X-Press Legal Services
To blog, or not to blog: that is the question
Whether 'tis nobler on the net to suffer the missed opportunity and anonymity of inaction or to speak online to a sea of users and by blogging engage them?
Not sure that Shakespeare’s most used and abused soliloquy bears up too well under the strain of being forced into a commentary on blogging, but as the need arises and with Plato’s blessing “Necessity is the mother of invention”. Also not too sure on the blogging ethics of a magazine based article on the advantages of blogging. It’s a little like an advert for the benefits of radio advertising on Channel 4. Accepting that not everybody blogs and that spreading the word requires semi-contradictory approaches lets look at the benefits.
As an industry we have acknowledged the benefit of websites in generating franchise enquiries. We have done this whilst accepting that in order for web advertising to be successful we need to ensure a presence in other media in order to inform the online prospect on our brand and steer them to the response mechanism of our website. Advertising, PR and exhibitions all have a role to play, blogging however is an often missed opportunity to generate understanding on our businesses and the industry in general.
SO what is blogging? Blog is a portmanteau of “Web Log” and is a website based diary of sorts normally ordered chronologically, which can contain commentary, pictures, video and opinion. The essence of a blog is regularity in the change of the content. You may be aware of twitter and as a concept; twitter is a micro blogging site with each comment limited to 140 characters.
As the relentless march towards immediate online communication ensures that people can access online content quickly and easily and potentially uncontrollably, do you want the online dialogue on franchising to exclude you? More importantly do you want online discussion on your brand to take place without your input?
At this point the very DNA of my opendata free access (wear sandals and surf the net) being buts heads with the ball juggling control freak that hides in every franchisor. Your brand and its protection are matters for your legal advisor but, be under no illusion that insisting that your franchisees cannot blog is far more difficult than fostering an environment where positive messages are encouraged and added to by your own commentary.
So if you write and promote your blog it has the potential to inform and educate readers together with steering them into your website seamlessly.
Twitter has a 140 character limit and this article is limited to 500 words so must now end. The irony being that the extent of a blog knows no bounds. There is more to say but the answer to the question at hand has to be;
To blog or not to blog – blog away!
Blogging tips
• Be regular
• Be interesting
• Be informative
• Be opinionated
Follow Dan on www.twitter.com/therealdarcher
