To Blog or Not to Blog

Less than 10 percent of associations have blogs. However, the momentum is starting to build as more and more organizations investigate blogs as potential communications or marketing tools.

The numbers are impressive. There are currently more than 60 million blogs, with the amount doubling every six months. Although many blogs are social, a growing number of associations have joined the blogging revolution, including several representing manufacturers, IT professionals, libraries, air conditioning contractors, bar associations and electrical sales representatives.

Regardless of whether blogging is right for you, it’s time to get educated on the subject.

What it is. Think of a blog (short for “web log”) as an online interactive group dialogue, with opinions and news from blog owners followed by comments (called “posts”) from interested parties.

Advantages. Easier to update than websites, blogs impart current information quickly and allow associations to communicate with members very effectively, with each post listed chronologically so people can follow the conversation. Topics can include recent newspaper articles, pending legislation, pertinent industry trends, membership news and issues, job postings, association webinars and other training, local chapter events, and conference news and photos.

Depending on the topic, blogs can bring tremendous traffic to a website.

Advice. The first rule of thumb is to be authentic. Blogging is about building trust so if someone else is writing your blog, you’re defeating the whole purpose. Other tips include updating your blog at least once a week, avoiding knee-jerk negative comments and providing useful content without going into minutia. As the owner of a blog, you have the option of deleting objectionable or irrelevant comments. You can also require a password-protected sign-in so the blog’s contents are hidden from non-members.

Monitoring outside blogs. You may not be ready to blog, but this is no time to stick your head in the sand about what bloggers are saying about your association or the industry it represents. For example, a popular independent blogger who complained about a major computer manufacturer had a very negative impact on both the stock price and company sales.

To find out what’s being blogged about your industry, go to either Technorati or BlogPulse.

Starting a blog. The easiest way to begin is by using the blogging software at Blogger, Word Press or TypePad.

Need more information?

Creative Marketing Alliance, based in Princeton Junction, NJ, is celebrating its 20th year of service to regional and national clients and 164 industry awards. The company operates across seven major areas of expertise – strategic marketing, advertising, public relations, sales support, interactive digital media, direct response and publications – through Marketecture™, a proprietary strategic marketing analysis process.

To discuss how CMA can help drive marketing, branding and sales in your marketplace, call Jeff Barnhart, president and CEO at 609.799.6000, ext. 18, email JBarnhart@cmasolutions.com or visit www.ThinkCMA.com.