Is it OK to advertise or mention competitors?

It's okay to mention competitors!

Taking in the competition in your blogging strategy

So, you've got your blog all set up. You're raring to go; ready to get yourself some attention. The last thing you want to do is mention any of your competitors.

Um... no. There are plenty of reasons that make it perfectly okay to mention competitors, and even a few that make it desirable. It's not really like that Fawlty Towers episode – Don't. Mention. The War.

Reason #1: It's not Apple vs Samsung

Unless your company name is Apple, it's unlikely you're up against a single main competitor. This means you're not in a duel. The iPhone might lose customers to Samsung whenever it admits Samsung phones have a better feature. When you've got multiple competitors, however, it's more likely that they will have different features and offer different services. Admitting this isn't necessarily going to put your customers off.

Reason #2: It's not you against the world, either

It's good to aim big in business. It's also good to be realistic. Are your competitors really who you think they are? For example, a small online technology sales business might avoid talking about Dick Smith stores because both are in the field of selling technology. Are the two really competing? On a realistic level, no.

Be reasonable about the companies that are a real threat to your market share.

Reason #3: People are smart

Most companies avoid mentioning competitors because they're afraid of directing their own customers to them. Guess what? There's this amazing thing called Google, and it enables your customers to find your competitors easily.

Your target market is going to find out about your competitors anyway. Mentioning competitors can help you start the conversation about why you're better.

Reason #4: A strong industry can help you

Chances are, you don't offer everything your competitors offer. The opposite might also be true. Businesses have diverse styles. So why not use that to your advantage?

Think of an instance when a customer is looking for a product you don't offer. You can simply refuse their request, in which case they'll cross you off their mental list of places to go. Or, you can let them know about something a competitor has to offer and you'll stay on their list of helpful resources. Helping out a competitor can be to your advantage.

Including competitors in your blogging can help strengthen your ties with your industry. Which leads to the final reason...

Reason #5: War isn't attractive

Perhaps this reason should be, 'Jealousy isn't attractive: friendliness is'. Not mentioning competitors limits the things you can say on your blog, particularly when you're blogging about your industry. Readers will notice this lack.

On the other hand, mentioning competitors makes it obvious you're comfortable with your position in the industry. You're broadcasting confidence to your readers. This can help establish you in their minds as an industry leader, a company that doesn't need to worry about giving competitors advertising.

Mentioning competitors can also strengthen your ties within the industry, making it more likely that if you do send customers a competitor's way, they'll reciprocate.

Conclusion

A blog should be part of a strategy to strengthen your company's online community. Not mentioning competitors is like not talking about a whole section of your life. By all means do it carefully, but don't hold yourself back from something that is a natural part of your world.