Ghost Writing Yes or No?

When it comes to blogging, I'm a strong believer all authors should write their own content, (the only exception is when you are collaborating with another author). It seems to be a current trend for big corporations to use the face of an industry expert and behind the scenes a team of ghost writers.

I'm not in favour of this style of blogging. To me, it's the worst form of blogging, it's not real, there is no human story, or personal perspective and quite often there is a distinct lack of personality, and readers can almost always tell.

When you pen your own blog entry, it will be writtern with heart and passion, when coprorations or brands use a ghost writer it can loose personality and quite often there is a secret underlying tone of pushing products or services.

The most successful bloggers, will always be the ones who write their own content.

Sure you can ask another colleague or your marketing department to proof read - but that's where it needs to stop, completely re-writing half of the blog totally underminds the concept of blogging.

Creating a Corporate Blogging Programme

I absolutley agree in a coprorate environment, the marketing department need to play a part in blogging, how do they do this? Manage the programme, ensuring blogs are written and published on time, provide images and proof read. Marketing can also suggest topics as well, but this needs to be a team effort and the individual blogger also needs to have a selection of topics they'd like to write about - because don't forget, the employee is the Industry Expert.

"I don't have time to write"

If you want to take blogging seriously and are really keen to publish your thought leadership, then you need to make time. Blogging doesn't actually take as long as you think, 30 minutes to an hour, as your not writing war and peace! If you don't have time during your working day, this can be done while commuting to and from work, during your lunch break or in the evenings. It's up to you to find the time, but you will reep the rewards of your blogging success. Check out 'Finger on the Pulse - Chrisitana's blogging success' for a detailed look at successful blogging on Linkedin.

"Stick to what you know and if you are passtionate about your topic, you'll find writing content second nature"

"Our Industry Expert is a terrible writer?"

I've been in this situtation before, your heading up the company blogging programme, you only have a handful of Industry Experts who have expressed interest in writing, and one of them is an absolutley terrible writer. What do you do? It's a tricky situtation, but ghost writing is not the answer.

TOP TIP; Ensure all bloggers go through a Best Practice Blogging Workshop, which outlines the process of blogging within your company, timelines and schedules, social media guidelines and most importantly how to structure a blog, starting with the all important title, through the body of the blog and selecting the right images.

What are you talking about, I've seen Ghost Writing Work!

There are occasions when ghost writing can work, but this is usually down to the two individuals having a close relationship and understanding of the Industry Experts writing style, thought process and of course the ghost writer having thorough knowledge of the specific industry.

I'm not a fan of ghost writing, and think it's cheating!