Why your charity should be blogging

A great step to take in order to get your voice heard and your story told is creating and running a blog to document the work of your charity at each and every step.
Blogging is a platform commonly used by businesses and establishments as a method of creating a following and broadcasting their news by providing regular updates. Blogs help to engage the public with your charity, creating a consistent flow of communication.

Whilst it is a given that a charity blog will work wonders for your organisation's online presence, how can you ensure that it is as successful as possible? Follow these simple steps to get your charity blog off to a great start...

1) Honesty is the best policy

The reason behind the success of blogging is usually the honesty each post portrays. Unlike heavily stylised television adverts, short and sweet Facebook posts or articles in local magazines, blogs offer a platform where all members and staff at your charity have the opportunity to have their voice heard and project each story in its raw and honest form. The public respects honesty, so if you're charity has had a tough year - tell them! Blogging provides the perfect medium for you to demonstrate the human element of your charity, something that the general public tend to engage particularly well.

2) Continuity is key

To ensure that your charity's blog remains continuous and uniform, set some guidelines for each of your bloggers and contributors to follow. Consider aspects such as word limit and topic and enforce these to ensure that each post lends itself to one unified blog that provides insight into the workings of your charity.

3) Don't be afraid to spark debate

Charity organisations generally base themselves around a specific set of values, working towards a certain cause. When writing your blog posts, don't be afraid to cover topics relevant to your chosen cause that could potentially spark debate - it's always good to inspire opinion in people and get them talking!

4) Use social media to promote your charity blog

To ensure that your charity blog attracts the widest audience possible, be sure to promote and share your posts on all social media platforms. Sharing your blog in this way will help to ensure that you reach as many people as possible and therefore spread your charity's message far and wide.