Corporate blogs have been considered an all-purpose weapon of corporate communications for years. They are a powerful tool, but they don't exist for free.
Table of contents
- Corporate blogs support SEO and provide visibility
- Gain information sovereignty and independence from media
- Optimize customer acquisition and conversions
- Strengthen customer loyalty and keep customer communication active
- Promote employer branding and recruiting
- One thing must be clear in advance: it involves effort and certain costs
Corporate blogs support SEO and provide visibility
One of the most important arguments for running a corporate blog remains search engine optimization (SEO), because a well-run blog provides all the things that Google and Co. demand for a good ranking. The chances of landing high in the results list with regular informative content for a high number of relevant search queries are much higher than with an old, no longer updated text that was written years ago for the launch or last relaunch of the website. In addition, the articles often offer the possibility of including videos, podcasts or infographics in addition to classic text, precisely those types of content that have a particularly high value with the user and thus also with Google.
Gain information sovereignty and independence from media
Classic corporate PR is dying out more and more. Press releases hardly ever find their way into newspapers or their online versions. And if a report does make it, it has been shortened by an editor and published in a place that hardly any reader notices. Corporate blogs, however, allow companies to publish exactly the information they want to see published. In addition, the Internet knows no space problems and the production of videos and audios is feasible for every company thanks to lower technology prices and software, some of which is even open source.
By the way, in contrast to publications on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, the company retains control over its content on its own blog. So you don't have to worry that individual posts will be downgraded or even censored by an algorithm.
Optimize customer acquisition and conversions
However, the actual goal of a company is of course still to bring its products or services to the customer. And here, too, a corporate blog can help in a direct way, for example, if the author specifically offers the possibility in an article to win the reader as a lead via a form, or places a product that can be ordered in the connected online store. However, such contributions require a little skill; the lead or the product sold must represent added value for the user, and the contribution must not be a clumsy advertisement.
Strengthen customer loyalty and keep customer communication active
The corporate blog is part of the corporate communication. It is used to stay in contact with the customer, to keep him up to date about news of the industry, products, services and the company itself. Through the possibility of comments and the integration of the corporate blog into the social media concept, direct communication with customers takes place. This offers the opportunity to get to know the customer's problems better and to offer even more targeted solutions. Along the way, this will create a relationship with the customer in which he feels taken seriously and comfortable, which in turn increases his loyalty to the company.
Promote employer branding and recruiting
What applies to the customer also applies to the same extent to future employees. Those who rely solely on well-worded and designed job advertisements in the battle for tomorrow's skilled workers often lose out compared to the competition. Qualified specialists are not looking for a position for a few months, but for long-term development opportunities. That's why they try to get as accurate a picture of their counterpart as possible, just like the potential employer. Of course, they also look for the necessary information online. Employers who can present their corporate culture in a positive light in their corporate blog therefore have an advantage over the competition.
One thing must be clear in advance: it involves effort and certain costs
However, all these advantages do not come for free and just blogging leads to success in the rarest cases.
A well-run corporate blog takes time, even in the preliminary planning stage. And running the blog is not something you can do on the side. Large companies run entire editorial departments. Smaller and medium-sized companies may not need to hire extra staff for this purpose, but even those who additionally write for the corporate blog must have sufficient time and resources at their disposal.
You should face this fact and plan in advance, because an empty and unmanaged blog will achieve exactly the opposite effect of the above advantages.
Alternatively, agencies or external copywriters can be hired, but their costs must of course also be calculated in advance.
