Do Key Ad Copy Drivers Work in Blogging for Business?

In theineedhits SEO marketing blog, Courtney Mills names seven key drivers for successful writing to be used in ad copy:

• Fear
• Greed
• Guilt
• Anger
• Exclusivity
• Salvation
• Flattery

Having spent much time and effort and a host of words (in both these Say It For You blog posts and in corporate blogging training sessions) stressing my view that blogs are NOT ads, the question I want to consider with you today is this:  Are any – or are ALL – of those “drivers” for advertising copy appropriate for use in business blog writing?

In the real world, in many SEO marketing blogs, blog content writers focus on appealing to consumers’ fear or greed.  At least one marketing blogger, Michael Masterson, thinks fear appeals don’t work in the long run, and that fear needs to be followed with hope.  Greed promotions, he adds, attract the wrong kind of customer.

Since I’ve provided blog writing services for many different types of companies, I’ve had ample opportunity to reflect on the challenges of finding precisely the right tone for each blog. Corporate blogging for business is just one aspect of any company’s overall marketing strategy.  The entire tone of the blog, therefore, needs to be consistent with the company’s image and corporate identity.  To be sure, blog content, just like TV, radio, or print ads, exists to promote the business and its products and services.

Can and should a single blog post appeal to customers’ anger about the poor service, shoddy workmanship, or exhorbitant charges they’ve experienced in the past? Definitely! Can and should a single blog post emphasize a product or service that’s exclusive to that business?  For sure!

I think it’s a matter of being in good taste.  Before leaving the house for an important engagement, it’s a good idea to look at yourself in a full length mirror to be sure your outfit and grooming will convey the message you’d like it to.  The same is true for the content you’re preparing to put out there in the blogosphere for all to read.   In writing for business, using “drivers” is fine, but does that content represent your company the way you’d like it to?