As the size, scope and influence of weblogs continue to proliferate, companies are faced with an increasingly important question: how to make their voice heard above the crowd?

According to a research project conducted by Pew, there will be 51 million blogs by the end of 2006. These blogs range from the completely ignorable to the regularly consumed and widely trusted. With the popularity of blogs on the rise, companies have moved beyond the simple question of "to blog or not to blog."

The Corporate Blog
A corporate blog is one published by, or with the support of, an organization to reach that organization's goals. The idea is that an independent voice can give its views on the world in a conversation with other independent voices. From a business perspective there are several potential reasons to blog. Blogs are mainly about stronger relations with important target groups. They are no different from channels like video, print, audio, presentations and so on. They all deliver results, but of varying kind.

Based on your organizational goals, a blog can provide support in the following areas:

• Become the Expert
  Position yourself and your company as the thought leader of your business or market.
• Customer Relationships
  In a forum where your main objective is not to sell, you'll have a more personal relationship between your company and your customers. Blogs are a fast way to join the customers' discussions, provide tips and insights, or receive feedback.
• Media Relations
  It's every PR-consultants dream to create a channel where media regularly check what your company has to say, instead of media just being passive or indifferent recipients of press releases.
• Internal Collaboration
  Use blogs as a workspace where project members keep each other updated without wasting time writing reports or searching the Outlook inbox.
• Knowledge Management
  Blogs work in two ways. First, they're an easy way for the readers to find information and resources they want or need, something that is beneficial to organizations that utilize blogs internally. Second, blogs are a kind of "university light" for the blogger. Blogging is on-the-job learning.
• Recruitment
  If you establish your company as a thought leader, people in your industry will pay attention. They'll read and discuss what you have to say. Chances are good they will see you as an attractive employer.
• Test Ideas or Products
  A blog is informal. It's part of a conversation where people (often) can comment, and the blog can provide you with a measure of value. Publish an idea and see if it generates interest. Does anyone link to you? What do they say?
• Rank High in Search Engines
  Well, this has nothing to do with relations, but Google and other search engines rewards sites that are updated often, that link to other sites and most importantly, that have many inbound links. Start a blog at your regular site and your ranking will boost.

Like PR, a blog's returns may not be fast. A blog needs time to build readership. Not every entry yields buzz, and you can't control which ones do or whether the buzz is positive. Blogging is a form of strategic PR to raise your brand's or company's salience, not a carefully timed marketing promotion.

Contact Starkmedia for more information on bringing your business into the blogosphere.