Business Blog Debate: Is there a Legitimate Role for “Canned” Posts in Blogging?
September 25, 2008 by Liz Fuller
Filed under Social Media
(www.businessandblogging.com) Recently Laura challenged Business Bloggers to address controversial topics when appropriate. And there isn’t a much more controversial subject in blogging than to suggest that bloggers use “canned” posts in their blogs. As Laura and I have repeatedly emphasized, business blogging is a chance to promote authentic communication between businesses and their customers.
I was surprised then to discover the existence of a business that supplies stock posts to realtors. This is not ghost writing, tailored to a specific company, but actual forms with fill-in-the-blank options to “personalize” for the individual realtor.
I wrote about the phenomenon of customizable blog posts last week and asked for our readers’ reactions. Debbi at Writing4Hire, Patrick at Spinning Silk Multimedia and Linas Simonis at Positioning Strategy were all quick to point out that these mass produced blog posts went against the spirit and purpose of blogging.
Since we are coming up on “debate season” I thought it would be interesting to hear the other point of view. I asked Kathy Goughenour, who writes and sells these customizable posts to defend her product.
I emailed her,
Hi Kathy
As you probably read – the basic concern is that the idea of a pre-written post defeats the purpose of blogging which is to provide an opportunity for authentic communication and connection between the blogger and the reader. In the case of a business blog it would be to humanize the business to the customer and vice-versa. What would be your response to that and how have your customers addressed this issue?
Thanks,
Liz
The following is her response. My question for you is – did she convince you? Is there a place for this type of post in authentic blogging?
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Liz,
Thanks again for allowing me to voice my opinion. Here’s the guest blog post:
How Customizable Blog Content Benefits Both Real Estate Agents and Their Readers
Readers of this blog are discussing whether pre-written, customizable blog content is a good idea. As the creator of www.LeadBoosterClub.com, which provides customizable blog content for real estate agents, I was asked by the author of the original post, Liz Fuller, to weigh in on this subject.
Is customizable blog content for everyone? No.
It’s for busy professionals who know the value of information to their clients, but who want to spend their time with clients instead of writing.
Ever use an interior decorating service? Even if you didn’t dream up the decorating scheme, it’s still your personal choice for your home. Got a favorite take-out restaurant? You’re enabling everyone to enjoy a meal at home together, regardless of who cooked.
Pre-written blog posts you customize? They’re for professionals who know the value of outsourcing – you get the content your business needs, without losing the time you want to devote personally to your clients.
The good news is you can outsource your writing – you can post relevant, meaningful content that your prospects will appreciate. You own the posts by purchasing them. And you customize the content so it’s relevant to your location. You can even add your own phrasing or ideas to it, so it’s a genuine reflection of you and the way you do business…
After years of writing web content for real estate agents and years of trying (but failing) to talk agents into writing their own content, I wanted to make high-quality blog content affordable for those agents who most need it: Those agents who do not have the ability or time to write good content themselves and who can’t afford to commission custom content at my rate of $75 per hour. That’s how I came up with the concept for customizable blog content.
For only $29.95 per month, real estate agents who join the Lead Booster Club (www.leadboosterclub.com) receive 20 customizable blog posts each month.
Each customizable blog post consists of a title, 3 or 4 paragraphs including easy-to-scan headings or bulletpoints, a call to action, search engine friendly keywords, and 3 links to web pages that provide supplemental information. As an example of the topics the customizable blog posts cover, here are a few of the titles members recently received:
· The 7 Commandments of a Green Remodel
· Stages of a Foreclosure
· 3 Questions to Ask Before Buying a Short Sale
· 5 Signs to Lower the Price on Your Home for Sale
Along with that, members get step-by-step instructions on how to customize the wording for their geographic area as well as how to personalize the wording to make it their own.
The benefits of customizable blog content for real estate agents are:
· It saves time – The time consuming job of researching has already been done
· It’s easy – Editing is a hundred times easier and faster than writing from scratch.
· It’s well written – They’re written by an expert real estate marketing consultant
· The information is valuable to readers – Topics are of specific interest to readers of real estate blogs including tips for homeowners, buyers and sellers
· Themes are of national interest – Subjects range from current issues such as foreclosures and the credit crunch to evergreen issues such as home maintenance.
Additionally, I recommend to members that they augment the customizable blog content with posts they write on uniquely local topics. Members find that through the process of editing the customizable blog content, they more easily figure out how to write their own posts by learning:
· Which topics are of interest to readers of real estate blogs
· How to write blog posts including the length, format and keyword placement
· How to link to other websites to provide further information
Is blogging only about humanizing business? I propose that the importance of blogging, like other web content, is providing the reader with valuable information. Here’s a quote I recently received from a Lead Booster Club member which demonstrates the value to the reader:
“I just had lunch with a new client, who got my name through CRS. But they went to my website to check me out before making contacting. They said my site and especially the blog was so good that is the reason they called. Thanks again for all your good work on the Lead Booster Club and your Customizable Blog Content.” Steve Hawkins – Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax County Virginia Real Estate Agent
Like you, I prefer that real estate agents and other business owners write their own blog posts. But since a large majority will never have the time, ability or desire to do so, isn’t it better for readers of blogs to have content that adds to their daily lives rather than worthless content or no content at all?
About the Author:
Kathy Goughenour is an expert real estate marketing consultant and author of Blogging 101: A Real Estate Agent’s Guide to Building Business and Generating Tons of Leads Online. Real estate agents can download their free copy of Blogging 101: A Real Estate Agent’s Guide to Boosting Business and Getting Tons of Leads simply by going to www.leadboosterclub.com and filling out the request form on the home page.
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So – now it’s your turn – did Kathy persuade you? Is there a role for “canned” posts in blogging? Or do you remain unconvinced?
Please join in the debate and share what you think!!
photo credit: clarity
Under whose definition is a blog a blog? To the readers of Kathy’s “canned” blogs (remember, they’re customizable and the smart realtor is the one who makes Kathy’s content his or her own.) they communicate useful home selling and buying tips, ideas and trends. The blogs are marketing tools.
Kathy’s blogs remind me of glorified writing prompts–the juicy topics or subjects that help a blocked writer produce an interesting essay. Granted, a blog entry is a pretty big writing prompt, but realtors help people buy and sell homes and their time is better spent in front of clients, not struggling with the how-to’s of writing.
Blogs are morphing and have been since they were first invented. They come in all sizes and shapes and are written for a myriad of reasons. There is room in the blogosphere for Kathy’s service.
Hi Paula
Thanks for speaking up! You’re the first reader to comment in favor of these pre-written posts.
As you said, the smart realtor will be the one who makes the posts “his or her own” by personalizing it. I think the concern is that if they are used simply as written, they become simply spam posts. But as you point out, that doesn’t have to be the case.
Personally, I view a business blog much like providing customer service. Your customers will never get the same level of service from someone you hire as they will from you directly, but your business will never grow if you don’t outsource at least some of the work.
In traditional customer service, you only have the option to hire people based on a questionnaire and a short interview, and then rely on your training program to make your customer’s experience as good as possible.
At least with customizable or outsourced blogs, you can add your own personal touch to each post. And really, the most personal part of a blog is in the comment trail. If you show your face (figuratively) from time to time in the comments with a personal response, that will go much farther in promoting your approachable image than simply writing each post yourself.
Hi WordVixen
Thanks for providing your opinion – that’s the second reader who sees potential in the canned posts.
I agree that bloggers can show their personality in the comments section – but are canned posts likely to inspire comments? And how do they show their personality until they get comments?
By the way – I really enjoy your blog – and with your sense of humor and strong opinions about your topic – there’s no way you’re using canned posts!!
I think the definition of “blog” has changed quite a bit in the past year and that’s where the trouble lies.
If we boil it down to basics, this is what I see. Websites (blog or otherwise) deliver information just like a magazine. Magazines aren’t all staff written, they hire experts to write about topics. When it comes to information such as tips for selling your home, how to find a tax accountant, low-cal snacks – you see the same information reprinted (in slightly different forms) over and over again and on for years.
When I had young children, I read Parents every month but after a few years, it was basically the same ideas recycled over and over again.
How is this different than using “canned” content?
If the content is worth reading, it doesn’t matter who wrote it and I don’t agree that it’s better customer service if you write the piece yourself. I’m not an expert in all things but I’m smart enough to hire people who are experts to help my clients get the job done.
Hi Cynthia
Thanks for chiming in with another support of the canned content. It’s actually interesting that the other day all we heard from were readers who were not in favor of it, and now we are hearing from people who are in favor of it.
I have to say though that what you describe seems to me to fall more under the category of guest posts or ghost writers for the blog. I think these arrangments are significantly different from “canned posts” which use identical wording by every blogger that posts them.
This would seem to be less satisfactory from a reader perspective and from a Search Engine Optimization perspective.
Do you think that SEO is a concern for most business bloggers?
Well, here is another comment in favor of the “canned” content. And, I might add, this comment is from someone who just subscribed to Kathy Goughenhour’s LeadBoosterClub this week-end.
When I heard about the program, I visited her site and registered for her free ebook, “Blogging 101: A Real Estate Agent’s Guide.” I found it to be well written and very informative.
Kathy and I exchanged several emails about the issue of duplicate content among other concerns of mine. Ultimately, I decided to give it a try – after all, it is only $30 a month with no long term commitment.
I am not disappointed! The articles I’ve read are all well written and easily adapted to my voice and my area.
I have actually posted one article and have another one ready to publish next week – both with some modifications.
Will I use all the articles? I doubt it. Some won’t be appropriate for my target. Another reason is that I will continue to post “local” market reports, events, etc.
In case of real estate blogs, there are only so many ways you can tell a seller how to get their house ready for market, tell buyers how to find the best home for their money, etc.
As Cynthia said, there is so much repetition through out the media. I honestly don’t think my use of these materials is going to hurt my placement in the search engines. Actually with Kathy’s guidance it could be enhanced.
Hi Betty!
Thanks for the firsthand testimonial. Good luck with your blog!!
Liz