Blogging: Time to jump on the bandwagon?

By Michelle Tjelmeland

Did you know that approximately 1.25 million small business owners (100 employees or less) publish a blog? (For those of you not familiar with this term, blog is short for web log. It’s an online collection of frequently updated commentary, pictures, and/or video.)

While many casual blogs—those posted by your average Joe/Jane—are little more than personal accounts of day-to-day events, more business blogs are emerging every day that boast informative content. Blogs are an excellent marketing technique, and an inexpensive one, too.

Maybe you’ve considered launching a blog. You’ve heard about this online phenomenon and wondered whether having one would be beneficial to your company. Still not sure what you think about blogs and business? We’ve compiled a few Q & A’s to help you become familiar with the basics of blogging.

Does my business need a blog?
Well, Entrepreneur magazine thinks so:

Several years ago, the mantra was “Every business needs a web site.” Today it's “Every business needs a web site with a blog.” No matter your industry, your prospects have come to expect a blog from your business.

We can’t say for sure if this is true. It’s unlikely that a site lacking a blog will deter clients from doing business with you. But publishing a blog—especially one with interesting and informative content—certainly can’t hurt.

A blog provides an outlet to share your knowledge and thoughts on your industry. And as you gain readers, they can chime in, too. This dialogue can be invaluable as it’s a way to gain direct feedback from readers (read: potential clients!).

Are there blogging “rules”?
Bloggers have a lot of creative freedom. You can pretty much write what you want. There is no predetermined structure to follow. Although most posts are relatively short, you can post as much information as you’d like as long as it’s well-written and organized. Including relevant links and images will help keep things interesting, too.

It’s also worth noting that the writing styles on blogs typically adopt a conversational tone. So, save the sales-speak for cold calling and stay a bit more casual when in blogging mode.

What should I blog about?
You can use your blog to announce new products or services. You can also ask for feedback from readers. Blogging falls under the Web 2.0 umbrella, and the comment feature is key in allowing—encouraging, really—readers to respond to posts.

Here are some other ideas for blog content:
Audio or video clips
E-books
Pictures
Facts, figures, and stats
Industry news

Need more ideas for blog content? Check this out.

Ok, I’m convinced. How do I get started?
It couldn’t be easier to set up a blog, and many services are free.

WordPress – free basic account; upgrade to extra features starting around $10/year.

TypePad – packages start at $4.95/month, but a 14-day free trial is available. Try it and see if you like it.

Blogger – free accounts, easy to use, some features. Great for new bloggers who want to deal with as little tech stuff as possible.

And if you’ve totally got blogging on the brain, check out these excellent articles on the Duct Tape Marketing site.


Now that you know a little more about the business of blogging, tell us your thoughts on launching your own blog. Or, for those of you who already have a blog, has your business benefited from it? How so?