An affiliate blog is a blog written in conjunction with a corporation, and is officially affiliated with said corporation. It is typically always written by an employee who is authorized to speak on behalf of the company. An affiliate blog can be a great way to reach out to customers, and to put a more personal spin on business interactions.
An affiliate blog may be relatively casual, and may be written by just one employee or by a group of employees. It is their responsibility to communicate relevant news to readers of the company blog, written in a professional yet conversational manner. Topics covered in a blog may be something like a company's volunteer work in the community, news of new hires or promotions, or information about the ways in which the company is trying to go green, just to name a few topics.
It is important to take great care in an affiliate blog to not inadvertently offend anyone or to lose business. Topics should generally be lighthearted and entertaining, not meant to incite deep discussion or arguments. Customers, investors, and even job seekers, may check an affiliate blog to learn what is going on within the company, and how the company plans to continue and build on its success, not to get involved in complex discussions.
When a company is attempting to create an affiliate blog, it is important to make the blog easy to navigate and to understand. If a company chooses to sell its products through its blog, it should be made clear when a customer is reading a blog entry versus reading a sales pitch. Many companies also advertise on their affiliate blogs, but again, it is important to make sure that the blog is entertaining to read, and not just a venue for additional advertising.
Some affiliate blogs allow comments and feedback from customers, while others choose not to. This is up to the company, and depends on the type of environment it wants to create, but it can be a great way for customers to informally leave feedback on products and customer service. The company can hear directly from the consumers when they are happy or displeased, and can take immediate steps to fix problems. Or course, this could have a negative impact on the company as well, if the blog turns into nothing but a compilation of negative comments. When all of these points are considered, an affiliate blog can be a great choice for a company to reach out to its customers.