What Is A Blog And Do You Need One?

Blogs are simply a type of web site that allow you to easily update the content and invite visitors to post their comments to the site as well.

Blogs are creating a new kind of online community where people can share information and have conversations.

In addition to being easy to update, the search engines love blogs because they are updated frequently and therefore are full of fresh information. And the search engines love fresh content.

Blogs are great marketing tools

You can set up your blog to notify the blog search engines every time you or someone posts a new comment. This will help raise your blog site in the search engine rankings, which in turn helps people find your blog and you.

Will blogs take over websites?

I have actually spoken to experts in the Internet industry who believe that eventually blogs will replace traditional web sites. I don't know about that, but I do recommend that if you are serious about marketing your business online, that you have a blog in addition to your web site.

Connect with your audience

A blog is a great place to engage your audience and start a two-way conversation. Although I will admit, many more people read blogs than post to them.

Consumer-generated content

If you track news on Internet Marketing, in 2007 it's all about consumer-generated content. Blogs, audio, video ... anything that consumers can use to create and share their own content is where it's at.

Using blogs to market your business

Here's a quick online marketing tip for you: if you find blogs in your industry, read them and post relevant comments to them. These comments can link back to your website or blog and can help drive traffic to your site. Just make sure you are posting valuable comments or information and not just plugging your business.

I started blogging in 2006

I have been learning as I go, and the results haven't come as quickly as I had hoped, but I do consider my blog to be a valuable tool in my marketing arsenal.

My blog links to my web site and vice versa. I guess you could say I consider it one cog in my marketing machine!

Blogs require a commitment

If you choose to start a blog, you must be committed to updating it with new content on a regular basis. That means posting to it at least several times per week.

If you have trouble staying consistent or finding the time to post this frequently, you may want to create an editorial calendar for your blog and sit down once a month and write all of your blog posts for that month.

Put your blog on auto-pilot

You can then schedule your blog posts to post every couple of days. This puts your blog on "auto-pilot" and allows you to benefit from having a blog and also have time to run your business and service your clients.

I have used this strategy and I have found it quite helpful. This allows me to post timely comments when have time, but also know that even if I get too busy to post, I have fresh content adding to my blog every couple of days.

Your Marketing Step

Do you currently have a blog? Do you currently read and post to blogs? If not, I encourage you to test the waters this week by locating a few blogs in your industry and checking them out.

You can locate blogs on specific topics by using a blog search engine such as Google Blog Search or Technorati.

Read what they're writing about. Post a few comments. See how easy blogging can be. Then, consider adding a blog to your marketing arsenal in 2007. But first, be sure you know HOW your blog will fit within your marketing plan.

Debbie LaChusa created The 10stepmarketing System to make marketing your own business as simple as answering 10 questions. Learn more about this unique, step-by-step system and get a free Marketing E-Course when you subscribe to the free, weekly 10stepmarketing Ezine at http://www.10stepmarketing.com

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