Corporate blogs could have a favorable impact on bottom line growth. Make blogging work for your company.

Get real

Whole Foods Market CEO John Mackey does it. So does General Motors Corp. Vice Chairman Bob Lutz. Reality is, today’s corporate decision-makers and top-level management are taking part in active online forums known as blogs, or Web logs. But the question some executives might be pondering is whether or not blogs have the ability to impact the bottom line. If done correctly, the answer is yes.

In a corporate environment that has come to rely on less face-to-face interaction with customers – many consumers consider e-commerce the preferred method to purchase goods and services – blogs offer a way for top-level corporate officers to reach their customers. An effective corporate blog should provide customers a window into the author’s business.

Corporations worldwide have embraced the idea of blogging as a means to reach customers via the Internet. In fact, 55 percent of global executives either use blogs as a selling tool or say they intend to implement a blog in the next year, according to a study conducted earlier this year by the research group Melcrum.

When done correctly, blogs can be a tool to boost profit by creating buzz about a product or service, or create brand loyalty by connecting with the consumer. They might even serve as a recruitment tool.

“By encouraging staff and customers to get involved and build communities around their brands, companies know that they can get better results in terms of staff productivity and engagement, but also customer retention and acquisition,” said Melcrum Managing Director Robin Crumby.

Blogs also provide a means for executives to discover just what is being said about their product or service, and if need be, fix the problem or at least be able to defend or promote the positives. According to the survey, only 26 percent of executives said they know how to check what consumers are saying about their business, industry or products/services online.

Increased brand visibility, quick connections with the consumer and the ability to shape industry trends are all reasons supporting the corporate blog. In addition, other online media forums, often called social media, have also exposed the corporate world to. Podcasts, RSS/Web feeds and online video sharing. These give executives an opportunity to share opinions about and information on their respective industries and company goods.

But participating in this vast form of media, with its often unregulated online discussions, does pose some risk. Because access and participation in social media are literally at the fingertips of everyone in the organization, setting up guidelines as to what is acceptable content for corporate blogs is necessary.

To ensure the blog is as consumer-friendly as possible, practice transparency, keep blogs up to date, watch your Ps and Qs and do your research. If you truly have a passion for your business, the writing will show it.