Blogging and vlogging have become a modern part of today’s social media platforms, which has encouraged businesses that use SM as their predominent digital marketing method, to jump on the bandwagon. However, does the process of blogging aid the business positively? Does blogging impact different sectors of business, for example retailers?
Andriole (2010) conducted a study whereby five different companies answered questions regarding web 2.0 and the impact different platforms had on their businesses. All five companies involved in the study, claimed that blogging boosts morale and actually improves productivity. Results also showed companies stating that blogging is an easy and fast method of communicating between consumers and businesses, as well as blogs being used to vet decisions, codify information and a method to which companies and businesses can gain consumer acceptance, which are all positive strategic drivers. Interestingly, this study also shows businesses using blogs for successful training purposes – improving the business internally rather than focusing on their external consumer audience.
http://www.sproutcontent.com/blog/19-Reasons-Why-Your-Business-Should-Be-Writing-a-Blog:
The above website provides some strong reasons as to why businesses shoud be writing a blog, with some of the key points being that blogging enhances SEO, (collaborating with my two initiaves for my pecha kucha). According to a HubSpot Survey, 60% of companies that blog acquire more customers (though neither the % or amount of customers are mentioned or measured). They also suggest that blogging can share a company’s expertise, create a voice, focuses on content market strategies, businesses can “tell their own story” as well as being an extremely cost effective method of SM marketing.
http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/business-blogging-in-2015#sm.000pco8x1dh9e5q11c01v3dah4asd
This HubSpot survey includes some statistics regarding blogs and businesses, with some of the following factors:
- blogging only costs you your time
- companies that blog receive 97% more links to their site
- blogs have been found to be the 5th most trusted and accurate source
- they suggest that by 2020, customers will manage 85% of their relationship without talking to a human.
https://www.ometria.com/blog/retailer-blogs-that-you-will-love
The link above provides examples of retailer blogs in particular, that have proven their worth to their consumers and followers by targetting each post to their desired market. For example we can see Boohoo’s post below:
References
Andriole, S. J. (2010). What do wikis, blogs, podcasts, social networks, virtual worlds, and the rest do for corporate productivity and management? . Business Impact of Web 2.0 Technologies. 53 ( ), pp. 67-79.