A week or so ago, I asked a handful of A-list bloggers to offer their top DO or DON’T for writing a business blog. I never heard back from Robert Scoble, Microsoft’s most famous blogger, aka Scobleizer. Figured he was too busy to reply to a small fish like WordBiz. Well, he just got back to me. Thanks Robert! Here is his gem of a tip:
He writes: “Our rule here (at Microsoft)? Don’t be stupid. 🙂 I call it be smart. But, it comes down to not pissing off your boss… ”
…and working to make sure you align your weblog with the image that the company is trying to project. The Delta (Airlines) worker who just got fired probably did so because the image she was projecting didn’t match the image that Delta was trying to project to the outside world. It’s a tough line, though, because not everyone thinks about these things.
My suggestion for those who want to write a business blog:
1) Read tons of blogs first. I recommend that you read at least 50 blogs for two weeks before you start. Get an RSS Aggregator. That’s a must. Learn how to use Feedster, Pubsub, and Technorati.
2) Show your passion for your company and your products. If you aren’t passionate about your products or your company (in a good way) then it’s probably best that you don’t write a blog that’ll be identifiable with your company.
3) Help other people share their passion (interview workers who you notice staying late to do something “extra special”).
4) Try to answer any concerns bloggers might have. But, be careful. Work with PR teams and marketers in your company so you know what their stance is.
5) Take some risks. But know the consequences.” – Robert Scoble.