Four reasons to have a blog (Part 1)

Blogging is just like writing a diary, except that anyone on the Internet can read it. For some people, blogging has become almost a way of life, defining themselves as bloggers above all else. However, there are millions of blogs, most of them unread. So why bother? There are several reasons.

1. Blogs that provide useful advice will be followed by potential customers, who will refer them on to their friends. It's another way of raising your profile and promoting your brand. If you are seen as an expert who constantly provides practical advice, you will become trusted, and people buy from those they trust. If your blog becomes known as a centre of expertise and debate for your sector, you will benefit from the credibility that it gives, as well as receiving valuable ideas and feedback.

Some of the most popular blogs are read by tens of thousands of people, and can act as opinion formers within an industry. Because of the simplicity and speed of production, news can break on a blog before it is seen or heard anywhere else. This is part of the phenomenon known as citizen journalism. But there is a downside too. Because the majority of blogs are the work of one person, they may consist of opinions or rumours masquerading as verified facts. If your blog is to be seen as credible, you should take as much care as a journalist publishing an article in a magazine, particularly since the laws of libel still apply.

2. You can use your blog not only to promote your brand, but also to protect it. If a crisis occurs, you need to establish yourself as the main source of information. Your blog can act as a focus for customers and journalists alike. Not only that, if you allow comments (as you should, in my view), you will see instantly the concerns that are being raised, and be able to move quickly to deal with them. However, don't feel the need to respond personally to every critical comment on your blog. You will find that other readers will often post comments that deal with the issue for you. In addition, there are some mischievous individuals who will post provocative comments simply to start a debate, which if you enter it, you will never win. You do need to keep an eye out for obscene or potentially libellous comments, however, and delete them as soon as you can.

Part 2 (yes, you guessed it), with reasons 3 and 4, in the September issue!

This information was written by Alan Stevens, and originally appeared in "The MediaCoach", his free weekly ezine, available at www.mediacoach.co.uk.