(Photo: highimpact.co.uk)#1 If you don't have a blog for your company online strategy, its already late, BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME!
Having a blog for your company is incredibly beneficial. The more post your company makes over time will increase your SEO and increase your ROI as compared to PPC strategies. Blogs put more content on the web and make it easier and cheaper for an online customer to find you through search engines. Also, a blog increases your company's face online. I believe that a company should have an employee blogging program focused on solutions to customers problems using keywords. Most marketers know how to talk to customers and write in some way. We see problems everyday in our job, maybe with customers or within the organization. Why not express those problems in a constructive way?
For example, your client has a problem and you solved the problem. Put that on the blog! Yet, do it in such a manner explaining what happened and how it was solved for the benefit of the CLIENT, not the company.
Another example, your company has a problem and the problem has been solved. Put that on the blog! And do it in such a manner explaining how it happened, apologizing, and how it has been solved for the benefit of the CLIENTS, not the company.
There are problems and solutions across all departments of a company, not just the marketing department. So this goes back to that #1, integrate your communications. So perhaps some sort of employee blogging program might be something a marketing manager might benefit from. Also, be sure to clearly link your social media and website to the blog.
Video content is important if you want your company to be in the leading pack of your industry. Find out what customers want to see in your video and develop that content. I think lots of video content is best. Different customers want different things. I like to see what is happening behind the scenes with my favorite companies, so I prefer behind the scenes type videos. For example, interviews with important figures in the organization, not just the CEO, but the small people that are making things happen day to day. Clients want to see how the organization is working to help them. Here's a short and simple video but a decent example.
Connect industry influencials to your blog. Contact them directly and offer them the ability to participate in your business. Have them write posts for your blog and get their voice heard through you. These industry influencials will be the ones that will make your next product or strategic move a "world wide rave".
Blogs are a great monitoring tool, too. Many times your industry influencials will post articles and their readers will comment. Monitoring these conversations is important. You may find ways to expand you business, create new ideas, or find even more solutions for your customers.
#2 Build a social network
Again, this is beneficial in many ways such as SEO initiatives, ROI goals, and client face time. In social media I like to stress the idea of being part the gossip in your industry. Social media is like going to an industry trade show, party, conference, or any other type of industry/company event. What do people do at these type of events? They talk and some talk more than they should. In social media, we want to replicate that feel. We want to talk to our network, gossip about the industry. Rumor your next product or strategic move...build hype or buzz. In social media your content runs wild! So make sure you say the right things at the right time. If you
don't have great gossip material, continue building your network and staying in contact with important customers and industry influencials. Still need more room to develop though your social network? Develop your own network though ning.com.#3 Use integrated communications techniques in your websites, blogs, & social media
If your company has more than one website, make them look like they are from the same company and talk like they are from the same company. Unless! the websites are brand specific with different buyer personas. However, if you have websites focused on local markets with different languages, I believe the best strategy will be to use integrated communications.
This means several things. First, visual communication - design the websites and blogs to have the same feel and look. Second, content - integrate your content throughout the organization and let the online manager decide if the content is right for the region. For example, your PR dept. has a good story. That story should spread out over the organization on all websites to communicate to all your stakeholders. Third, integrate social media and blogs! Your websites should have a clear link to blogs and your social media. This not only helps integrate your communications but also helps SEO initiatives.
So there you have 3 things to help your online marketing plan.
Build a blog!
Build a social network!
and integrate everything so that they feed and work off each other.
The worst thing an online marketer can do, is sporadically engage in the Internet. Plan your strategy and structure your online presence. Not only will it organize you but it will serve your online customer better.
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