I was familiar with blogs prior to this class. I’ve looked at friends’ blogs, wellness blogs, work-related blogs, and even occasionally celebrity-gossip blogs.
According to the WVU IMC program, a blog is defined as a word that was created from two words: “web log.” Blogs are usually maintained by an individual or a business with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video.
I had a basic understanding of what a blog was, however prior to this class, I wasn’t sure how or why to have a blog.
The two main take aways I’ve learned from this process about how to keep an interesting blog are: keep it active with ongoing posts and use visuals when possible.
One source notes that there are more than 152 million blogs on the Internet and that a new blog is created every half second. That means there are a lot of options for users to choose from when sourcing a go-to blog. Therefore, engaging, relevant, and visual blogs will be more likely to stand out.
Here is an infographic with more facts about blogs and their influence.
I’ve enjoyed developing and maintaining this blog for the past few weeks. The reason why? I’ve learned a lot about emerging media and nuances of how to maintain a blog like importing visuals, linking sources, and naming pictures to improve SEO.
Additionally, here are six reasons why marketers should keep blogs on behalf of their businesses.
1. Attract an audience
Every marketer wants an audience. A blog is a great way to get an ongoing one.
2. Inform, interact, and learn from your audience
Once a marketer has an audience, it’s important to educate them about the brand so that they may make informed purchasing decisions. As more people are turning to the Internet to perform research before making a purchase, company blogs can help shape the decisions. Additionally, blogs can serve as places for consumers to provide feedback so that if their is negative feedback, the company can respond.
3. Building trust and familiarity
Trust is vital in maintaining long-term relationships with consumers. The accessibility that companies offer through blogs helps build trust by making corporations feel human.
4. Branding
Using a blog can show the brand’s personality and tone beyond TV commercials or print ads.
5. Grow a community
Blogs are perfect for creating your own townsquare that’s all about your company and brand. It’s a forum to talk about new products and services, promotions, events, news, etc. and engage people who are fans (or potential fans) of your brand.
6. Initiate more sales
Simply explained – informed consumers feel more confident to make purchases.
Overall, blogs are a great tool for marketers to use to reach consumers and increase brand exposure.
Emerging Media 