Blogs as a Competitive Advantage

The Pew Internet & American Life Project recently released a new report concerning on-the-job internet use. One of the most striking findings of the report is that only 11% of the individuals surveyed indicated that they read blogs at work.

Many people discount blogs as a poor source of information. Some may even consider blogs to be of low quality content. While this may be true of some blogs, if you dig deep enough, you can find yourself with a wealth of valuable information.

Blogs provide a quick and candid way for people, groups and organizations to express their thoughts and views on specific topics. This gives you nearly real-time access to priceless insight and up-to-the-minute digestion of what’s going on in the world. Furthermore, many blogs provide a commenting feature that can serve as a qualifier. The comments give readers an opportunity to challenge or support the information being presented.

So what does this have to do with competitive advantage?

If only 11% of employees are reading blogs at work, imagine what kind of information and knowledge they’re passing up. From the latest industry trends to important financial news, the one with the most data first — and the best understanding of it — is the one with the advantage. And information advantage can easily become a competitive advantage.

Adaptability has become the essence of business today. If there’s one thing the information age has accomplished, it’s the inundation of everyone with tons of information. Being able to wade through that data swamp and pick out the bits of useful insight is a valuable competency that is hard to match.

Your clients expect you to be on the cutting edge. They expect you to stay abreast of the latest developments in your field. Why? The reason is simple. They want the latest and the greatest, and they’re going to seek out the one who knows their stuff.

If only 11% of the employees at your competitor’s business are up-to-date on the latest trends in your industry, think of the 89% who are not. That’s a huge intelligence gap. It’s also an easy one to beat within your own company.

Encourage your employees to read blogs at work. Find those blogs pertinent to your industry. Gain an understanding of blogs and help your employees understand as well.

Information is an advantage and it appears to be an advantage up for grabs. Are you going to take it?