Strategizing the Blog

By Anita Malik
March 11, 2009 05:56 PM

In a world where almost anyone can create a blog in minutes, media companies need to move away from their current just-post-stuff mentality, and instead smartly strategize what a business blog should be in today’s media market.

By now, a good majority of business journalists are quite familiar with the notion of a web log. Many have been tasked with blogging for their outlets either individually or as a part of a team, but that is where the similarities stop. Depending on an operation’s Web strategy - or lack there of - blogs, just as they do in all of cyberspace, take on many forms and serve a variety of different organizational objectives.

There’s micro-blogging and columns posing as blogs. There are opinion-laden posts and breaking news logs. Interpretations of the blog format in business reporting, in fact, are many, but it is time to move away from the experimentation phase. Playing online catch up is over. Media outlets must now move forward with a clear blogging vision, balancing the common attributes of all good business blogs.

1. Relevance. This is the most obvious attribute, but is often forgotten in the fury to just post, post, post. Micro-blogging, the practice of very short posts, is unfortunately still the mainstay at many outlets. I’m not seeking higher word counts, but I am suggesting the need for more depth. Blogs should no longer just be a compendium of general news from other sources. Without a strong subject or niche and/or without the addition of editorial insight or analysis, these blogs serve little purpose to the reader, who can easily obtain an automated news feed elsewhere. They also are a drain on resources.
   
   Let’s elaborate more on the notion of a strong subject. The best blogs hone in on an area of discussion blatantly relevant to their audience. A general business blog has less impact than a specialized blog on a particular business beat, sector or company. Looking for a model? Just Google “Apple,” one company that’s the sole subject of countless blogs. And then there’s The Kansas City Star. The paper has dedicated an entire blog, Sprint Connection, to coverage of Sprint Nextel, a company with great impact in the area.
   


2. Responsive. The strength of online journalism is its immediacy, and blogs that fail to take advantage of this should be passed over for more server space. Not only should existing blogs make room for breaking news within their particular niche, but new blogs can be established when a big, ongoing story has strong local impact. Blogging is an easy way to amass information in one location on developing stories.Take for example Stanford Watch, a blog from the Houston Chronicle. Launched in late February, it tracks developments in the Stanford Financial Group scandal. Some posts also offer historical background.
   
   Caution: Being responsive doesn’t mean you should post any and all big, breaking news. Remember to stay focused on the blog’s subject, stay relevant, and to foreshadow my next point, stay true to your defined style.
3. Defined. Once you decide on an editorial style, stick with it. Remember, a blog is not a column, but still, good blogs have color and a unique voice. Each business blog post should incorporate the news, any additional original reporting and overall perspective all in your tone/style. Don’t be afraid of humor or conversational style. A strong blog develops a following not just because it is informative, but because readers also find it engaging. They gotta like your style. (gotta is acceptable blog speak, really.)
   
4. Interactive. Blogs that are one-sided will never rise above the posting pandemonium. Online readers have grown accustomed to sharing their side of the story, and often, they hold valuable story tips.

   Speak to your readers and engage them in the conversation. You will gain access to stories that you might not find otherwise. In Today in the Sky, Ben Mutzabaugh of USA Today does rely on other news sources more than I’d like, but he does a good job of mixing in live chat sessions, working off of reader tips and engaging them in some of the blog’s more quirky regular features.  The blog has developed its own online community.

Across the board, blogs need to take on more meaning. To save resources and grow readership, there must be strategic thinking for blogs.  Because despite the constant push for more online posting of any kind that is still felt in many news organizations, the blogging stars are and will be those that take a more focused approach. They are the ones that will effectively balance staying relevant and current with a strong voice and an open dialogue.

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