Have you come across a business blog and said "This is pure shit?" Between what I do for a living and blogging in my spare time, I've started to really take note of what I feel is a good blog and what isn't. I've evaluated a bunch of corporate blogs from fortune 500 companies and I've listed out the bottom 5 that I've found and why.My criteria for a good blog is based on the following: appearance, content, purpose, frequency of posts, and traffic. I plan to revisit this subject over time so please don't consider this list as permanent. Here they are (in no particular order):
EDS' Next Big Thing Blog - I see very little traffic, boring content (hey, I'm a techie by nature) of the what is there, and almost no comments. The worst part is that seems just a part of EDS' regular website. This is a blog no no for industry. If it's suppopsed to be the "Next Big Thing Blog" then get someone who will write more then 2 sentences per post on average.
Nike Basketball Blog - I really hated this site. I needed trifocals to see the content as it was so small (and I'm 30!!) and there's an enormous picture of a Nike shoe for each post. Again, this is a BS blog (bull shit blog) and I'm glad that it has a very low traffic rating. Shame on Nike for its blatant advertising. You just reinforce the sterotype that Americans don't need to read - just look at pictures and play X-box.
Sprint - Things That Make You go Wireless - It's more like "Things That Make You go hit the back button" when you land on this piece of crap blog. I don't know too much about Spront these days but if they pay as much attention to their blog as their business then it's in for some serious trouble. Blogs are suppossed to be interactive but could you leave comments? no. Has there been many posts? no. I don't care if the principal writer is too busy - then shut the blog down. It looks disgraceful and unprofessional. PS - Try clicking on the title of a blog post.
Cox Communications: Digital Straight Talk - I actually feel sorry for you guys as you've been around since October 2005 and you seem to have written some great material but you don't know what the word SEO means (it means search engine optimization. Go to the major blog search sites such as Technorati and see what happens - nothing!!! If you post on your blog but do nothing else no one will come to your blog. I also saw almost no comments which backs up what I'm seeing in your traffic stats. Keep wasting your time or get someone to help you (I'm available).
Although I didn't want to rate these bottom-feeder blogs I found possibly the worst blog ever:
Motorola - Kazuhiro's blog - The concept is very good but the execution is horrible. I like the idea of profiling someone who is part of your target audience but 1 post every three months doesn't work and the blatant product placement is terrible. Shut this blog down ASAP as it's tarnishing your image. This is pure puke.
Conclusions:
Business blogs are about content and ratings that drive regular site traffic, brand awareness and sales. If you have great content but low traffic that you're doing somesthing wrong and need assistance on improving your blog. If you have poor and little content and low traffic then shut your blog down, refocus and then relaunch. As I previously blogged about, blogs take commitment from the enture organization and a require a strategy that rolls up into the overall marketing plan. If you don't have that then stop wasting your time.
Chad H.
PS: Have you noticed any other poor business blogs out there?
6 comments:
Spot-on. Hilarious and yet saddening. Thanks, Chad, for exposing some of the stark truth behind the staid veneer of "corporate blogging."
We need more bloggers who take the time to look closely at the emperor and shout to everyone else what he's really wearing, even if it's hard to raise their voices above the incessant din about how beautiful the monarch's flowing robes are.
In other words, if a report comes out honoring the "top" corporate blogs, too many of us all too happily trumpet snippets from the attached press release rather than actually (heaven forbid) reading and (never!) carefully evaluating those blogs and then (perish the thought!) publishing the results of our evaluation.
So encore, encore!
Since I write more in the EDS NBT blog than anyone else, I'd like to know more about what you'd like to see.
I also have a full time job and put out my entries when I have a desire and the time.
I don't write big entries, since most people don't want to see a white paper in a blog. At least that's what other folks tell me. I also use links extensively to provide context, instead of boring everyone with the details, this is also a tool to keep it short.
Thanks for taking the time to do a post about the EDS blog - from the old adage that any publicity is good publicity. I'll happily try to do better, but need a bit more from you.
I think I understand the 2 sentence comment now as well. Under each entry on the web site there is a read full entry link. That will take you to more than 2 sentences.
You should get the whole think from an RSS feed -- of course.
Easton - thanks for your comment! Very eloquent. Chad H.
Charlie,
Out of the 5 blogs I commented on, yours was the best so I apologize if I was harsh as you do have some good content on there.
Here are some things that coudl really help you improve your blog:
1. Give it a better URL. http://www.eds.com/sites/cs/blogs/...
is not cool and is hard to put on business cards
2. To increase your web traffic, go claim your blog at technorati. This should help your rankings. Other ideas: Use Technorati tags, post comments on other blogs, get recyprical links, use social networks, ping the blogosphere etc... etc...
3. Engage your audience more. Ask questions, interview notables in your field. Ask yourslef - who are the people that I want to see on my blog and what will motivate them to subscribe to my blog?
These are just some some stuff off the top. I think that your blog has potential but you and EDS need to market it more. I would be happy to help you but like you, blogging is not my day thing. Feel free to send me an email with questions.
Chad H.
You are so right!
here are some others
Kodak’s a Thousand Words Blog
McDonald’s: Open for Discussion Blog
Johnson and Johnson’s JNJ BTW Blog
Clorox’s Dr Laundry Blog
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