Seven steps to get your company blogging

Florence, Ala., social media consultant Mack Collier has peered into his crystal ball and pulled up an astonishing stat via eMarketer:

Monthly blog readership will hit 58 percent of the U.S. internet population by 2013, and 17 percent of the U.S. internet population by 2013 will blog monthly.

So more Americans will be getting (and sharing) information via blogs.

If your company plans to use blogging as a tool, Mack has developed a simple seven-step plan:

1. Start monitoring what bloggers are saying.
2. Decide if you have the resources to commit to blogging.
3. Work with other areas of your company to make sure your blogging strategy meshes with your company’s larger communication strategy.
4. Develop a comment/community policy.
5. Determine the focus of your blog.
6. Create customer-centric content.
7. Be patient.

He has more excellent advice in his post, “It’s time for companies to get serious about blogging,” and on his blog, The Viral Garden.

• Also see: “When a blog isn’t right for you”

Has your company considered blogging? What are the potential benefits and drawbacks for your business?