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In today’s business and economic climate individuals and companies search for ways to cut costs without sacrificing functionality. Blogging is one strategy that allows individuals to leverage a publishing platform while competing with large companies. The following are excuses, myths, or push backs we hear from people and companies on why they just do not want to adopt blogging. What is your excuse?

6 Excuses and Myths Why People Do Not Blog

• Articles must be long:
  Blog articles according to usability expert Jakob Nielsen are best very short, succinct, and written in a “short writing” style. Our average post contains 200-350 words. According to Nielsen, online readers: “users have time to read at most 28% of the words during an average visit; 20% is more likely”
  
• You must write everyday:
  Everyday is great but even if a blogger writes once a week they are ahead of most competitors. One quick source of content is to convert monthly newsletters to blog article(s).
• Fear to write publicly:
  That will happen to most bloggers if they do not formulate a plan (you should do this first) for their blog and a purpose for writing
• Resistant to take on new technology:
  This is often the biggest reason people do not blog. If a new blogger practices using their blog software they become more familiar with the technology. This familiarity breeds confidence which  makes the blogger more efficient
• What do I have to say that has not already been said before?
  Most likely nothing. Yet if a blogger can prove they are willing to give people valuable content, many readers will return for information. Readers want to understand how a blogger will react in  business situations. Saying what has already been said is fine–each blogger has the opportunity to develop their own voice
• Who will see my blog?:
  Very few readers will see a blogger’s work if that blogger does not know how to promote his/her blog, make it more visible, and be patient. The most important benefit of a blog is the fact it is a delivery system for multiple forms of content. By delivering url-hyperlinks, a blogger can deliver their content through other social networks, within comment sections of blogs, and even via email

Courtesy Printing Wiki

Blogging has lead the paradigm shift and evolution in communications away from an environment dominated by the print and electronic medias, of newspapers-magazines-radio-television, to an open “architecture of participation” online.  Businesses and companies that ignore this shift should consider the following 10 Reasons Businesses Must Blog:

10 Reasons Businesses Must Blog

1. Publishing Platform: a blog is the writing platform to begin creating content about your products, services, business, and business culture
2. Control: blogging allows businesses the opportunity to control their own information about their expertise, experience, and brand
3. Delivery: blogs are delivery systems for a company’s content. The url for articles can be delivered to prospective consumers, clients, or strategically targeted audiences within a social network
4. Networking: a blog allows key employees to meet other industry professionals or consumers, it allows networking through the comment section, and it provides a forum to recognize industry association partnerships
5. New Skills: by adopting blogging, key company employees  begin to learn about Web 2.0, social networks, blog software, delivering links, and how the new paradigm shift of information is being formulated everyday
6. Perception: businesses that blog are perceived as being more savvy, as more progressive due to the perception that social media-blogging is a cutting edge progressive activity, and more relevant to their audience of consumers for providing a direct channel of communication and participation
7. Visibility: blogging provides businesses with more visibility as a blog is “open” 24 hours a day, 7 days per week
8. Reputation Management: blogging provides a tool for companies to deliver messages that can correct or challenge erroneous information about them online
9. Due Diligence: when consumers or clients perform due diligence on a business, the first place they begin is with a Google search of that company. The fact remains that consumers searching for any bad behavior or information that might signal the company is unfit as a service provider
10. Research: blogging requires research. Research requires skills in searching and finding information online which is a new skill for many employees. Research opens the door to finding and understanding the conversations and buzz that surrounds a company or brand. This is a vital piece to a business connecting with their audience online

I often share how much my direct marketing background influences how I approach social media marketing. It has given me a framework from which to view social media marketing as a discipline. Yes, I know that social media is about being authentic, yet being authentic doesn’t mean you have to show up without a plan or strategy. Yet this is exactly what most companies do.

To be an effective social media marketer, you must:

1. First get clear on your goals
2. Deliver messages that are designed to inspire responses that align with your goals
3. Understand what kinds of messages produce the results you want

These 3 keys require you think ahead before you deliver your messages and that you look back to see what they produced. Showing up to play in the game is not enough. Just because the tools are free doesn’t mean you can afford to waste your energies messaging at random.

How to avoid random messaging:

• Develop a messaging plan
• Develop a messaging schedule

If that sounds like too much effort and structure, then you’re not taking your social media marketing seriously. Believe me, a little disclipine sees the difference between a swing and a miss and a home run. Which would you prefer?