Hey Boss, Why are you Blogging?

Think you have a business blog?

Assuming your staff understands why?

Think again. They may not even read it.

When I started Talking Story in August of 2004 “blog” wasn’t a household word. I’m not sure we can think it is now. Back then I was giving talks on Managing with Aloha once or twice a week, and having my own learning jollies in writing Talking Story, I’d ask my audience “how many of you read blogs?” just for fun. Even in an audience of self-proclaimed networkers or media people I’d get two or three hands raised max. I kept blogging because I enjoyed it, and not because it helped with my business. It didn’t, other than selling a few more cases of books.

If I ask the question today, I can get about 50% of the room, but that’s still far from the “enlightened readers” that bloggers salivate for, especially when you consider that hands shoot up when they simply recognize the word (oddly, magazine covers and the “old school” print media has helped with that), and they don’t actually subscribe to and read blogs.

So why do I blog? The fun element still counts for a lot with me. Community and networking count a lot with me. My personal learning of online apps remains the biggest reason. The business element? Truthfully I am only now thinking that I should think about those possibilities more than I do. Up to now, blogging has been part of Rosa the writer, and not Rosa the businesswoman and entrepreneur.

One thing I have been certain to do however, is explain to everyone in my ‘Ohana in Business why I blog no matter what my reasons have been at the time. Of the three blogs I regularly write now, they know they are expected to be completely in sync with my free coaching within the MWA mission at Managing with Aloha Coaching.

I gave up trying to cubby-hole my personal and professional life a long time ago because trying to separate them caused too much frustration; today I know (and appreciate) that one life can best be lived with one ho‘ohana that is a pleasing mixture of both.

So while this may sound illogical or unnecessary to many other business people, my blogs have always been discussed in our strategic talk stories at Say Leadership Coaching and Ho‘ohana Publishing even though they haven’t been significant or even minor players in my business revenue streams.

What about you?

If you write a blog, and especially if you consider it a business blog, one that is crucial to your strategy, does everyone in your ‘Ohana in Business know why? Do they read your blog faithfully, and feel they are expected to? Is there any incentive for them to read it? Do they comment, and engage with you about your subject matter off the blog? Are you optimizing the opportunity you have with them as an audience? How would they classify your blog if asked to right now? A portal? A blown-up customer FAQ site? A toy for the boss?

What would be really great for you, would be if the question in my title would change to
“Hey Boss, Why are we Blogging?” when considered from your point of view.

Great talk story to have in your next staff meeting.

Hat tip to Phil Gerbyshak for this post: He got me thinking about these things when I watched a TechCrunch You Tube video he shared, as you’ll see in the comment I left there for him. The video is a fun clip to watch too ”“ would be a good way to open up this talk story I’m suggesting. Click over to Phil’s Make It Great! for Pop Goes the Blog?

More on bloggy matters in the Talking Story Web/Tech index, such as,