How to get the most from your blog

If you've begun a company blog to keep consumers and business associates up to date on the latest news about your products, you aren't alone. But, are you getting the most from your blog? Chance are, your blog could stand a little rejuvenation so that it becomes a must read instead of a place to waste a few minutes between meetings.

by Kristina Knight

Although many businesses out there have adopted a blogging attitude, many still don't know how to get the most from their short posts. The first step in getting more from your blog is to look at your blog strategy. What do you want from the blog? More leads? Better communication with existing or potential customers? Better in-house communication?

Whatever your strategy - and, yes, you do need to identify the top reason for beginning a blog - the best way to make it a must read is to pack it with useful content. If it is a blog used primarily in-house by different departments, have department heads blog from time to time to talk about new developments, fill it with links to helpful article on trends in your area of business and talk about ways all employees can make a difference in the bottom line.

Next, include an updating strategy. If you plan to update it every business day, great. But, that is a lot of content to come up with. For some, a weekly update is enough or two to three updates each week. Whatever you decide, let readers know when to expect a new post. While you're at it, sign up for an RSS service so that new posts are delivered to readers as they are made.

Finally, focus. You know that strategy we've been talking about? Stay focused on the strategy. Don't let your blog become a random train of thought on the day's headlines, current events or goofy jokes. Keep the content focused on your business or industry so that consumers know every time they log on that they'll get something out of their visit.