With so many options for social media platforms and blogging
sites, who’s to know what will work best for your company? Whether you’re a novice
or URL guru there is certainly one for your business; each one having something
unique to offer and, maybe a few drawbacks as well. Branding, marketing and recruiting
are among a few of the top reasons your organization might benefit from entering
the world of blogs and most are a great way to reach customers and the public
to share your organizational message. So what does each have to offer and what
will set yours apart? We’ve comes up with a list of our top 4 favorite blogging
sites for businesses and business professionals.
1.
Word
Press
If you like options and customization, this one’s definitely
for you! Word Press offers bloggers sophistication and endless possibilities as
well as easy functionality when it comes to tailoring just about anything to
suit the needs of your growing business. With Word Press, users pay an annual
fee for their own domain, have full freedom to modify as desired and thousands
of plugin and design options. Word Press offers far more than blogging as well,
making this a one stop shop for a full business website and blog feature. While
the functionality may be overwhelming for the inexperienced, first timers can check
out the vast array of internet videos designed to walk novice users through
setting up and designing their own site: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8o8u7OtuZY
2.
Blogger.com
The name says it all doesn’t it? Straight forward and
thankfully, easy to use. Backed by Google, this hosting site is a great start
for the beginner blogger with simple features and selections. While the site is
owned by Blogger.com, users can choose from a wide selection of backgrounds and
templates. Additionally, Blogger provides 1GB of free space and integration
with Google. On the opposite ends however, this may not be the number 1 choice for
those needing customization as Blogger.com is limited on plugins and advanced
customization ("The Next Web", 2015).
Blogger is a great way to gain exposure, grow your audience and stay mobile as users
can post and view right from their Apple or Android device.
3.
Tumblr
The once declining “Tumblr” was bought out by the internet
giant “Yahoo” for a whopping $990 million in 2013! Why so much? Well, here’s
why you might just find Tumblr as a top pick on your list. Young, fresh and
connected! Tumblr is easy to use, has a strong community presence and is well
connected to a hip, young crowd. Users can tag and re-share much like other
sites, following fellow users with niche related content and provides options
to upload photos that manually post throughout the day increasing exposure. What
seems like a best kept secret, Tumblr boasts features similar to other social
media platforms like Facebook, but with a more anonymous feel allowing users to
promote virtually anything ("Forbes", 2013).
Re-blogging on Tumblr can literally take your company viral!
4.
LinkedIn
Once only available to a select few
or those we call “influencers,” LinkedIn is now open to anyone for blogging.
This is a great addition to your own LinkedIn profile, specifically if you have
a large connection base and want to involve them. LinkedIn is very public,
continues to grow at a rapid pace and offers options to share articles,
presentations, and other blogs, all of which provide the ability to drive your professional
brand ("Linkedin", 2015). LinkedIn offers in depth profiles, a powerful search
functionality and group options with news boards, job postings, etc. This
platform allows users a more active approach to reaching their audience.
So what’s right for
your business? Know your target audience, know your business and develop your
strategy before you start. While these platforms can become a building block
for your company and increase traffic to your site, the context of your communication
and targeted audience are key. Our four featured sites provide free or low cost
basic accounts to get started.
References
Barrett, D. (2013). Leadership Communication (4th ed.). : McGraw-Hill Education
Forbes. (2013). Retrieved from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/abrambrown/2013/08/09/yahoo-offers-details-on-the-990-million-tumblr-deal/
LinkedIn. (2015). Retrieved from
http://blog.linkedin.com/2015/04/13/elevate/
The Next
Web. (2015). Retrieved from http://thenextweb.com/businessapps/2013/08/16/best-blogging-services/16/
YouTube. (2015). Retrieved
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8o8u7OtuZY
Author: Jennifer Amsbaugh
Mom of four, wife and entrepreneur
