Blogging and consumer-generated media seem to be the latest craze in advertising for
companies. If you are unsure how to use the tools or whether or not your company should use the tools, read our two part series based on information we found, and follow the ten tips provided so that you will have a better understanding of the ins and outs of the two.

Familiarize Yourself With Consumer-Generated Media and Blogging Techniques
Many people confuse corporate blogging with advertising and they try to use their blog for advertising their products. Blogs were meant to help you with the public relations aspect of your company but not in promoting your goods or services. Before you start blogging, read some of the more successful ones to get an idea of how to use the tool.

Decide Whether or Not a Blog is a Good Choice For Your Company
Decide what your goals are before starting your blog. Ask yourself if a blog would help you reach these goals or if they would benefit your company in any way. If you are wanting to increase your press coverage or prove innovation for your company, blogging may be a good option to consider.

Develop a Strategy
How often you blog and what you blog about depends on your companies goals. You want to ensure that all of your blogs draw the attention of your target audience. Being consistent with your blogs and showing your expertise within them is one way to build the confidence of your audience in your products or services.

Decide Who The Best Person is to Write Your Blog
Personality and writing capabilities are the key to finding the best blogger within your company. You want to ensure that the person writing your blogs has the best interest for the company in mind so that they can portray this in their writing. If the blogs are going to be about more technical terms and equipment, you may even consider having your product manager or developer write the blogs.

Choose The Correct Platform For Publishing Your Blogs
Your hosting provider, the person responsible for installing updates and your current website configuration all play a role in deciding which platform to publish your blogs on. No matter which one you choose, you must make sure that your platform is secure.

These five tips will help you decide on your blogging future. Part two will give you more tips in hopes of making your decision even easier.