Blogging for Business
Mario Sundar has a great post on MarketingProfs where he is talking about the FOUR steps of blogging for business, based on the four Ps of marketing. When it comes to social media, Mario chooses to add a FIFTH P -- participation -- to the mix.
His four steps are:
- Listen
- Awareness
- Measure
- Participate
I like the approach, I must say ... but Dusan Vrban asks a great question in the comments -- "As from my point of view, first P (Product) stands for product in all it's forms. And mostly, it means to develop product through different research method. Involving consumers is one of the strongest ... what do you think on that?"
My take is this ... the fifth P deserves its own spot and should not be consolidated or merged as part of the product. Why? Partly because participation is and should be chaotic. Participation may or may not lead to a product outcome ... it could affect many other aspects of your marketing and brand. In fact, if you are managing participation well, then it should -- especially in relation to blogging.
I also think it is important to emphasise the HUMAN and emotional nature of participation. It is this aspect that colours and brings to life a brand experience -- and something that is particularly challenging within a corporate blogging environment. Can it be achieved? I am sure it can ... take a look at some of Mack Collier's blog reviews for some examples. The importance of the fifth P to a social brand cannot be underestimated.
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