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Blogs hold tremendous and exciting potential as PR tools. The U.K. is way behind the States in thinking about this - (and I'm speaking as a Brit, here). I've found the biggest hurdle you're going to face initially if you're a PR person is persuading your senior management that creating a blog is the way to go.

And the next one is probably going to be getting your target CEO blogger personality (or similar) to commit to doing it. Because not all celebrities and managers who might want blogs can actually write. That fact needs to be overcome first. Then there's the point that even if you find a ghost writerfor the blog (as many prominent figures in society do) you're still going to need the written material to put on it on a day-by-day basis. Then there's the fact that sometimes egos get in the way, let's face it. Blogging may appear simple to those who've never done it, but those who have, recognise that it involves creativity, multi-tasking, patience and staying power.

If your blog is ghost written it stillmeans that your blog personality is going to have someone on his tail trying to put the copy together. And that copy writer may know how to write for their lives, but they're not necessarily going to know anything about the business you're in. So all these people are going to have to work well together as a team.

Of course copy can be generatedin different ways and information can be gathered via the Internet and by email. But, (and it's a big but) your readership is going to be sharp and critical. Always bear that in mind. Blogs gain life from the people who write them and the specific insights that they offer. Your readers will soon pick up on lack of authenticity. Remain objective in your blog if you can. You want to facilitate discussion, not dominate it completely. Your readers are looking for insights and recommendations. They want to tap into your expertise, yes, but they don't want to be preached at.

If you're planning on using a blog to promote your business the first thing you need to do is integrate that thought into your business, media and PR strategy. Be clear about your short, medium and long term goals. Build consensus within your organisation before you start. You're in it for the long haul, and if you do this at the beginning you will find it much easier to work on your traffic as you've at least got a supportive personnel base within your organisation.

And that's exactly what you need. Because anyone who knows anything about blogging will tell you it takes time to establish a readership. You and your business or concern will be in it for the long haul for this reason alone.

Learn more about this author, Frances Laing.
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