Blogging, if you enjoy writing, can be an excellent way to introduce yourself and your product or services. It gives you a way to keep in touch with your existing customers, share your expertise and build a loyal tribe. And since blogs are set up for interaction, they are a great way to get feedback and create dialog. Blogs are also indexed by the major search engines providing you with the added bonus of increasing your ability to be 'found' during an online search. When setting up a blog, be sure to 'tie' it to your website so that the new posts are considered new content on the site as well - this too will help in your search ratings.

 

While not for the faint of heart, if you do enjoy writing  and can commit to the time needed,  blogging provide the most ''bang" for your time investment. If you were to choose only one online strategy to build your business, I would say that blogging might be your best bet! It provides a structure for relating to your customers and especially when tied to your website, is a great way to increase your online presence.

 

That said, I do not blog. I do practice what I preach and maintain multiple profiles across the internet. For me, it is more important to be active on the various social networking sites, to write and submit articles and to keep this e-newsletter going. Personally, I cannot manage a blog and still keep those lively. I would not suggest that you take on all of those AND start a blog either. But if you are just starting and looking for a single strategy or if you are not enjoying your time on the social media scene, maybe a blog is for you!

 

A great way to learn more about blogging is to follow some blogs.  See below for a list of some of the best blogs of 2009 and for some ideas for finding blogs of interest.

 

This month I have included links to some great articles, blog posts and resources to give you a better idea of how blogs work, how other people use them and to see if they might be a good choice for you.  And if you do already blog, there are some useful hints and tips to make the most of your efforts!

 

Enjoy!