"I feel I'm behind the times not having a business blog. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having one?"

February 10 2009 -

TRACY:
Marketing with social media, which includes blogs, is a hot business trend. A successful blog has key elements. First you must know who your audience is and understand why they would read your blog; and then make your content valuable, interesting and engaging to them.
Second, your blog must be easy to find, submitted to sites that track blogs, and linked to others’ websites or blogs. When you set up your blog make sure your domain name is user friendly and contains keywords. Once you start posting to your blog, link it to your current website and promote it through all your marketing pieces. Cross promotion is essential.
Maintaining a blog takes dedication and consistency so make sure you have the time before you begin one. If you have a good blog, you might land some national media attention. I have secured four diverse, national media articles about Women TIES because of my efforts. It’s all due to social media marketing. It works.

Julie:
Blogs can be huge! They’re a great way to put a human face on your business, give customers a peek behind the scenes and encourage feedback. They can also improve your ranking with search engines if done correctly.
A few things to avoid:
* Overt selling – this is what your website is for * Spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors – if you’re not a good writer, give this task to someone else in your organization. You can make yourself look stupid really quickly. * Not updating regularly – fresh information is key, but quality is important too. * Focusing only on your blog. Participate in the blogsphere – visit other blogs and comment. It will help build your following.
Once your blog is up and running, you can link it to your Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter profiles.
It can be intimidating at first, but there are lots of resources to help you get started. Two websites I like are www.BlogSquad.biz and www.Blogtrepeneur.com. Both focus on blogs as a business marketing tool.

Terre:
Having a business blog is only the tip of the iceberg. In today's economy, you need to be savvy regarding social networking in its entirety and how it functions to keep you competitive. Setting up your blog is a good way to get your feet wet. There are several publications that can help you navigate the web, chose the best sites for business and really optimize your time investment.
The advantage of a blog is that it can be a powerful tool to engage your client base. You can reach your customers with new services, products and business news. Remember we are a visual society; include current photos and video streams.
One downside not often talked about is who is looking at your sites. Remember your competition is watching closer than your customers. You will also need to spend the time, or hire someone to spend the time keeping your sites updated, polished and original. You will definitely reap the benefits!