What is a blog? A blog is an online journal published for the public to read, it is usually updated frequently. It is similar to a website except it contains short organized posts arranged by date.
What if I don't have a blog yet? If you don't have a blog yet, you don't have to run out and set one up right now. Start getting acquainted with blogging by posting on other people's blogs. Find some blogs on the topics you are interested in and respond to their posts by creating comments. A good place to search for other blogs is http://technorati.com/. When you post a comment usually you can add a link to your website, which is great for search engine optimization. Once you feel comfortable posting and are ready to take it to the next level you can begin your own blog.
How often should I post? When you are first getting started try posting once a month. Once you get the hang of blogging try to up your postings to once a week. It's important to post often because people and search engines like fresh content. If you give them what they want, they'll come back for more.
What to post? If you are already publishing an email newsletter/ezine, then you're off to a great start. Take your articles you are writing for the newsletter and split them up into two posts. When you're writing for a blog there is no need to write long articles. Just quick simple tips, reviews, or survey results are the best content for your blog. Remember you're not only writing for the public, you're also writing for the press. Reporters love blogs, because they can easily get story ideas. Make sure to include a call to action within every post that contains a link back to your website. This is a very helpful in getting your main website ranked higher in search engines.
A blog is a conversation between your customers- It's important to allow people to post comments on your blog. If you don't you're losing out an important dialogue and information that could help you reach your target market better. The best way to accept comments is require approval first. For example, if someone posts a comment to your blog you will receive an email and can approve or deny the comment. This protects you from spammers and most blog platforms allow this to be set up fairly easily.
Will a blog help my business? Yes, but you need to make your blog stand out from the crowd just like your website. Here are just a few ways a blog can help your business: A blog can build your status as an expert, attract new clients, and get media coverage. What business wouldn't love to have more publicity! Search engines and the media love blogs, because it's always fresh content. Not only is it fresh, but a blog contains tips, surveys, and case studies.
How will my blog help my search engine rankings? Blogs attract links easier than websites. Search engines love links and content pages, so your blog will probably attract a better ranking than your website. Now this does not mean you only need a blog and not a website. You really need both to successfully get your company information out. You do want to make sure to tie both your website and blog together. Make sure your blog contains a link to your website and your newsletter subscriber box.
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