Blogs: Online Journaling for Business and Fun
June 18 2007
Back in 1999, Jorn Barger defined a weblog as "a webpage where a weblogger 'logs' all the other webpages she finds interesting." Today's definition of the term, now usually shortened to "blog" (rhymes with "slog"), is "a web page that serves as a publicly-accessible personal journal for an individual. Typically updated daily, blogs often reflect the personality of the author."
You can now find someone from nearly every walk of life with a blog -- authors, politicians, moms, dads, doctors, teenagers.
It's estimated millions of dedicated bloggers are conversing on over half a million blogs, with over 1,000 new ones cropping up daily. Through sites like www.blogger.com, which walk you through the steps of starting a blog, anybody can grab a cyber-soapbox and start putting ideas out there. Better yet, you can invite others to join in with their own postings.
Though blogs might appear to be nothing more than the talk-radio of cyberspace, savvy businesses are noticing the opportunity they offer as a marketing tool to bring customers to you online. It's like having them drop by your office to chat and get the news on issues that concern them.
Many businesses have nicely-designed formal storefront sites on the web. Unfortunately, these sites are hard to update every time something of interest happens, and typically don't change enough to keep clients stopping by.
A blog, on the other hand, is simple to update and a great place for shifting content and news. Company blogs can strengthen relationships, spread knowledge, increase collaboration, and improve branding. For example, you can link your company newsletter to a blog, extending its life and fomenting conversation with customers. You can invite clients to respond online, providing personal opinions on your products and services.
All in all, a blog is an easy, low-cost addition to your marketing mix!