Top 5, er 7, DOs & DON'TS for Writing a Business Blog

By Debbie Weil
Publisher, WordBiz Report and debbie's blog

I asked a handful of A-list bloggers for their top DO or DON'T for writing an effective business blog. Their responses are intriguing - and useful.

Here's what Microsoft's Robert Scoble, Seth Godin, Halley Suitt, Nick Usborne and others told me...

1. Robert Scoble (aka Scobleizer)

Here is his gem of a tip. He writes:

"Our rule here (at Microsoft)? Don't be stupid. :-) I call it be smart. But, it comes down to not pissing off your boss and working to make sure you align your weblog with the image that the company is trying to project.

The Delta (Airlines) worker who just got fired probably did so because the image she was projecting didn't match the image that Delta was trying to project to the outside world.

It's a tough line, though, because not everyone thinks about these things.

My suggestion for those who want to write a business blog: 1) Read tons of blogs first. I recommend that you read at least 50 blogs for two weeks before you start.

Get an RSS Aggregator. That's a must. Learn how to use Feedster, Pubsub, and Technorati.

2) Show your passion for your company and your products.

If you aren't passionate about your products or your company (in a good way) then it's probably best that you don't write a blog that'll be identifiable with your company.

3) Help other people share their passion (interview workers who you notice staying late to do something "extra special").

4) Try to answer any concerns bloggers might have. But, be careful. Work with PR teams and marketers in your company so you know what their stance is.

5) Take some risks. But know the consequences."

Robert Scoble is a technical evangelist for Microsoft and author of the widely-read Scobleizer blog.


2. Seth Godin

DON'T: "Don't be selfish. No one cares about you."

Seth Godin is considered the guru of "permission marketing." He is a well-known speaker and author of Permission Marketing, Purple Cow, Free Prize Inside and other books.

Seth blogs at http://sethgodin.typepad.com/


3. Halley Suitt

DO: "Feel free to sound like yourself and don't get caught up trying to sound professional - that makes you sound dull or dead."

Halley Suitt is a Senior Editor at WorthWhile Magazine.

She blogs at Halley's Comment http://halleyscomment.blogspot.com/ and describes her blogging style as "sexy and obnoxious."

She is the author of a much-discussed case study on business blogging for the Harvard Business Review (September, 2003): "A Blogger In Their Midst". You have to purchase the case study but here is a good synopsis.


4. Nick Usborne


DO: "Create a sense of continuity. People quickly get an idea of what your blog is about and how it sounds. Find the 'spine' of what gives your blog life - that combination of subject, theme, attitude and voice - and build on that. When that spine starts to hum, when everything is working, stick with it.

In particular, be consistent in your voice. Your readers may forgive the odd departure away from your core subject, but they will always be disturbed by inconsistency in the voice they hear."

Nick Usborne is a copywriter and the author of Net Words: Creating High-Impact Online Copy. He blogs at http://nickusborne.typepad.com/. Read his e-newsletter at www.excessvoice.com.

5. Paul Chaney

DO: "Decide whom you're writing for. Are you targeting your existing customer or client base? Is the blog a prospecting tool for new business? Picture your audience as if they are one person. Then write conversationally."

Paul Chaney focuses on small business blogging at http://radiantmarketing.typepad.com/.

6. Don K. Crowther

DO: "Write about stuff that your company doesn't do but that your audience wants to know about.

... If you do parts manufacturing you need to buy lathes. Your customers probably need to buy lathes too. So tell them about your favorite lathe manufacturer and provide a link to their site."

Don Crowther blogs at 101publicrelations.com. He is the author of the Blogging for Business Training Manual (highly recommended - DW). Don was my guest speaker for our BlogWrite audio program. He's especially articulate and clear on the topic of business blogging.

Useful Links

Here's a downloadable PDF of Microsoft blogger Robert Scoble's Corporate Weblog Manifesto. He blogs at http://scoble.weblogs.com/.

BlogWrite Audio Tutorial: a meaty 75-minute look at how to write a business blog. Who should write it? Should it (or can it) be edited? Do you need an official corporate blogging policy? See box at right for more info and to register.

Check out the WordBiz Business Blogging Starter Kit for B2B blog case studies, 7 content tips and more do's and don'ts.

These tips were first published in the Oct. 14, 2004 issue of WordBiz Report.