Are Corporate Blogs Becoming the Modern Day Newsletter?

Company newsletters are and have always been a well-known, effective way to distribute information to your customers and stakeholders. Whether you want to share news about a new product or service or simply want to inform your readers about upcoming events or promotions, this tried-and-true communication tool is a solid way of sharing information and building brand loyalty. But would you get more focused, quality readership and participation if you just bypassed the newsletter mailings and simply created a corporate blog with an RSS feed?

It’s not a simple yes or no answer. Both communication outlets have their time and place. Newsletter designs, objectives and audiences can run the gamut from employee-targeted messages to prospective customer outreach and promotion announcements. A steady stream of newsletters, whether issued monthly or quarterly, maintains your company’s visibility with a targeted group of folks who opt-in to receive your news, and is also a fairly cheap compliment to any marketing program.

So, what about a corporate blog? Has this become the must-have modern day newsletter? With more and more Fortune 100 companies taking the cue from the proliferation of influential bloggers and social media networks, successful companies such as Cisco have realized the importance of establishing an online voice and open dialogue with their clients. A blog is a simple channel to create and maintain a conversation with your customers and stakeholders, while also building thought leadership and credibility. Where a newsletter can be seen as more of a formal news and marketing outlet.

However, although more informal, good corporate blogs take time to build, so be patient and don’t expect to see the ROI overnight. They require a long-term commitment, with dedicated contributors, interesting topics and audience engagement. Share company and product news, but also open up the dialogue on interesting industry trends, competitor moves and solicit customer feedback. Also, once your blog is off the ground, an RSS feed provides seamless contact with your audience.

I’d say the corporate blog is quickly becoming a must-have part of successful business marketing and PR strategies, but it doesn’t replace the corporate newsletter, rather it compliments it. And every company has an individualized approach and objective for each communication tool which can’t possibly be covered here, but will make for some interesting subsequent posts.

Generally speaking, a corporate blog is a daily dose of coffee meant to jump-start the brain, invoke interest and immediate reaction, whereas the newsletter provides a full menu of the company’s latest happenings and long-term business opportunities.

Subscribe to a great corporate blog or newsletter? Share it with us in the comments.