This article was produced by Larry Alton

Business and consumer blogs have become ubiquitous in our digital culture. According to statistics published in Ignitespot's Blogconomy infographic, organizations with blogs have 434% more indexed pages and 97% more inbound links. Blogs seem like a sure-fire way to generate increased audience activity on search engines and social media websites. However, blogs require a considerable time and financial investments. The content published on your company blog is representative of your brand. Quality control and regular maintenance are of primary importance. Are you truly ready to take on new blogging commitments?

Advantages

Organizations that move forward with a solid blog launch and content schedule will reap many benefits. Here are just a few merits to look forward to once you get a blog off the ground:

·      Increased audience engagement through social media shares, comments, link clicks, and online store conversions

·      Affiliate advertising revenue streams that increase based on impressions or clicks

·      Displayed subject expertise through articles that increase your credibility

·      Relationship building between blogger and loyal readers

·      Consumer and business community recognition based on blog visibility

·      Increased sales due to articles that help consumers make informed decisions

·      Greater visibility overall due to an increase of branded materials indexed by search engines

Disadvantages

While there are major advantages to running a blog, this aspect of your digital presence can actually do more harm if you don't have the resources to implement or maintain a blog incorrectly. Here are some of the downsides of launching a blog without the property resources or before you're ready:

·      Decreased credibility when inaccurate or low-quality content is posted

·      Comment moderation issues and frustrations surrounding spam management, Internet trolls, and angry reader feedback

·      Time commitments that prevent you from maintaining other critical areas of your website

·      The risk of publication libel or other online publication liabilities

·      Decreased engagement rates when blog's aren’t maintained and information becomes obsolete

Professional Bloggers

As you can see, the disadvantages of a poorly run blog can lead to severe credibility, time, and even legal issues. This is why many organizations turn to professional bloggers to product high-quality and relevant posts for their readers. These content specialists can help organizations save a significant amount of time, by overseeing the following duties:

·      Article pitches and content production

·      Comment moderation

·      Editing and overall quality control

·      Blog content readability and formatting

·      Brand image visibility and maintenance

Timing

Launching a blog on your website is a momentous occasion, one that requires careful planning and foresight. Take a look at your organization's main website before you start adding blog responsibilities to your plate. Is your website already meeting the needs of your organization and your audience? Is your website optimized for users accessing it through computers or mobile devices? Having a solid website infrastructure can set the stage for a successful blog launch. Make sure to prioritize your existing digital presence before you move forward with a blog.

Blogs can be immensely fulfilling projects, increasing your organization's overall brand visibility and engagement rates. However, a blog is also a significant undertaking, one that you should only move forward with at the right time. You can take proactive measure to prepare for a blog launch by hiring bloggers, designing content schedules, and polishing your existing webpage.