Posted by Jess Saba on Wed, Oct 07, 2009 @ 04:21 PM
If you have ever moved to a new town you know that it takes time and effort to establish a presence in your community and to meet a new people. The hope is to develop relationships with people who will introduce you to new people, invite you to events and look to you for advice and guidance.
Social networking online for your business is the same idea.
The goal of social networking is to create mutually beneficial relationships where information, experience and contacts can be shared.
The hope is that by sharing resources and industry knowledge your business will be looked to as a credible supplier of relevant and useful information and you will be able to benefit from the help of others in your network.
The benefits of a potent social network include insight into your demographic's opinions, increased opportunites to make business connections and access to a diversity ideas which may spark innovation and creativity.
Social networking introduces you to people with diverse worldviews who may be able to offer new ideas and may challange your perceptions with can trigger creative and innovative energy.
The challenge is to create a credible, dependable and trustworthy online presence that encourages people to look to you as a source of unique information and connections. The secret is investing time and energy to expand your online network and reputation.
The consequences to your business of underdeveloping your social network include a loss of credibility, risk of fading into obscurity in your market and losing relevancy. Also, underutilizing the potential of social networks increases your chances of missing opportunities to grow and innovate.
Developing a network
Offering readers remarkable content which can be shared with other industry professionals, potential customers, business partners and the interested public is the secret to expanding your social network.
What do you know?
Evaluate the unique knowledge your company has. What information can you share with readers that will be new, interesting and difficult to get from another source? Information that feels private is most appealing and will foster interest in the information your company decides to share.
Who do you know?
Do you have access to industry professionals who may be able to contribute to your content? Visit other blogs and suggest an article the author might be interested in.
Be involved.
Be sure to read other blogs and leaving relevant and analytical comments. The more comments your leave, the more developed your reputation as a thought leader will become.
Posted by Jess Saba on Tue, Sep 01, 2009 @ 10:28 PM
Many companies host blogs as a way to speak directly to the public. Much of the content is published to attract customers, media attention or public support.
While reaching the consumer and sharing expertise and industry insights on the web is important, your company can also use a blog to connect with the people inside your corporation.
An internal blog is a website which speaks to your employees, franchisees or temps. The blog can be available to the public or hosted privately on your company intra net.
Benefits of an Internal Blog
Promotes Discussion: A company blog gives each employee a voice. Comments, discussion boards and input can provide management with insight into opinions, needs, ideas and perspectives that may not otherwise be heard.
Quickly Provide News: If your company experiences a crisis, a new product release or a policy change, your public relations team can help frame a consistent message to handle the public opinion.
Event Information: Whether you need to provide information about the upcoming national sales meeting, fund raising event or community service project, an internal blog can be a hub for information, photos or directions.
Educate Employees: Frequent updates and breaking news about your industry, business or demographic will help expand your employees' knowledge of the most current developments and innovations.
Training: Blogs are a great way to provide training information to employees to help improve basic skills or company methodologies. Reminders about company policies or expectations can be included as well.
Creating Your Company Blog
- Decide if your blog will be public or private. Your audience will dictate the content, look and feel of your blog.
- Decide who will contribute to the content. Will your in-house public relations professional author all of the content, or will you have each employee write about their specialization?
- Choose a Content Management System. Do you have an IT person who can set up a blog for you?
Additional ideas for internal blog posts: CEO's picture of the week, sales updates, new internal contests, new projects, employee driven content and employee bios.