Corporate blogs are blogs, or web logs, designed and operated by a business. The focus of the blog may be a means of communication with employees, consumers, or used as a tool in the development of new products and services. A corporate blog makes it possible to communicate with the target audience regardless of distance, time zone, or other factors that inhibit other forms of communication.
One common application of a corporate blog is to provide a means of conveying information to employees. Notices are routinely posted on the blog and may be used to announce upcoming changes in corporate policies, report on the progress of any new product offerings, or solicit feedback from employees on issues that are of common concern to everyone associated with the company. Blogs of this type are often password protected, making it necessary for readers and participants to register and obtain access credentials before being able to view any of the corporation blog entries or posted comments.
The corporate blog may be used to collect feedback from customers as well. With this application, the blog focuses on the products and services offered by the company, allowing consumers to ask questions or comment on their experiences with one or more products. The company blog can also be used to keep customers apprised of any changes in the corporate structure, upcoming discounts on various products, and conduct customer satisfaction surveys.
In both internal and external applications, a corporate blog helps to foster a more united sense of community among those who participate in any capacity. Customers feel more connected to the business, which may come in handy when competitors attempt to secure their business. Employees often develop a stronger sense of being a necessary part of the company, since the blog keeps them informed on what is happening throughout the corporation and often provides them with the means to comment on those developments.
Setting up a corporate blog is not difficult. Many free blog sites are available for creating a basic blog. In addition, software packages can be designed to associate a blog with an existing web presence, such as the corporate web site. In both cases, it is possible to make use of RSS technology and structure the blog so readers can opt to read new entries without actually visiting the blog.
A corporate blog can be structured to allow a completely unmonitored flow of discussion, or require that each post or comment be qualified by an administrator before being visible to other readers. For the most part, many corporate blogging efforts benefit from having at least a minimal amount of security, as this prevents the blog from being disrupted by spammers or others who would like to damage the reputation of the corporation sponsoring and operating the blog.
