There are now millions of blogs on the Internet these days.
Blogging is no longer just for geeks, for presidential elections, or for gossipy teens.
Business of all sorts and sizes have joined the world of blogging.
Their goal is to find another way to connect with clients and customers.
They want to increase their credibility and they do that by giving their customers something of value on their blogs.
First you have to know what a blog is.
This is actually an interesting question because you will receive different answers depending upon whom you ask.
A blog is a website but it contains a couple of uncommon features.
A blog usually has short to medium length articles, called posts, that are written or posted so that the most recent post is at top.
A blog has become a type of website so that when you look at a blog you expect to see certain things.
Keep in mind, however, there are always exceptions.
Some people write blogs as journals or diaries.
Other people write them as editorials.
Unless that person is a well known political figure or a celebrity, not many people will subscribe to their blog.
On the other hand, if Bruce Springsteen were to write a blog he would have a subscription list of thousands.
I suppose you could say that for business, a blog is a journal of sorts but it is also a major marketing tool.
What makes it so important is the act of blogging is not difficult.
When the internet first started if you wanted to say anything you had to know how to write in code.
You had to learn HTML, FTP, servers and other technology.
Posting on a blog is more like push button publishing.
When you think of a blog, especially for business, think of it as a publishing medium.
As a business you can publish reports, graphics, videos, documents, and interviews.
It is like having a website that is constantly and instantly updated but you do not have to wait for your webmaster to post the information; it is easy enough to do it yourself.
This is my fourth blog.
I do not want to learn a lot of technology.
I do not have the time.
I want to write and consult and help others earn an income with their business.
I also do not have an IT department I can go to when I have a question.
What makes the process even better is that the person receiving my posts is not tied down to any technology either.
I can send the latest post to a client by email.
They can read the post on their I phone.
For me, blogs are the ideal medium where I can share what I know.
And by sharing what I know I bring value to my clients and gain credibility.
My clients learn more about me from these posts.
More importantly, I learn about them, their problems and needs and what kind of help they are seeking by their comments and questions in response to a post.