Marketing Profs

Should a marketer simply start blogging or wait instead until all of the blogging policies and procedures are established before beginning?

Last Tuesday, Day 2 of the inaugural MarketingProfs Business-To-Business Forum in Chicago started out with a discussion between MarketingProfs President Roy Young and Forrester Research Senior Analyst Laura Ramos. They examined "What's New for B2B Marketers."

No surprise, Laura mentioned Web 2.0 marketing, representing the growing trend of customer advocacy marketing. Think blogs, podcasts and videos—all tools able to capture the perspective of the customer.

However, Laura's take on corporate blogging—that it should only take place after a corporation has its policies in place—sparked an interesting question: Should a marketer simply start blogging—or wait instead until all of the blogging policies and procedures are established before beginning?

Although the absolute answer is that it depends on the organization, the industry, the product or service, I suggest strongly that the blog come before the policy. Here's why:

• Social media—tools like blogging, podcasting, tags, wikis, and online networks that defy marketing tradition and rely on immediacy, authenticity, and community—cannot be delegated to an agency. You might get outside guidance, but ultimately the responsibility resides within, requiring that you build your own, internal expertise.
• Social media must be experienced firsthand and then perfected over time. It has to be figured out.
• Social media doesn't get turned on and off. Rather, it requires slow and consistent building over time—adding content, developing credibility, strengthening voice, and maintaining presence over time.
• Social media takes personal commitment. It takes an individual to champion the regular posting of content, to channel the passion, to develop a voice—individual or corporate, to establish credibility.
• Social media is not for every organization.