For a brand like Netflix, the headlines from around the ‘net could provide endless blogging for business fodder. Regular beatings on Wall Street, showdowns with Amazon and new, inclusive innovations are just a sampling of the stories generated by Netflix over the last few days. Yet the company wisely chooses to use its blog to talk about something it knows inside and out: itself. This week, Blog Like the Big Brands tears opens the little red envelope and looks at the blogging habits of Netflix, a brand everybody uses and nearly everybody loves to criticize.
It isn’t unusual for companies to use blogging as a way to address rumors or comment on news stories. Apple, Google and Disney are a few which over the years have turned to their corporate blogs to put out fires. But count on Netflix, the biggest entertainment delivery company on the planet, to follow in their footsteps. When you take a glance at the Official Netflix Blog, you won’t find a trace of these headline-grabbing tidbits. This blog serves one purpose and that’s to talk to Netflix customers about the new products and services the company offers. Period.
With this simple blogging mission statement, Netflix is free to showcase bright graphics and bold, friendly text. Posts cover things like new movies and shows to Netflix, ways to use Netflix on mobile devices and recent system updates. Just to keep things easy and not confusing, the company even has separate blogs for technical issues and UK customers. By leaving the news stories for press releases and Twitter, Netflix gets to employ its blog as a communicator and friend to its customers and fans. With such an uncomplicated purpose, Netflix’s blog becomes less jumbled and more powerful.
Keeping it simple is a great big brand blogging takeaway. People love your business for simple reasons: great products, good service, unique perspective. Use your business blog to celebrate just that. No one wants to hear your reaction to the day’s news if you run an art gallery. Likewise, if you’re a caterer, people are not interested in your philosophy about Eastern Chinese meditation. People want to read your blog to see your products and learn more about your company.
So, amazing readers, how can you simplify your blog and life to bring in more business? Tell us in the comments section!
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