Back in 2004, I created the mind map you see below (of course, it’s been updated slightly since then, but the principles remain). I’m a big fan of mind mapping for laying out ideas, and in the case, processes. I’ve used this process (or some derivation thereof) since then to much success. Will it cover all of your needs? No, and your mileage may vary. However, it is decidedly comprehensive.

You’ll notice that the map is split into 3 color sections, red, blue and green. Each one of them represent a different phase of the blog implementation cycle. Specifically, I call the phases 1) Investigation, 2) Creation, 3) Activation. Why these phases? Well, they actually come from a well regarded innovation guru, Gerald Haman at Solution People in Chicago. His creative brainstorming tool, the KnowBrainer (which I highly recommend and use often) is split into four phases: investigate, create, evaluate, activate.
So, let’s take on the first phase of blog implementation. Which, by the way, can be a template / metaphor / roadmap for other technomarketing tools beyond blogs. Marketers fond of process will find some of the detail refreshing, while those that like to pursue projects unencumbered by the rigor of process or burden of thought, might find this unnerving.
Blog Implementation Process: Investigation Phase
Time to Complete: 3 days to 3 weeks, your mileage may vary
1. Determine Goals for Your Corporate Blog
Everyone tells you to define goals and objectives. Do you? By defining the goals and objectives for your blog initiative you will have a vivid picture of what success looks like. Do you want “more buzz”, memes that spread throughout the industry, interviews with your favorite podcasters, fodder for weekly emails and whitepapers or whatever. If you’re a Seven Habits fan, this is considered “beginning with the end in mind.”
2. Assess Your Market for Blog Viability
Face it, some organizations have markets that they serve who could and will care less about blogs. Just because your CEO thinks it’s cool, doesn’t mean you should do it. If you can’t at least do all of the following, there might not be much of a conversation going in your industry to tap into. That said, there’s always the first-mover advantage working in your favor if no one’s talking and you get the conversation moving. Try these steps in assessing the viability of blogging.
- Read and subscribe to other blogs in your industry, about your industry or the products/class of products/services you sell.
2. Competitive assessment – are your competitors (and you) being mentioned in blogs. Use Google Alerts, Technorati and search on posts (RSS feed driven in Bloglines) to check the ‘volume’ of what’s going on.
3. Customer requirements – what are your customers asking for? More communication? Great! A blog might help. Don’t know what they want? ASK them – great way to start a dialog, by the way…with questions.
3. Map to Overall Marketing/Communications Strategy
This is the easy part (sort of). Simply put, does blogging fit within your communication plans and can you build it into the rest of your integrated mix. What I typically do it look at an organization’s communication plan and media mix, their editorial calender for whatever they’re publishing and their marketing objectives and just start drawing lines on the whiteboard to where blogging can have a positive impact. It’s best to get your marketing team involved in this and let the ideas flow. You’ll be surprised how deeply blogging can ‘penetrate’ your communications plan and potentially provide ideas an content for other areas.
4. Risk Profile Assessment
This can’t be overlooked. Ask yourself these questions (at a minimum):
- Have you ever personally used social media and what’s your comfort level?
- What is your company’s tolerance for risk (e.g., initiating new or untested marketing tactics, launching bold corporate initiatives, etc.)?
- How does your company normally react to negative commentary from the media?
- How uncomfortable would your company be advertising in a publication or on a web site that often contained editorial content critical of you, your company or your industry?
- Can your corporate culture sustain the ‘openness’ and ‘transparency’ that’s often required when you blog as a company?
Once you’ve gone through this investigation phase, you should have a well-grounded perspective on how your organization might proceed into the blogosphere, or any other social media related space that requires the mindset shift that blogging sometimes does.
Well, that’s about enough for now. Tune in to the next article, next week, when we’ll look at the next phase of blog implementation, Creation.