The blog is by now a familiar entity, thanks largely to the efforts of David Bullard and the Sunday Times. While he focused on the amusing (and pejorative) issues around an online diary, it can be used as an effective business tool.
Forrester research says a blog can provide:
• Increased brand visibility
• Savings from customer insights
• Reduced impact from negative user-generated content, and increased sales efficiency
Here, immediately, there should be a caution. Only those companies where such developments are relevant should read on. Typically this might mean companies where development is rapid and the ability to stay on top of latest trends is linked to profitability – think stock traders or perhaps technology innovators. If your customers aren’t Net enabled, the blog is unlikely to be more than a personal diary.
Before you put pen to paper, remember the writer’s golden rule: Consider the audience and the medium. Then write for this audience and medium. Writing is a skill, one which not everyone has. If your blog is to achieve its goals of demonstrating business savvy, insight and capability, it had better reflect competence, ordered thoughts and communicate something of value to the reader – otherwise you will be consigned to the ignominious category of ‘scrofulous nerd’, invented by Bullard.
Getting started is a pretty simple matter. Navigate to an appropriate webspace, create a profile and start typing. It really is as simple as that.
The choice of webspace is of consequence; you do want to project a professional image. So, look for an industry portal relevant to your line of business (if there is one) or choose something neutral, like www.blogger.com. Avoid the explicitly ‘social’ ones, like www.myspace.com or www.facebook.com; use these for personal rather than business blogs.
Marketing the blog is something of a science in itself; Bullard had the excellent forum of the Sunday Times to punt his effort (which elevated his ‘bullog’ to the top 10). You are unlikely to enjoy the same privilege. You can attract readers by emailing them and alerting them to your efforts. List your blog on www.technorati.com, which indexes blogs. Enable comments, and comment on the blogs of others; participate in Web discussions and forums .There are literally millions of blogs therefore, you had better write something of value to attract repeat viewers.
About the Author: Donovan Jackson
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To find the best home based business ideas and
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