According to Partner Channel V Media's Gretel Going, there are some useful practices that firms and brands can employ in the blogosphere. Describe Going's tips for corporate bloggers

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Going reminds company's that they need to be accessible to and engaged with their audiences, therefore firms need to identify their editorial platform and underlying message. That message should not be just about the firm, but should engage and educate readers with content that relates directly to the thought leadership and brand leadership of one's company. Going also urges companies to share information that might at one time have been considered too proprietary to give away. She believes that blogs have to possess utility to readers, thus a blog needs to sport enticing content such as research, industry statistics, and even corporate best practices. Hoarding information and knowledge can be counterproductive to firms actively taking part in the blogosphere. Going counsels firms to accurately identify their audiences and address them with messages that correspond to their needs. This may imply that more than one blog will be necessary to encounter multiple audiences. She also recommends that interacting with like-minded bloggers is important. Posting comments elsewhere and even linking to other bloggers may pay off in enhanced visibility. Updating content frequently is also a good idea. A blog that is kept current tends to be more engaging for readers. Search engines will also pick out fresh updates and lend greater web visibility to the blog. Going also says that it is essential that bloggers respond to reader comments and behave in a manner that will build a community of engaged readers around the blog and reward users with an active, ongoing dialogue that might attract others to read the blog. Crucial to blogging, too, is to optimize the site for key words and to fully understand the means new readers are using to track a particular company blog. Finally, Going reminds bloggers to link to the company Web page. Although the two sites are distinct, marketers should cultivate the positive connection between blog and the formal Web presence of the company's brands and image.