Retail Blog

Should Your Business Have a Blog? These days, it seems like everyone and their dog has an online presence. In particular, blogs – a unique kind of Internet journal that takes its name from a mash-up of the term “web log” – are skyrocketing in growth and popularity. It is estimated that well over 100,000 new blogs are created each day, with the total number of blogs now far exceeding 100 million.

Plenty of businesses are getting in on the blogging act, too. From corporate bigwigs to mom ‘n’ pop shops, it’s possible to find a blog covering every conceivable type of operation. One recent study found that as many as 50% of all companies surveyed had some type of blog. In an era when even a sliver of competitive advantage can be a great boost, some experts call business blogs an innovative and low-cost way to extend your brand and bring your image up to date.

Have you been thinking about starting a blog for your business? If so, you deserve kudos for being open to new possibilities. But don’t just jump on the blogging bandwagon because everyone else is doing it. Before you commit to a business blog, it’s best to carefully consider the pros and cons involved in this kind of undertaking.

The benefits of blogging

If you’re looking for a cheap and simple way to exponentially boost your business’s profile, blogging might be just what the doctor ordered. With little or no risk and remarkable ROI potential, a company blog can be a great tool for any business. Here are just a few of the ways blogging could help your enterprise.

• Establish authority in your field. If you know a lot about your business niche, a blog is a great way to broadcast your expertise. A blog is a great conduit to help you connect with a community of like-minded experts and create interest and awareness of your business among those who are in the know.

• Forge connections with new customers. More and more people are making blog reading a part of their daily schedule. There’s probably no better way to get your business’s name in front of millions of people than starting a blog. Once you establish yourself as part of the online community in your field, reciprocal links from other sites will help bring new readers – and potential clients – to your blog.

• Boost your site’s readership and traffic. If you already have a business website, or if your business is based online, a blog can be a huge boon. Blog entries are a great way to boost your site’s search engine rankings, as well.

• Strengthen your relationship with existing clients. A business blog can offer your clients a peek behind the curtain, so to speak, offering customers a rare glimpse into the inner workings of your company. Blog comments are also an excellent way to keep the lines of communication open with your clients and deepen your understanding of how people are responding to your products.

• Position yourself in the market. Need to communicate the uniqueness of your company to the world? There’s no better platform than a blog. That’s one reason why independent retailers who cater to niche markets are particularly well-served by the new form of company-customer communication.


• Respond quickly to emerging challenges and changes. Today’s market is dynamic and ever-evolving. With a company blog, you can respond to changes or challenges that may emerge, in real time and on your terms. If your business model relies on rapid adaptation and nimble response, a blog may be the perfect communication pipeline for you.


The drawbacks of blogging

Sure, business blogging is all the rage these days, but let’s face it – it’s not for everybody. Seasoned business owners know that trends shouldn’t drive your decision-making process, so if you don’t feel genuinely compelled to blog, you probably shouldn’t commit to it. Here are some very good reasons NOT to start a company blog.


• You’re a seller, not a writer. If you’d rather eat glass than sit down in front of your computer to compose blog posts, this might not be the thing for you. But before you nix the idea of a company blog, consider the possibility of outsourcing writing duties to a talented employee or a professional. As long as you maintain control of the tone and topics, you don’t have to write every word yourself.

• Your schedule is already packed to the brim. Life can be hectic for independent retailers. If you already have to juggle appointments to find time to sleep and eat, adding even more to your plate with a blog might not be the best idea. But again, you might consider delegating blog duties to someone you trust.

• Your business model isn’t based on your uniqueness. If your company offers products and services that really don’t differ all that much from those provided by your competitors, there might not be much point in blogging.

• You’re not exactly tech-savvy. Is your VCR display still flashing “12:00 a.m.”? Do you still own a VCR? Do you have trouble locating the power button on your computer? If technology just isn’t your thing, think twice before starting a blog. The learning curve involved might be way too steep to make good business sense.

• Your customer base doesn’t read blogs. If you run a specialty business that caters to a very narrow slice of the market, or if the lion’s share of your customers are unlikely to be the blog-reading type, the time and effort involved in starting and maintaining a blog might exceed the potential benefit.


Does your business have a blog? How do you manage it? In what ways has the blog impacted your business? Tell us more in the comments.