Thanks to the Blog Herald for the heads up today on this one.

Blogging important for branding

That is what the title of their post was. What is really interesting, the “report” stated something many of those of us blogging have been saying for sometime.

Blogs provide a place for two-way interaction between the organization and consumers, and allow customers to provide valuable feedback on how the brand is doing.

And doesn’t this also tie right into what David Meerman Scott said on Web Ink Now in his post “Comfortable air travel or the lowest possible price?” David mentions buyer personas and which is one of the keys to blogging also. Blogging for a business allows the two way conversation that must take place between the business and its consumers. It provides a way for the business owner and the consumer to communicate and for there to be feedback exchanged back and forth. Which is also a key to what David and his co-writers of Tuned In: Uncover the Extraordinary Opportunities That Lead to Business Breakthroughs spend a considerable amount of time pointing out to those reading the book.

The post in the Blog Herald goes on to explain, those business blogging should become part of the blogging community and contribute to that community. This is a must in my opinion. If you get involved in the online community and contribute by blogging on your own blog and commenting on others blogging in your niche, you will soon position yourself as one of the “thought leaders” and “opinion shapers” in that niche.

Too many business owners or professional service firms spend too much time over thinking blogging instead of just doing it. By doing so they are missing out on the power and benefits of blogging.

A blogging business must be transparent

Once again, don’t try to be something you are not with your blog. Your readers and your consumers will see through you quicker then you can spell blogging. Be real and don’t BS your readers. And don’t blog strictly for the purpose of using the blog for PR. Use your blog as a portal to open up a line of conversations between you and your readers. And especially between you and your consumers.

a corporate blog has to be real if it’s to be taken seriously by customers and consumers. Blatant PR exercises are highly likely to damage a brand, no matter how good they might seem at the time.

Blog to help build your brand. But be real as you use this great social media networking tool.

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