One of the first steps in social media marketing that companies typically take is blogging. However, great company blogs are a dime in a dozen. The majority of blogs headed by companies is dry and has no traits that make them stand out from the rest. In order to gain blog subscribers and actually make company blogging worth the investment of time or resources required, keep the following social media marketing tips for company blogs in mind.

Provide Useful Information – Don’t Just Talk about Yourself

Too many company blogs are just, "me, me, me." No one is going to listen for very long if you all you do is use your blog to talk about your products and services. Although the goal of company blogging is to generate more sales and increase visibility and brand awareness, you cannot achieve that by using your blog as a vehicle for advertising. You need to use your blog to connect with your customers and potential customers. The only way to do this is to take a social media marketing approach: provide value.

It is okay to mix in a few promotional posts on your blog as long as you mostly provide entertaining, informative content that has value to readers. Examples of valuable content you can use include the latest news in your industry that is relevant to customers, interviews, case studies, and more.

You may even decide that it’s best to create more than one blog for your company. If you’d like to discuss a variety of topics, it might be better to split up the content into different blogs so your message doesn’t get diluted. The broader the scope of your blog is, the less relevant it becomes for your audience, unless they are all interested in the same topics.

Stand out from the Crowd

Corporate blogs have the reputation of being boring. Don’t follow what everyone else is doing or your company blog will also end up sinking into oblivion. Make sure the writers of the blog have a unique take on things and a distinctive writing style that grabs people’s attention. Each writer should only write about their areas of interest and expertise. This makes it easier for their true writing voice to come through.

Rather than flooding your company blog with insider jargon that only your employees and competitors would understand, speak in a casual, everyday voice that makes it easier for customers to relate to you. One of the keys to success in social media marketing is revealing the "real" you behind that corporate façade.

Keep a Razor Sharp Focus

Avoid talking about too many topics at once. Some company blogs do not have a clear cut message, which can make it harder for them to find an audience. Make sure that the message of your company blog is very obvious and focused. Blog visitors won’t stick around for long if they have to sift through posts in which they are not interested. In social media marketing at large and particularly in blogging, you have to deliver blog visitors the information that they want and are expecting to find.

Give Readers an Inside Look of Your Brand

The idea of blogging and social media marketing is to get visitors to come back for more on a regular basis. If you are having a hard time attracting people to your blog, it’s probably because you aren’t offering something that your blog visitors cannot get anywhere else. If you want your blog visitors to keep coming back, then provide them with information that’s original and useful. Posting "behind the scenes" videos, sharing insider issues, and providing original research are ways that you can give your customers an insider look at your brand. This makes them feel like they have a close, exclusive connection with your company.

Post Regularly

How many times have you seen an abandoned corporate blog? Many companies don’t realize that blogging is a long-term commitment that does not have overnight results so they quit putting effort into it early on. If you decide to start a blog and you want to stand out from other company bloggers, you have to make a commitment to post on a weekly, or better yet, daily basis. People will not trust your blog as a good source of information or entertainment until they are sure that you regularly update your content.

Be Funny

Humor your readers. This is one of the best ways to make your blog more interesting. Although the comedic approach may not be appropriate for all companies, it can be very useful for companies who want to come across to their customers as down-to-earth and relaxed. One of the core elements of social media marketing is personalizing your brand. A fun, friendly, and light-hearted blog can help to humanize your company so you can better connect with your customers and prospects.