Case Study: Corporate Blogging

Some of you out there may still be wondering why so many companies are investing time and energy in blogging. Maybe you're even considering starting your own blog and you're not sure if it's a good idea for your personal business situation. I know that the question of whether or not to blog remains a hot topic on the LinkedIn Q&A area.

To me the answer is pretty clear (It's fun to blog. Plus, the benefits far outweigh the time and effort spent). But, I thought I would focus this Monday Marketing Case Study on a variety of companies who've decided to blog, and the types of results that they've experienced.

From the Washington Post: Marketing Moves to the Blogosphere

The article cites several examples of diverse firms who have incorporated blogging into their corporate communications mix. From Honest Tea, to Dolcezza, a local gelato shop, to Marriott International.

"He's (Chief Executive Bill Marriot) not your typical blogger -- he doesn't use computers. Instead, he dictates entries into a recorder and a staff member transcribes and posts them. The audio is also on the site, which averages about 6,000 visitors per week and has had more than 600,000 total visitors since its inception in January 2007."

And, it's not only traffic that the Marriott is generating from their blog...

"Marriott has made more than $5 million in bookings from people who clicked through to the reservation page from Marriott's blog."

Even if you have a hard time figuring out what your specific ROI might be from maintaining a blog, it's key to factor in benefits that may be difficult to measure.

"Though blogs may not always yield immediate results, they can be part of a "halo effect" that ultimately gives a business a bigger online presence, says Debbie Weil, a corporate blogging consultant and author of "The Corporate Blogging Book." "I think that the really important thing about using a blog as a business strategy is that usually you cannot connect the dots directly from blogs to revenue," Weil said."

RRW has been blogging for about 1-1/2 years. Check out what we said in May after our one-year anniversary, on the topic of what blogging has done for the business. We've met some great new colleagues and have boosted visibility for the firm. Our blog is consistently ranked #1 when you search for "Direct Marketing Blog" on Google or Yahoo. Most importantly, this blog is a creative outlet and one that allows me to keep up with what's going on in my industry. It's fun!

Look at it this way--Technorati claims that there are over 100 million blogs out there. And, guess what, only 5,000 are corporate blogs! Think of the opportunity to get in on almost the ground floor. If you're the first in your industry to start blogging, you'll be in the a great position to own the space. Not a bad place to be, especially if you're not the largest in your industry.

You know, I think that's what I like the best about blogging. You don't have to be big to stake your claim and make a name for your business, on the blogosphere, of course.