Laura Christianson owns the Snohomish-based consulting company Blogging Bistro. She’s an expert on how businesses can use blogging and other social-media tools to bolster marketing efforts and engage customers. You can read more about her company here.

Laura recently took a few minutes to answer some questions about effective blogging. Here’s what she had to say.

Q: Why are so many businesses blogging — what’s the incentive?
In our wired world, adding social media to your marketing plan is not an option; it’s a requirement. The consumer mindset has undergone a tremendous shift; we distrust advertising messages and we demand to get to know a company before we agree to do business with them. No longer are we satisfied with a flashy brochure or with talking with a customer service rep – we want to meet the CEO.

A: A company blog gives consumers the opportunity to interact directly with a company’s decision-maker(s). When consumers sense that the company owners are making an effort to be accessible, transparent, and communicative, they develop trust in that company and are more likely to remain loyal customers over the long haul.

Q: When is a blog right for a business?

A: A blog – or at the very least – some sort of fresh, meaty content that appears on your company Web site on a regular basis, is a wise choice for every business. Fresh content on your Web site not only boosts search engine rankings, it also personalizes your business and helps prospective customers get a feel for your values and your professionalism.

Q: When is it wrong?

A: Nearly every day, people tell me, “I visited a company Web site and they have a blog, but it hasn’t been updated in four months.”

Neglecting your blog is worse than not having one at all. I recommend updating a company blog once a week at the very least.

Your blog must also maintain professional writing standards. If writing, spelling, and grammar are not your strong suits, consider outsourcing the writing to a professional content writer who can ghost write your blog posts.

Q: What generally defines a successful company-run blog?
A: As with all good content, a company-run blog should provide entertaining, engaging information (in written, audio, and/or video form) for the specific demographic your company targets.

A good company blog makes it easy for people to comment. Expect to receive customer complaints via your blog, and respond promptly to all complaints (and compliments).

Many companies set up a group blog. Distributing the blogging responsibilities among several people lessens the writing load and gives readers a broader perspective of the company. If you do a group blog, I recommend contracting with a good copyeditor who will edit all blog posts for consistency and to ensure they meet professional standards.

Q: What’s your advice for an effective blogging strategy?

A: Give away practical, usable, consumer-based information in 85 percent of your blog posts. When you give more than you take, your readers will be more amenable to reading the occasional promotional post.

Use a blog to enhance – not replace – your existing marketing strategy. Outline a 1-year and 5-year plan that details the type of content you’ll give away. Set up campaigns that synchronize your blog content with your other marketing efforts.

Q: What companies (former or current Blogging Bistro clients) would you point out as having exemplary blogs?

A: Rich’s for the Home (Lynnwood, Seattle): Information-packed blog posts share everything you could possibly want to know about the products Rich’s for the Home specializes in: stoves, fireplaces, outdoor furniture and spas.

WinePress Publishing Group (Enumclaw): This custom publishing company’s group blog offers weekly marketing and publishing tips and highlights its own authors’ media appearances.

CRAVEcompany (Seattle): CRAVE focuses on providing how-tos, info on local boutique shopping, and fun ideas for glam-gal gatherings in various cities.

World Concern (Shoreline): This non-profit, charitable organization has five blogs on general news, sponsoring a child, disaster relief, HIV/AIDS and world poverty.

Know a small business you think we should write about? Have a suggestion for an expert we should feature in a Q&A? Contact Herald writer Amy Rolph at arolph@heraldnet.com.

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