Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery – and if you’re considering launching a business blog you might be tempted to imitate some of the top blogs online. It’s a great strategy to imitate success – but if you do choose to imitate some of the top blogs online – you may very well find yourself wasting a lot of time and energy.
When it comes launching and maintaining a business blog, you have to define your goals carefully. Long ago, I applauded Liz Strauss when she wrote, “Your business is not your blog.” Those words of wisdom still apply for the business owner who wants to use a business blog to promote his or her business.
Today there are some blogs which are acting as a “business”. If a business blog is classified as “marketing” – these blogs would have to be classified as “media channels”.
You’re already familiar with the concept of different channels offering different content through television. What began as three national channels has exploded into hundreds of channels – each targeting a different demographic. Many of the top blogs have become their own “television network” so to speak. The primary goal of these blogs is providing entertaining and informative content. In essence they’re “competing” with other content providers – like the television networks.
In these cases – contrary to Liz’s word’s of wisdom – the blog is the business. When it comes to this style of blogging – you’ll notice there are lots of ads being displayed. Those ads are the way those blogs are paying the bills which is why – in these cases – the blog is the business.
In the 8 Week Power Blog Launch – in the first lessons I ask the bloggers to define their blogging goals. It’s important to define your blogging goals because if you’re going to become a competitor for network television you’re going to have to take a different approach than the business owner who wants to position his or her blog posts in the path of prospective customers as they research an upcoming purchase.
Creating your own “network” with your own programming is a huge task – an insurmountable one if you’re trying to do it yourself. These “network blogs” often employ full tine writers,editors and even advertising sales people. The content of the blog IS the job. So while you may be a huge fan of a blog which provides daily content and breaking news – chances are you won’t want to imitate that big time blog when it comes time to launching your business blog.
Instead – you’ll want to adopt the blogging style of writing informative blog posts which are written with the end consumer in mind. If you’re selling widgets – then your business blog should be filled with articles on all the many amazing uses of widgets around the home or business. When that’s your goal, writing a blog post or two each week is often all you need to build that kind of business blog.
On the other hand, if your blog goal is to compete with Oprah’s new television network – that’s going to require full time effort by a team of talented writers. You’re going to be churning out content on a daily – in some cases hourly – basis.
This is why you must first define your business blogging goal before you begin blogging. In many cases, your business blog shouldn’t act like other blogs because it’s goal is not to become the go to source for widespread information rather the goal is for your business blog to provide great information for prospective buyers of your product or service.
Business blogging is a marathon – not a sprint. Keeping the goal in sight is a great way to keep your business blog on track and can prevent you from “burning out” before the race is over.
I completely agree on this one. Defining the goals of your blog should be the #1 priority. I’ve been guilty of this multiple times with just jumping into an idea too early, then realizing it wasn’t the best one to pursue. You really have to be committed to the blogging goals, and really answer the “Why” question to your readers.
I think anyone who has blogged is “guilty” of this “sin”. My first blog is not this one – and this one can get fairly “random” at times – but it’s far from my worst offender.
The most successful blogs are the ones with well defined goals and laser focus. It sounds so easy – but it’s SO hard to put into practice!
Thanks for joining the conversation.
Really Nice Post.
Thanks a lot for posting this post.
I do agree with what your saying. Also I think that people see ‘blogging’ now a days as a must. I think that you have to ask your self if it is really necessary to start a blog, and if so what are you going to tell to the people who visit. When you ask yourself these two questions is see no trouble starting a blog.
The most effective weblogs are the ones with well identified objectives and laserlight concentrate. It appears to be so simple – but it’s SO difficult to put into practice!
I’m big fan to your blog and i think your posts are very helpful. Thanks for sharing.