2008 Summit – Valeria Maltoni on Corporate Blogging
The theme of this year’s Summit is the Feed.   When we think about the Feed as consumers, we think about what we want to hear about. Companies, on the other hand, think about making a profit, finding customers and building their brand. Corporate blogs, if approached correctly, connect companies with their consumers by providing content that speaks to consumer needs while indirectly fulfilling on company objectives.
It seems obvious that a company’s online content should speak to their target audience’s needs, but think about most corporate websites. They have stagnant content and are about the company, not the consumer. A blog is a great way for companies to start responding to what their audience really wants to hear.
There is an increasing demand for businesses to start leveraging social media. According to Maltoni, 85% of people believe that companies should have a social media presence online and 53% of people say they would interact with companies with that presence.  A corporate blog is a way for companies to turn the tables on the traditional one-way marketing model by providing refreshed content and creating interaction.
Corporate blogging is a good opportunity to listen and become more in tune with the ongoing needs of customers. The result is the creation of an online brand identity for your company that puts you in control of the conversation. As consumers start to recognize your company’s persona/voice (reputation building), there’s also an increase in trust. The more people feel they know you, the more affinity they will feel for your brand.
Creating a corporate blog is not an easy task though.  Corporate bloggers need to possess very specific qualities and characteristics because they are, in essence, the face of your brand.  They need to be communicators (editors), facilitators (community builders) and negotiators (marketers), as well as being active listeners, advocates and ambassadors. These qualities all promote trust between company and consumer.
There is, of course, a great sense of responsibility associated with becoming a corporate blogger, especially within heavily regulated companies. Everything you say is associated with the company. There’s no such thing as being “just an employee”. Corporate bloggers are the company. Maltoni’s advice is to be open, truthful and sure of what you want to communicate because “once you open the door, there is no turning back.”
