The first birthday of DecisivePR.com made me reflect on the direction blogging is taking, particularly in the corporate world. Obviously the word ‘blogging’ has been long part of the internet vernacular, paving the way for lovely new inventions like googling, tweeting and instagramming. For someone who writes copy professionally, I admit it was not easy finding my own voice. And blogging is still a journey, with so many new technical skills like social media sharing, multi-media content, and SEO techniques to get your head around.
But it’s also a timely exercise as long form content is making a comeback in the form of executive blogging. Since LinkedIn opened its platform to blogging, there’s been nothing short of an explosion of content generation. According to LinkedIn’s own stats, already more than one million members have shared their articles. And it pays to invest in your personal brand and thought leadership, with 45% of readers holding vice-president jobs and other senior positions.
Executive blogging has certainly opened a treasure trove of knowledge and expertise, but many managers struggle to squeeze in yet another responsibility in their already full schedule. And nothing creates writer’s block as someone telling you have to do it because the competition is doing it too! So where to start? Here’s a few tips from my own experience and chatting to others who have recently taking up blogging:
1. Think about the topics that you want to write about. They should relate to your area of expertise so you can build your profile as a subject matter expert over time.
2. Find your own voice. This is easier said than done. Successful bloggers strike a balance between a more casual tone and content that adds value.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. There is nothing wrong with asking one of your peers (or your mum) to read your first articles and give some candid feedback before they go live. And it’s easier to spot other people’s typos.
4. Don’t be shy to promote your content across other social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook and Google+.
5. Practice makes perfect!