Blogging Is A Dumb Word

On Tuesday, I mentioned we're slowly and steadily introducing a third channel to our clients' narrowly-focused media mixes. Are you familiar with content marketing? It starts with blogging… pardon me… I just threw up in my mouth a little.

I hate the term “blogging.” It sounds like something requiring salve, but in spite of the name I believe it’s one of the keys to your company’s success in the coming years.

There is nothing more valuable to a company in this media landscape than authentic, relevant messaging delivered in a human voice about things customers care about. The natural, 21st century hub for this content is your website.

The common term for regularly updated website content in this style is called blogging. Whatever you call it, this regular meaningful content creation is the foundation of an effective messaging platform.

Why?

Google loves it.

Search engines are always looking for ways to reward regularly updated, relevant, credible content and to punish those who try to game the search system. Blogging is a great way to let the search engines know you’re giving users what they need.

It gives you something to share.

Blogging gives you regular reasons to post to your social media platform(s) of choice. When companies tell me they want a Facebook page, I ask them why. They typically don’t have a good answer for me. They want the page but don’t know how to fill it. Blogging helps solve that problem by actually giving you things users want and need to read, watch, or hear.

It makes us know, like and trust you.

Blogging helps you connect with your customers in an authentic, transparent, non-adspeak way. Relational customers will be always be drawn to experts they can trust who share their values. Blogging helps you regularly communicate those values to your customers in your own voice.

And when I say blogging, I’m referring particularly to the style, but the technology varies, as should your content.

Your blog might include text posts, video posts (with the audio transcribed to benefit search), audio posts (also with transcription), slide shows, white papers, and more.

This might sound overwhelming to you, and I suggest your first step be to think about the questions your customers have and think about answers to them. Then put together an editorial content calendar. Commit to one post a week to start.

It’s not a get-rich-quick strategy, but its long-term benefits will yield results for years to come.

If you have questions, I know someone who can help.