Blogs now among the important mix of communication tools: South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "Blogs now among the important mix of communication tools
By Jeffery D. Zbar
Special to the Sun-Sentinel
Posted February 14 2005
The Internet and interactive media have found their place as effective marketing tools. Add to those tools the "blog," which is finding a home in the online marketing world.
Called the top tech trend to watch in 2005 by Fortune magazine, the Web log, or "blog," is an online journal or diary designed to be frequently updated and posted or distributed to readers. Marketing and communications professionals are finding value in the community-building that starts with the online journal.
Topics vary depending on the blogger and that person's audience, from car enthusiasts to political followers or gadflys to sports enthusiasts. As the number grows -- about 23,000 new blogs are created each day, according to blog-tracking firm Technorati -- the need to reach these audiences, or become part of an increasingly relevant trend, only grows in kind.
Marketing shop Moxie Group has suggested its technology client, The Casey Group, start a blog to reach its audience, said agency principal Lisa Buyer. Blogging for business makes sense for Casey for obvious reasons, she said. Blogging allows the software and information technology firm to reach its clients with a pertinent message in a medium its clients are using, she said. Besides, Casey is a tech firm, after all.
"They need to walk the talk," Buyer said. "Blogs are the next generation of marketing, and they're operating in a next-generation industry. That's why it was appropriate to put it in their mix."
By their "journaling" nature, blogs require fresh and timely entries be posted regularly. Buyer recommended Casey assign an employee to write and post entries several times a week if not daily, and monitor customer responses before posting appropriate entries on the blog site.
Keeping it fresh and monitoring it for content will help control the credibility of the message as well as its tone and style, and "communicate a message that's consistent with the rest of the marketing," she said.
Blogs also hit where other media might miss. With spam filters set on high alert and catching many marketing messages before they reach their targets, a blog can be a smart alternative to delivering a newsletter by e-mail, Buyer said. With something as simple as a page on the Casey Group site that can be frequently updated, readers who subscribe to the blog can be alerted about new postings.
Balanced communication is are essential to creating the appropriate tone for a blog. Miami PR firm AJR & Partners has launched the "AJR Spin Zone." Casual and light, the blog looks at national trends and issues: President Bush's State of the Union address, the use of sound bites, or event marketing from the perspective of someone in the business.
Though informal, the site presents an emerging trend among progressive companies that seek "conversations" with their customers, said Alec J. Rosen, the company's president.
The informal nature of blogs presents both hazard and opportunity, Buyer said.
A company risks casting a casual impression that might belie its otherwise polished corporate image. Use of language that's too loose or informal can damage an organization or industry's reputation, said Rissig Licha, senior partner and managing director with Fleishman-Hillard Miami/Latin America.
But because of their impromptu nature, blog entries should avoid polished language and highbrow content to connect with readers, Buyer said.
"The informal style is the beauty of the blog. It's not a formulated marketing and advertising message," Buyer said. "It can be casual and informal, but you can still control the message. You have to balance that so it works as a true marketing tool."
Marketers interested in creating blogs for their sites should inquire with their site host as to whether blog technology is provided. They also can visit blog sites, such as Blogger.com, Bloglines.com and TypePad.com.
Jeff Zbar is a freelance writer. He can be reached at jeff@jeffzbar.com.
