help anything.)

[duttydiva]

I think a blog is a good idea for you to post your personal ideas and will show you as an expert for your products.
I think as a business we should take advantage of all free media where appropriate to our business. Look at what Myspace is doing for business targeted to the young. Remember youth are our future and if we are not using blogging and social networks we may not be attractive to some future customers

[RDewick]

Toni, your blog has to be useful to potential readers not simply to make money or for SEO. If your blog is for a business then it needs to be professionally written and designed or people won't come back.

As Leo said a blog can give a more personal edge to a large company. More and more large companies are adding blogs to their sites such as Sony Electronics, Boeing, Ford.

If you are to have a blog you need to put a lot of time into it to make it worthwhile. Good luck.

[Toni]

...I will leave it out until next release.

It will not be a blog like:

"Hi there! Today we will talk about etc etc etvc...."

more along the lines of:

World Economy Effects Wine Market

..... more of a company news department writting on topics that are "ever green" or relevant at a business level but also connected to customers as these issues may effect there buying accross the market.

[xspro]

Hi,

Many major companies have blogs for their individual departments. Microsoft is a good example, they setup specific tech blogs for each of their software products.

As long as the nature and content of your blog is professional, i certainly dont think having a blog makes you look un-professional.

I think by now the internet audience can tell the difference between a blog that offers truly interesting information, and one that was designed to aid with SEO. If yours is the former, there is no reason why it cant work

Good luck :)

[RDewick]

more along the lines of:

World Economy Effects Wine Market

..... more of a company news department writting on topics that are "ever green" or relevant at a business level but also connected to customers as these issues may effect there buying accross the market.

Sounds interesting, relevant to both trade and customers :)

[AdvantageDigitalMedia]

We have considered a public blog on our site and agree with RDewick in that the content must be relevant, up to date and accurate. It will work well for the site then as it can become a good way of engaging you customers.

Regards

Darren

[scaifea]

Depends on your business. Blogs for small businesses are fine. Larger businesses may need to invest in a forum.

[CatG]

Some companies have a separate blog site under a different name -- content is kept separate from the main website so it adds a completely new dimension. This gives some detachment from the brand and the "hard sell" and positions the company as an "expert". A good example is the blog site for car hire company Avis -- called We Try Harder -- which offers 'tips, news and conversations" that might be of interest to holidaymakers and business travellers. The authors are Avis staffers but they have a genuine flair for writing. Having written a blog for a skincare company -- again in a separate blog site to that of the brand -- I think that it works best if you can keep a degree of separation. Agree with other points about keeping it up to date (crucial), professionally written and well designed. Also agree that the Internet audience can smell a blatant self-promotion tool a mile off, so if you want them to come back you have to offer something that's genuinely interesting... waffle over!

[bg3mvf]

Blog is not needed in a company, that's my point.
blog is used to show yourself, having nothing to do with the company.

[HSLS]

I use mine like a news page, wher I can put forthcoming events, and comment on developments in language teaching etc. as well as new developments in the business.
It gives (I hope!) a more personal touch to the website and the business.

[Makingthenews]

I've had a similar dilemma. I have two blogs, both used to link to my site. One is entirely about my product, the other about my take on the day's newspapers and magazines (I produce personalised newspapers and magazines)
I have decided only today to add one blog - spoofnewspapers dot blogspot dot com - to my site and leave the other - personalisednewspapers dot blogspot dot com as it is.
I also have a news section on my website but i'm led to believe the more fresh content the better.
So, i'd suggest having two blogs - one seperate and one on the site, that way you have the best of both worlds.

Hope that helps.

[lindasones]

I have recently started a daily blog on my site it is a fairly personal one but I try to raise subjects for discussion from time to time. My aim is to try and have the ethos of a small and friendly business although I am web based. What do you think?:|