Business Blogs - Where Do You Draw The Line?

Business blog ehhh...?

Yes I think it should be serious and related to the business.

If you want to post a video or un-related content I would say is more suitable for a personal blog.

So would you consider the last two posts I made to the Blacknight blog to be inappropriate?

Not really, as both seems to be business related especially the "Gearing up for Christmas"

As far as mentioning compeditors, well I think it can be quite benifiical to say "this is our price and that's theirs" but I wouldn't go any further than that when addressing a mass audience.

As for how casual/professional the blog is I guess it really depends on both the person blogging and the company itself. Now if Eircom blogged this way, well it would seem a bit bizzare, because they market themselves very differently. With some companies you associate the brand first - the logo, the marketing and advertising - and generally don't associate it with any person, certainly not with an individual.

That's why you're a different case, and that's why people read this blog really, because it's personal and intimate, rather than a press release. In that respect it suits the image you've crafted. Having your caricature on this blog not only shows you have a sense of humour, but also gives the company a real face, not just a logo, not just a stock photo with a inane grin and a headset, but a real person.

And because of your position in the industry, and the fact that you already command a lot of respect within your field, a lot of what you're promoting isn't just your product, but yourself, your knowledge, your experience and your opinions. In fact many of your readers read this blog *because* they want to know your opinions. And let's face it, those in the industry already know you've plenty of those! :)

Business is all about relationships anyway and the more ways you have of building them the better off you'll be. What gives you the edge is that you're well versed in all these new techniques like blogging, social networking, bookmarking, etc. These are, by definition, informal mediums, just like email or IRC.

And with more and more companies are setting up blogs and accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn and so on, it only goes to show the growing trend in informality within business as a whole and IT in particular. So no, you don't need to keep it serious, least I don't think so anyway. And who doesn't like funny videos? Or more to the point, who's going to say, "no I'm not going to host with this company because they have funny videos on their blog?"

As long as the service is solid and the staff are courteous and professional a funny video or two won't hurt. Just, y'know, make sure it doesn't end up looking like some junior cert student's bebo page. :)

Brionglóid

I wouldn't consider this blog to be a business blog. I've always considered it to be my personal space :)

Thanks for the other comments!

Some people don't like my opinions, but then again life would be boring if we all agreed

Michele

I think it is ok to mention competitors, as long as it's something that you would be happy to say to their face.

(Like you normally do anyway) it's also courteous to give links to 'independent' information (so it's not just 'I say , he says') and give the right to reply via comments.

All adds up to you being seen as 'the hosting guy' (a good place to be) and not just 'the Blacknight hosting guy'.

Paul