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Small
Business - To Blog or Not To Blog
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by:
Michele Schermerhorn
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A
weblog, or "blog" started out as a personal journal on the Web. They
have evolved far beyond that initial concept. Now, weblogs cover as
many different topics as there are people writing them. Some blogs are
highly influential and have readership which exceeds most traditional
newspapers, while others are mainly intended as personal journals to be
shared with only family and friends. So, should you consider blogging?
The power of weblogs is that they allow millions of people to easily
publish their ideas, and millions more to comment on them. Increasingly
people write, read and comment on blogs. Many people mistakenly believe
that blogs are only personal diaries. More and more, blogs are being
used by businesses to attract customers. Since blogs now come in all
flavors, let’s look at the basics of blogging.
A blogger is someone who writes a blog. The “Blogosphere” is a word
used to describe the online community of bloggers and their writings.
A blog differs from a website only because it is a website that is
updated frequently, most often displaying its material in journal-like
entries. An entry, a post, or a posting, are the terms often used to
refer to a specific article or commentary written by the blogger on his
or her blog. Many weblogs allow readers to write a reaction to what was
written in the blog entry. These comments can often be found directly
following the blog entry.
For millions of people, blogging is a hobby. For some, like
journalists, writers, business leaders and political leaders, writing
blogs enhances their professional careers. A blog gives the voice a
broader audience and allows more direct and interactive contact with
the readers. Some bloggers have readership numbers approaching that of
big media and are able to earn income from their blogs. But potential
profit should not be the primary motivation for blogging.
Why should a blog be part of your business’ marketing strategy? The
blogging movement is picking up speed, particularly for businesses.
Blogging is one arena where the size of your company won’t matter. A
blog is NOT the place to promote your product or company. It is a place
to promote your ideas, provide tips, and express yourself in the hopes
of building an audience. That audience may , in turn, become customers.
There are two key concepts to keep in mind when deciding whether you
will launch a blog or not; providing quality content and blogging
regularly. These are critical to creating an audience for your blog.
A successful blog is written with a distinct audience in mind. In this
way, you can provide content that is unique to your audience’s issues,
needs, or desires. If you create content they like and wish to return
to read, you will produce quality content. Successful bloggers have a
focused topic and a unique personality.
Both your topic and unique style will cause your audience to return to
your blog. When they return, it is critical to stay true to your
audience and tone of your blog. If people are reading your blog, it’s
because they like your topic and tone. Try not to stray from your
typical topics and style too much. This will give your readers a reason
to link back to your blog on an ongoing basis. But your content and
tone are just one element to consider. Also critical to your ongoing
blogging success is how frequently you update your blog.
If you don't update your blog often enough, blog readers will move on
to other blogs. There are too many blogs out there competing for your
reader’s attention. Blog readers will go where the content is.
Successful blogging takes a commitment of your time. When you begin
blogging and wish to capture an audience, you should be prepared to
blog every day. In this way, you can develop an audience who counts on
you to help them begin or end their day. This means you should also try
to post at the same time each day. Your readers will get accustomed to
your schedule and check your blog at the appropriate time. The time of
day is not as crucial as the consistency in your posting.
So, is a blog right for you? You tell me. Do you have a distinct topic
in mind? Do you have a strong opinion or passion for the topic? Do you
know what audience you are writing for? Do you have the time to commit
to regular postings on your blog? If so, see you in the blogosphere!
About the Author
Michele Schermerhorn calls herself a “Corporate
Freedom Fighter” dedicated to freeing cubicle prisoners. She has over
30 years experience in the business world. She is President of Online
Business Institute Inc. (www.obinstitute.com), authors a sassy
marketing blog (www.imarketblog.com), and regularly conducts free
online seminars. Online Business Institute Inc. exists to “Create
Successful Online Business Owners One Person At A Time”.
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