The Science of Marketing

Blogging is a form of social media. And last I checked social meant "two way". For this reason, social media is better than traditional, one-way media in that a conversation occurs between one or more interested parties. At least, that’s the way it should work.

So, why is it that many bloggers, like traditional media, fire off blog posts and then bug out when the conversation starts? Most would probably say that they are just too busy to reply to all the comments. Well, with all due respect, if that’s the case maybe these "non-conversers " should give up blogging.

Good blogging takes a commitment – not only a commitment to regular posts but a commitment to conversation.

Active comment moderation

Blog readers expect not only to hear, but to be heard. This means allowing and moderating comments on your blog is critical and encouraging reader feedback in each post by closing with a question or asking for feedback. If comments need to be approved before they go live, review and post them quickly. And, of course, be sure to respond quickly to every reader comment. Not only will this help generate ideas, but it will help you build a loyal following.

Engaging the blogosphere

The real power of the blogs is not how they work on their own, but how they work together to create new online conversations. So as part of your strategy, consider what role your business’ blog will play in the overall conversation and, by all means, be social. This means searching for blogs that complement yours, adding them to your blogroll and reading them regularly. It also means commenting on other blogs where your company can add value, and encouraging comments from readers on your blog. Comments make the blogosphere go ’round, generating new ideas, driving traffic between blogs and creating fresh content for readers and search engines alike.

It’s really not rocket science, you think?

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