ROI of Blogging - does blogging have an ROI?
(Return On Investment, i.e. is it worth doing from the business perspective, as opposed to some touchy-feely group-hug value).
First of all - DOES IT MATTER? Few business decisions have an absolutely guaranteed ROI, if any. Business involves risk - obviously. Ironclad ROI is great, the few times we can have it, and admittedly the proof of ROI for blogging is weak and perhaps non-existent in some areas.
But quite simply, some blogging HAS ROI at least from the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) perspective - it greatly helps get good search engine rankings, and many companies spend a lot of money on SEO! So for some companies, it has ROI as a cost effective SEO technique.
Some quick SEO figures from SCOUT Corporate Blogging/PR/SEO. No, not downright proof - after all, all those companies spending money on SEO *might* be stupid and wasting it (highly unlikely, but *possible*, just like maybe the moon landing was staged and it really is made of green cheese after all). And some of those companies are probably wasting money - note I said *some*.
More importantly, Blogging ROI Proof is for Pansies, Steven Turcotte says only partially jokingly. Proof is great, but in business one gains an advantage and even succeeds by acting on partial information.
Is there ever *proof* that any business decision is the right one - before you make it? Every business decision involves risk, including the decision to blog, have alcohol at a company Christmas party or even a party at all, and every pricing and marketing decision.
Blogging right now is the right business decision for some companies, just like pursuing the Chinese market is right for some companies now. Blogging may not deliver in every case, just like China may not, but Pepsi and Coke would probably be insane to not be in China right now, along with scores of other companies. And some companies would be insane to not be blogging now.
No Risk, No Potential
That said, Steven and I are heretics since we both believe that not ALL companies should be blogging. Not now and maybe not ever. How untrendy and non touchy-feely group-hug of us.
Maybe that's because we're business people first, and blog evangelists second.
Blogging - good. ROI - good. But not everyone can wait for carefully documented proof before moving first. The early movers get the advantage, and sometimes not being an early mover is a disadvantage
Tags: Blog, blogging, return of investment, roi