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Blogs: The Risks & Benefits of Blogging

What is a Blog & Why You Need One
Mistakes Bloggers Make
Common Problems with Visitor Comments
How to Protect Yourself & Your Blog
Additional Blog Resources

Disclaimer: This material is meant for informational purposes only and not to be used as legal advice.  Please consult an attorney for legal advice related to your particular situation.

What is a Blog & Why You Need One
A blog is an online diary or web log. Blogs are a great way to:
  • Inform your customers of news and events
  • Educate your customers
  • Connect on a personal level your customers
  • Drive customers to your main website
Mistakes Bloggers Can Make:
  • Revealing Trade Secrets – Employees may unintentionally (or intentionally) give away the recipe for the secret sauce. Be cautious not to reveal too much.

  • Copyright Infringement – Using someone else’s words, graphics, or other intellectual property without permission is a definite no-no.

  • Defamation – Saying bad things about someone else can lead to legal troubles.
Common Problems with Visitor Comments:
  • Comment Spam - Spammers love blogs because they can use your blog to improve their search engine ranking by adding links to their unscrupulous sites.

  • Defamation - People may use your blog to say unfavorable things about you or someone else.

  • Copyright infringement – Even if you’re careful, your users may include copyrighted material in their comments.
How to Protect Yourself & Your Blog
  • When in doubt – don’t write it!
  • Monitor your employees’ blogs
  • Monitor your visitors' comments
  • Delete any potentially dangerous postings
  • Avoid comment spam by restricting links by either not allowing HTML or adding a rel="nofollow"
  • Have a written policy for your employees that states what they can and can’t write about your business in their personal and company blogs
Additional Blog Resources: