What Should Cebu Businesses Know About Blogging and Bloggers

There are still many things for Cebu businesses to know about Blogging and about bloggers. And these are just a few which I have compiled for Cebu businesses to get a grasp of.

1. Bloggers can create and spread publicity.

PR companies contact bloggers to help them propagate the campaign of their clients. If you read Brian Solis’ blog and his advocacy on PR 2.0, you can understand the role of blogging and bloggers in public relations using the advanced digital technology.

And why would Cebu bloggers promote?

Bringing out positive impact for Cebu through promotion already covers our desire to help businesses that provide positive effect in Cebu business community and its economic climate. I can’t speak for the majority of Cebu bloggers, but my role of being a blogger does not limit on my personal account as integrated on my blog, this blog.

I also include promotion as a way to help spread and increase the awareness of people about a certain topic– be it event, issue, or a business campaign.

Helping businesses getting their messages across to a lot of people  through online means is just among the the role of bloggers.

But one thing for businesses to take note is that bloggers can also spread negative publicity. This may be a challenge for local businesses and this is also something that PR companies should consider before picking a blogger to cover the event.

2. Bloggers use social media tools

Bloggers are new media practitioners. They utilize existing and popular social media tools in spreading the message to their friends online.

And bloggers are Internet savvy. They have the character to search, research and scrutinize pieces of information.

Cebu bloggers are active in social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Connecting with them requires you to become their friends. This puts Cebu businesses to an advantage of tagging them if they have a campaign to promote on Facebook.

3. Bloggers are integrated into the media melting pot.

Bloggers are now considered media citizens but their territory is online. The advantage that bloggers has in using the digital means is that the message, the contents on their blogs have a longer life span over traditional media publications unless some force influence them to amend, alter or eliminate the contents of their blogs.

And yes, blogs are editable. So if a blogger creates contents which are debatable in nature, he or she can edit it or provide notice of any lapse on his or her part alongside the changes on the page of his or her blog.

The cost of any change made on a blog is very small compared to any change made on traditional media. Perhaps, the big cost being sacrificed by a blogger is his or her integrity.

4. Blogs are effective in disseminating information.

There is interconnection in the digital world. This is made through links. And blogs have links that connect within the page of the blog site or on the pages of other websites and blogs.

Just imagine this, if there is an article containing business promotion with its product or service, that page where the article resides can be linked to other websites. Webmasters and bloggers who found the article beneficial in some way may provide links to that article from their websites and blogs.

If a blogger can create catchy headlines that will compel visitors to click the link, then the article will be read by anybody who has access to that link.

Now, think of how many can have access to your campaign.

5. Google loves Blogs

If you don’t know Google, then you may be from another world.

Seriously, Cebu businesses should avail the services of Google. I love Gmail and I use Google Docs instead of MS Office. I have an offline biz and I list it on Google Places so Google visitors who want to look for my business will know its location. And I use Google Readers should I read blogs in just one site instead of visiting one site to another, this will only clutter my fave browser, Google Chrome.

See, Google really has great influence in Digital Age. Bloggers recognize it and so should Cebu Businesses.

Now, let’s have a scenario. If people want to locate a business, then they search it on Google. If the business is listed in Google Places, that put it to an advantage. However, what if the keyword used by an online user is Cebu business. It is a general keyword. I know, many people love general term, to help them know which ranks the best in that term. If your business is far from that term, then your business is unlikely to be found in the search results.

If a Cebu business has a site but it is not SEO friendly, then a SEO practitioner can be a great addition to the payroll unless it is for a contract service.

But if you contact a blogger who has an extensive knowledge in SEO, then it is like hitting two birds in one stone. Your campaign is promoted through a blog and there is someone to help you with the SEO for your campaign.

And yes, Google loves blogs especially those that are constantly updated.

I don’t say Cebu businesses should stop contacting traditional media if they want a campaign to help in promoting. The thing here is if you know a blogger, who you find effective in delivering the message of your campaign, you can benefit from widespread online promotion. A blogger may contact other bloggers to help spread the message or cover the event if they are invited.

Now, think of cost efficiency.

But what makes blogs advantageous to Cebu businesses, just go over the above-mentioned as listed and ponder on the next strategic move.

If you want me to help you in promoting a campaign, contact me. I am more than glad to help you.