Why Blogging is the Future of Branding

The Internet is not a static space. It is a dynamic space filled with dynamic people who have dynamic viewpoints. It is constantly evolving and growing. As such, the old “broadcaster” model of business simply does not fit with today’s generation. And that is why blogging has become so important. People don’t want to passively absorb the content on the Internet; they want to interact with it. They want to engage with the blogger. They want a much richer experience.

 

 

In the early days of blogging, the articles were very personal and very casual. Even so, it represented a huge revolution in the way that information was not only consumed, but how it was produced. The average Joe and Jane could stake their claim on the web and make their mark on the world. It paved the way for more mass communication and a true voice “from the streets” and from real people. Anyone can start a blog and the barriers to entry are lower than ever.

But what is a blog exactly? Short for web log, it is a shared online journal that is typically presented in reverse chronological order. That is to say that the newest blog entries are displayed at the top of the page and older ones follow beneath it. They started as online diaries with personal experiences and stories, but blogs have quickly evolved into much more than that.

Companies use them to better expand their brands. Indeed, blogs themselves have become a very viable business, powered and funded by major media conglomerates. Blogs can be more than text. They can include video, pictures, and more. The most important thing is that the blog is updated frequently and regularly.

From Blogspot to WordPress, blogging can truly be a free endeavor. Even those who want a more professional appearance need only a very small investment: the cost of a domain. Whereas these costs could be out of reach for the average citizen in days past, they are literally pennies on the day today. Anyone can start a blog. Anyone can have their voice heard on the Internet.

Companies are really starting to understand the value of blogging. The press release still has its place, but people want to know more about the companies, the people working there, and the products being sold. There’s so much more than simple feature comparison or price checks; from socially-conscious consumers to interested investors, people only want to do business with companies that they really know.

That’s why blogging is positively critical for branding. This is true not only of large corporations and their official blogs, like Disney and Google, but also small business owners and entrepreneurs. As a freelance writer myself, my blog plays a monumental role in how I choose to brand myself and my writing business. It offers potential and current clients a better viewpoint into who I am as a person and what I am able to bring to the table.

Companies like Disney still have their official websites. This is where they can place important official information, but the blogs offer customers a glimpse behind the scenes in a very human way. This allows the people at Disney to interact with its users, customers, and community. It is much less intimidating for web users to participate in a blog or forum than it is for them to approach a corporate contact form. They can feel like they are a part of the family, rather than an outsider intruding in unfamiliar territory.

With blogs, companies and individuals can remind the public that they aren’t just some corporate entity; they’re real people. And when it comes to brands, people want to deal with other people, not some nameless organization. Blogging helps to establish, maintain, and grow that very human relationship with the brand.