Business blogging can be a useful marketing medium for consultants to promote their knowledge and expertise. But this story about a Nintendo worker who was fired because of the job-related content posted on her personal blog,has me thinking about consultants out there who may have business blogs with questionable content. It can sometimes be hard to judge what material is 'blog-approved' and what posts might have your future clients furiously clicking the 'back' button on your site. So I've put together my own "dos and don'ts" list. Feel free to add to it.
Dos:
- Try to balance facts and opinions within each post
- Link to reliable sources in your field
- Include an 'About Me' link on your blog's main page with all relevant contact info
- Maintain professionalism when responding to comments/e-mails
- Have guest authors, if appropriate for your blog topics
- Use your blog service's 'Stats' page to see where your site visitors are coming from, or check out StatCounter or Site Meter for free visitor and site referrer information
Don'ts:
- Don't use your blog to vent frustrations concerning clients/co-workers/bosses
- Don't dig deep into your personal life, try to keep the blog's focus business related
- Don't over-promote yourself - there are times for self-promotion, but not in every post
- Don't post anything you don't want Google to pick up
- Don't use client names in posts without express permission or consent
Like the former Nintendo employee, it might be too late to salvage your contract or client relationship once you start seeing comics created about your blog's inappropriate content. If you're new to the blogging arena, it might be helpful to check out this post on How to Start a Blog.
- Colleen
Colleen Williams is the Consultant Community Manager for the HotGigs Staffing Exchange.
Comments