Corporate blogs

[Rob_D]

Here is an article about Waitrose's MD's blog.

I am interested in what the SP community has to say about corporate blogs.

Do you think corporate blogs should exist at all?

What are the pitfalls for personalising the corporate face?

Do corporate blogs help the company?

Is it a channel of communication that is "too open" and possibly subject to abuse via the comment system? Or is this the way forward for corporations to connect with the public on a more personal level?

[wordpress71906]

I clicked this thread thinking it was a reference to "blog networks", like Pop Sugar or Weblogs Inc.

Yes I believe corporate blogs may have some benefits to company. It depends on the niche or industry you're into. And then there's always the issue of transparency and authenticity with the big companies like Waitrose's. They can reach out a wider market if they just loosen up through blogs or video clips.

I wouldn't worry about openness, that's why we have comment filters.

[c2uk]

Or is this the way forward for corporations to connect with the public on a more personal level?

Certainly, giving the company a face with such a story makes it easier for the average consumer to relate to. However, this blog is a little bit too open for my taste, it's on a too personal level, and maybe more importantly for the company I wouldn't buy now more at Waitrose nor do I think any different about them.

However, this is now the first time I actually look at their website (have been shopping there every now and then over the last three years), and I must say they've done a very fine job with it.

[Rob_D]

Originally Posted by c2uk

However, this blog is a little bit too open for my taste, it's on a too personal level, and maybe more importantly for the company I wouldn't buy now more at Waitrose nor do I think any different about them.

Does this seem too obviously like a PR exercise to you? Or is it down to lack of trust? For example; I'm rather cynical about the large oil corps who talk green in their advertising, but at the same time I can see that this an inevitable result of pressure from the community and the focus on global climate giving an opportunity to promote the brand.

Obviously there has to be a balance between promoting the company and personalising the blog.

I suppose that links from the blog to the corporate website has value. It has suceeded in reminding you that Waitrose still exists! I wonder if you might pop down there tomorrow!

My guess would be a level of personalisation connected with the product or services a company offers. Not a direct sell, but a personal commentary relating to offered services.

For example; an organisation I am researching for provides cross-cultural training for people/corporations doing business in countries other than their own. Perhaps the trainers can blog personal cross-cultural experiences which impart knowledge, show expertise, and subsequently encourage visitors to look at the services offered by the company.

[c2uk]

Originally Posted by Rob_D

Does this seem too obviously like a PR exercise to you? Or is it down to lack of trust?

Nope, neither of those. It's just I'm not interested in the type of stuff he or his daughters blog about. All it says is that he's a human like everybody else. Thanks, I knew this already. It might mean something to someone else, maybe somebody who also wants to lose some weight (well I could do with 5kg less but I feel all right).

Funny that you mention trust, did you see that my dissertation project is on trust, though slightly different but still in an "eCommerce" environment, I would value your feedback in my survey.

Obviously there has to be a balance between promoting the company and personalising the blog.

To give you another example, I followed the fresh and easy blog for a while as we had to do an assignment on Tesco. They have the balance more towards promoting the company. Somewhere between the two is the perfect balance, imho.

I suppose that links from the blog to the corporate website has value. It has suceeded in reminding you that Waitrose still exists! I wonder if you might pop down there tomorrow!

Actually I pass a Waitrose every day, it's on my way to uni. The key here is how is his blog being promoted? The way it is being set up it has the potential to develop a live on its own, but I expect interest to soon fade away. So, as long as it's just being promoted on their website, I don't see much value in it.

My guess would be a level of personalisation connected with the product or services a company offers. Not a direct sell, but a personal commentary relating to offered services.

For example; an organisation I am researching for provides cross-cultural training for people/corporations doing business in countries other than their own. Perhaps the trainers can blog personal cross-cultural experiences which impart knowledge, show expertise, and subsequently encourage visitors to look at the services offered by the company.

That's exactly the type of blog I would recommend.

[Rob_D]

Originally Posted by c2uk

Funny that you mention trust, did you see that my dissertation project is on trust, though slightly different but still in an "eCommerce" environment, I would value your feedback in my survey.

I did have a quick look at your sig after my previous post. Where is the survey?
I'l have a look at the fresh & easy blog...

[Rob_D]

Just spotted your survey sig... Will you be publishing results and interpretations?

[c2uk]

Originally Posted by Rob_D

Just spotted your survey sig... Will you be publishing results and interpretations?

Off Topic:


Yes, that was my intention. Keeping it all to myself doesn't really make any sense to me - I'll publish this survey's results on my blog.

[phppoddotcom77]

I don't prefer personalization of corporative bloging. I don't mind if they do it in their own network but giving it the Internet publicity does not benefit them.

[Rob_D]

Originally Posted by phppoddotcom77

I don't prefer personalization of corporative bloging. I don't mind if they do it in their own network but giving it the Internet publicity does not benefit them.

So you agree with public corporate blogs if they are not too personal?
What would you like to see in these blogs that's different from corporate websites?

[designandpromote]

I like creating business blogs that are related topics to the main site I'm trying to get ranked higher. I recently made a new one on trade show help <snip>
The backlinks to my other related business blogs and sites are great for bringing in traffic.