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Blogging 101: Blog Your
Way to Business Success
Q:
I keep hearing about “blogging” but I just don’t get it. What is it, and
how can it help my business?
. . . . .
. . . . . . .
A.
Imagine the ability to tell the world about your
business, at no out-of-pocket expense, using unlimited space. You would be able
showcase products, capabilities, thoughts and ideas, frustrations, or any
information you’d like to share, and the entire world would have access to that
information.Welcome to the world of online blogging!
The term “blog” is simply a shortened version of “Web Log” which was the
original title for online journals, mostly personal in nature, that were kept by
those who wanted to share their thoughts with their friends. Today, bloggers
run the gamut from desperate housewives to corporate CEOs, and everyone in
between. SSA’s Director of Technology, Dale Wilcox, first introduced you to
blogging last May. Here we offer you a bit more assistance in making a blog
useful for your business.What’s the Difference Between a Web site and a Blog?
Typically, your Web site is the formal online presentation of your company’s
products and services, developed in such a way as to promote your business, on
your target audience’s terms. In contrast, a blog is a much less formal, less
structured, stream of thoughts and ideas provided by you, the person who is
invested in your business, personally and financially. It’s less about snappy,
effective marketing, and more about your passion for your work.
While most Web sites are registered and hosted by services you pay for, most
blogs are hosted by other companies and most are free. Web sites require some
technical knowledge to produce and move online. Blogs require no technical
knowledge to put them out in public.
How Do You Set Up a Blog?While it’s possible to set up a blog on your own Web site, there are some search
engine advantages to setting one up at another host. Since the space is usually
free, then I suggest you choose any of the services that also feed search
engines. Here are some blog sites from which to choose:
Google:
www.blogger.com
MSN :
www.msnspaces.com
Yahoo: 360.yahoo.com
www.myblogsite.com
www.livejournal.com
What Information Should You Share?It’s really up to you! But here are some guidelines.
If your goal is to boost business, then include a mix of business promotion and
all those “between the lines” thoughts and ideas you think your customers would
be curious about. This is your great opportunity to be creative. How
refreshing!
To promote your business using your blog, make sure to include your URL (Web
address) as a link, and plenty of key words, too. Search engines do crawl
blogs, so all those good practice ideas we have discussed in previous columns
are good to include in your blog, too.You can separate what your Web site offers from your blog by including more
atypical information. Why not mention your competition? Watch what you say, of
course, but you could draw informal comparisons, or even pat them on the back.
Describe a challenge and how you’ve met it. Mention interesting people you have
met who have helped you. Discuss how the oil shortage has had an impact. Color
outside the lines a little!
Want to find examples of blogs? There’s even a blog directory:
www.blogwise.com
Next month we’ll move to Blogging 201. We’ll discuss good blogging practice,
and how to make some money with your blog.
© 2005 Trisha Torrey
Trisha Torrey, owner of IntegriMark Communications and author of http://411, has been helping businesses score on the Web since the mid-1990s. From large corporations, to non-profit organizations, to individual entrepreneurs, her advice, planning and development services have helped raise the Web marketing bar while keeping a keen eye on the bottom line.
Email questions to her at: questions@http-411.com .
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