Question

Topic: E-Marketing

Blogs And Vlogs Still Relevant?

Posted by B2124618 on 2/14/2018 at 8:19 AM ET 250 Points
Hi all. Was just curious to get some thoughts on whether blogs and even vlogs are still seen as effective ways to introduce/market products it services in today's evolving e-landscape. I know this is probably an elementary question but I'm a newby to marketing. Any thoughts are appreciated!
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  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 2/14/2018 at 9:31 AM Member
    In what context? To what audience? What other actions are you considering doing to help your marketing?
  • Posted by B2124618 on 2/14/2018 at 9:59 AM Author
    Thanks for your help! Context would be around introducing a new series of professional development trainings, and life coaching services offered by an instructor/trainer. Audience would be new/potential clients. We are also looking to make website updates and create some print promotional materials. Would a blog or vlog be an effective or worthwhile way to market this as well? I personally don't follow blogs so I'm sort of in the dark on their capabilities.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 2/14/2018 at 11:20 AM Accepted
    Blogs/websites are one good way to convey the proof of your offerings.
    Video is a good way to convey the feeling of the interaction with your staff.
    Rather than put up information on a v/blog hoping people will come, why not offer sample video trainings for free in exchange for contact info, and market this free offering (pay-per-click advertising for a quick test)? That'll likely give you solid data sooner if you're heading in the right direction.

  • Posted by Peter (henna gaijin) on 2/14/2018 at 12:57 PM Accepted
    Yes, blogs and vlogs are effective way to introduce/market products. They are an area that you can provide more detailed information than on a standard product page or the like. And they are a common item to then promote through social media or paid promotion.
  • Posted by B2124618 on 2/14/2018 at 2:02 PM Author
    This is great input. I have a few follow-up questions. For blogs and vlogs is there a suggested frequency for new ones in order to keep them fresh and potential customers engaged? Weekly, monthly, or quarterly? Is one trending more than the other currently?
  • Posted by mgoodman on 2/14/2018 at 3:57 PM Moderator
    GOOD blogs/vlogs can be very helpful as marketing tools -- as long as they focus on the core positioning benefit. And frequent refreshing is important so the content remains current and engaging. For most categories, once a month is probably OK, though weekly or bi-weekly might be even better for categories that have multiple products or service segments.

    Have you thought about how you would market the blog? How would you expect your target audience to find you? (This is usually the biggest challenge for marketers when they launch a new blog.)
  • Posted by B2124618 on 2/14/2018 at 10:58 PM Author
    What recommendations would you have for marketing a blog? This is a great point that I hadn't thought about. What are some of the best ways tomake a blog easy to find?
  • Posted by telemoxie on 2/15/2018 at 8:15 AM Member
    A blog or a video is a means of transmitting a message. But what will the message be? One idea could be testimonials and success stories from happy customers. Personally, I would rather hear the perspective of your customers about your services and their impact, rather than your own opinion about your services and their impact.
  • Posted by B2124618 on 2/15/2018 at 9:42 AM Author
    That's an interesting point. Would that be more like a testimonial?
  • Posted by mgoodman on 2/15/2018 at 12:23 PM Accepted
    "What are some of the best ways to make a blog easy to find?"

    Best way would be to advertise it to your primary target audience via email and in marketing materials. Also worthy of mention: search advertising with keywords that your target audience would likely use. Should be tied-in with other elements of your marketing plan.

    Video will also boost impact and awareness. Most people don't read long copy online.
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 2/15/2018 at 7:58 PM Accepted
    “ … [are] blogs and even vlogs … still seen as effective ways to introduce/market products it services in today's evolving e-landscape?”

    There are two answers to this question:

    Yes.

    And

    Yes.

    Written blogs and video blogs will endure and persist.

    Likewise podcasts, articles, and well-thought out social media posts.

    Video isn't going away.

    The written word isn't going away.

    Broadcast media isn't going away.

    The ONLY things that have changed are:

    1. the cost of the tools to produce relevant, useful, helpful, timely, salient content.

    2. the methods of distribution.

    In terms of how frequently to share this kind of material, that depends on what you’ve got to say and how often you want to say it.

    Key things to bear in mind.

    FORGET ABOUT “AUDIENCE” … instead, focus on building a community.

    Focus on meaningful content drip fed over time via social media and related blogs.

    Frequency of publication matters less than distribution: think networks instead of the amount of work.
  • Posted by telemoxie on 2/16/2018 at 9:37 AM Accepted
    Yes, it would be similar to a testimonial. In addition to everything else you are focused on, focus on providing the best possible service you can. And if you are able to delight your customers, you may be able to find a way to include their comments and observations and opinions in your videos.
  • Posted by B2124618 on 2/22/2018 at 7:43 AM Author
    Hi everyone! Thank you so much for all of your great input on this topic! The thoughts and information you have provided on blogs and vlogs has been very helpful.
  • Posted by kerenblau1 on 3/19/2018 at 5:21 PM Accepted
    Of course Blogs And Vlogs Still Relevant in 2018, and here is why:

    You can share authentic stories:
    A blog is a great place to share your customers’ stories. People are emotional creatures, and they love to read about other people’s stories. There are many ways you can incorporate these on to your blog.

    Get found through Blogs:
    We can’t change our website’s home page content daily, of course we can write daily or twice, thrice in a day, that we will create value for your website or blog. Write some good stuff that engages users and use relevant, engaging and attractive title along with some profitable business keywords, that will top you on SERP,s. By doing this you will found online if you are selling and product or services.

    Write what people are searching for:
    Through blogs you can target what users are searching for and what they need actually. You can share your success stories, case studies and your experience and results through blogs.

    Increase traffic to your website:
    Proper optimization of content posting may divert traffic overnight; never underestimate the power of blogging. Blogging is the most powerful tool of organic traffic generation.

    Speaking of blogs...here is an interesting blog that can help you get more information
    https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/the-benefits-of-business-blogging-ht
  • Posted by Shelley Ryan on 3/29/2018 at 7:05 PM Moderator
    Hi Everyone,

    I am closing this question since there hasn't been much recent activity.

    Thanks for participating!

    Shelley
    MarketingProfs
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