Blogging ROI

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 here.
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 (including my Arial Group). 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

Comments

[Stephen Turcotte]

Thanks Ted. You totally get what this post is all about. The China is for Pepsi and Coke but not for all analogy is perfect. Now give me some of that egg nog and a hug.

[Dan Harris]

I agree with you on both blogging and on China. Sometimes returns are difficult to measure in dollars and cents and sometimes they are in the future.

[Easton Ellsworth]

Ted, it was great to talk with you today. Blogging's ROI really does depend on several major factors: What kind of business do you have? How much money and time are you willing to spend on your business blog? How much do you know about blogging? How willing are you to learn about blogging? Etc.

I firmly believe that many companies - perhaps most who blog savvily - will experience an excellent ROI in real terms, whether that ROI comes in increased awareness of their brand, improved perception of their business offerings, or actual profits via the blog.

It's a great topic because many companies, more notably big ones, are sitting on the fence right now waiting to see other companies succeed or fail at blogging. I say, nearly any business should give it a go - if you're careful, it's very difficult to lose bigtime, if at all. It's hard to have a bad ROI with a business blog unless you persist at blogging poorly.

[Jim]

Hi Ted,

Good stuff. I firmly believe that a good blog helps your site rise up the rankings in Alexa and also in search engine results.

In fact both of our blogs must prove that fact. If companies can justify the vast sums spent on SEO surely a blog is but a drop in the ocean in comparison?

Jim

[Ted Demopoulos, Blogging for Business]

Jim,

Thanks for your comments! Great points. Sometimes blogs can cause a pretty big and significant change in SE traffic and Alexa ranking, sometimes it's slower and more gradual, but any hald serious blog effort has results in these areas.

[hyip manager]

I agree with you 100%. There is no ROI for even good blogs now a days. But it will helpful for us to increase traffic on SEO / SEM point of view. Well said.