For all the talk about Facebook and Twitter, corporate blogs are where most brand content starts its life. For many, blogs are still the bulwark of their content strategies.
There’s no easy answer to what makes a corporate blog work. Relevance, consistency and value are musts. Posts need to be relevant to the audience. They need to add value either from an entertainment standpoint, or in terms of giving people useful information. And the brand needs to be fully dedicated to the blog, meaning the brand needs to post consistently.
“To have a good blog, you actually have to have a credible position to talk about something that people are interested in and this seems to be obvious, but not all companies get it,” said Jonah Bloom, chief strategy officer at Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal Partners. “You need to do an analysis on what people want to hear and then see if you are in a position to deliver that. You have to be prepared to talk about your category and not just yourself and your own brand. The blog is not about just pimping your own company.”
And all of this comes for modest rewards. The hard truth is most brand blogs see very little traffic. Even among the five we choose with interesting, relevant content, there are few signs of audience activity in the form of comments and social media shares. Still, brands need to create content, even if it finds most of its audience on social platforms.
Disney Baby Blog
Disney’s Baby Blog is a must follow for both current and expecting moms. The content is right up their alley, with posts on ways to document pregnancy, the fastest rising baby names and different ideas for kids birthday party themes. The content is refreshed daily with about five articles each day. The blog never mentions Disney or Disney products, making the experience less about the brand and more about followers, which as we know is a best practice in social media.
GE Global Research Blog
The GE fan is interested in technology, science and innovation, according to a recent interview with Linda Boff, the company’s executive director of global digital marketing. In GE’s Global Research blog, the company really sticks to its laurels. The company posts results for research around healthcare, technology, energy and more. One post informs women on breast density and what it means. Another post is focused on spreading the word on the importance of solar power. All posts include either an image or a video, taking the experience beyond just static text.
Johnson & Johnson BTW Blog
J&J’s blog is all about the company’s perspective and people. It’s meant to let the world know how J&J feels about disaster relief efforts for Sandy, for example, child obesity and mental illness. Sharing options are endless, with options to share via Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and email. What’s nice about the blog is posts are written by various people who work for the organization. Seeing these people’s POV in the blog, makes J&J seem more human. Posts have images and videos and links to other relevant content.
The Sharpie Blog
The Sharpie Blog is where the company shares the amazing stuff people do with Sharpie markers. The company does plug it’s products into posts, but in a really natural way. For example, one post is a drawing of the Puck building in New York City. The post tells readers that the drawing was drawn using the Ultra Fine Point Sharpie and explains why this particular marker was the best option for what the artist was trying to do. It’s a pretty clever way to let people know what products are best used for what projects. Sharpie offers the most in terms of options to share.
Whole Foods’ The Whole Story Blog
The Whole Story is all about eating great for less, so it includes recipes for field roast and things to make with your Thanksgiving leftovers. Some posts are more serious toned, with tips on safe eating during the holidays if you have severe food allergies. It’s very relevant and at the same time, useful and practical content. There’s plenty of images and some videos. Consumers cannot share articles though. They could only leave replies for posts.
Image via Shutterstock
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