Fortune Magazine released its list of Top 20 Most Admired Companies 2008. The list is based on a survey of more than 3,700 “experts” from a variety of industries, who were asked to select the companies they admired most. In looking through the list, there are some key learnings that can be applied to professional blogging.
1.
Innovation or Creativity – generating customer buzz is a tricky thing, but many people are attracted to companies that consistently release new and exciting products or services. In the blogging world, this means regularly creating fresh and engaging content or leads;
it doesn’t mean reinventing yourself every few months. You may be providing content in a large niche, like SEO, marketing, social media, or gadgets, but readers will be attracted to your blog if you can present quality content in a unique way. Experts admired businesses, like
Apple and
General Electric, that consistently produced innovative products and services. Similarly, readers admire blogs, like
Techcrunch and
Engadget, that provide great coverage of new and innovative topics in a way that keeps them on the cutting edge of their field.
2.
Quality of Products or Great Content – consumer loyalty is critical to the long-term success of a business, and quality is a prerequisite to building brand loyalty and trust. As it relates to blogging, the quality of your content or leads will determine whether or not visitors subscribe or move on. Attention to details, like spelling, grammar and syntax, are important factors to consider. Relevant and informative content is also critical in engaging readers and building your brand/blog loyalty and trust. Experts admired businesses, like
Nordstrom and
Starbucks, that consumers recognized as consistently having quality products and services that they trust. Similarly, readers admire blogs, like
DoshDosh and
ProBlogger, that provide quality content or leads they rely upon and trust.
3.
Social Responsibility or Having a Conscience – people like buying from companies that have a heart, create a great work environment, and embrace fair business practices. When it comes to blogging, readers can tell when information is misleading, unfair or lacking integrity. False precepts or unsubstantiated concepts may slip past a few readers; however, submit weak content to the social media, and it will get shred to pieces. Blogs are oftentimes founded on specific points of view, but don’t expect to gain a large following if your posts lack scruples. Experts admired businesses, like
UPS and
Walt Disney, that embraced socially responsible practices. Similarly, readers admire blogs, like
TreeHugger and
How to Change the World, that provide fair, honest and illuminating content.
4.
Use of Corporate Assets or Providing Value – companies that recognize and leverage their strengths are more likely to pass on value to their customers. As it relates to being a professional blogger, it is important to recognize your strengths and build upon them too. Probloggers become subject matter experts through hard work and leveraging strengths. As they improve their skills and knowledge, they deliver more valuable content and leads to readers. Experts admired companies, like
McDonald’s and
Southwest Airlines, that maximized their own assets in ways that enabled them to pass on value to customers. Similarly, readers admire blogs, like
Lifehacker and
Copyblogger, that deliver valuable content or leads from authors who know and understand their strengths.
Take a few minutes and read through
Fortune’s entire list of
Most Admired companies. Next, take a look at the
Technorati Top 100 Blogs list. Then, take a look at your own blog, and
ask yourself the following questions:
1. Am I consistently providing readers with innovative and creative content? Is this a strength or opportunity for me?
2. Am I consistently providing readers with great quality content? Is this a strength or opportunity for me?
3. Am I consistently providing readers with content that reflects a sense of pride and integrity? Is this a strength or opportunity for me?
4. Do I know my own, and my blog’s, strengths and opportunities? Are my strengths evident to readers who visit my blog?
Once you ask these types of questions, it will be easier to come up with a plan to make your blog better. It also helps to have some successful companies and blogs to use as examples and inspiration.
Good luck discovering your strengths and applying them to your blog!
Related Posts:

Lead Inspectors – Blogging Tips, Social Media, Web Apps