Businesses Are Asking
By Allison Nazarian, Mon Dec 26th
Businesses are Asking: To Blog or Not to Blog?
That's the question lots of people are asking - and the answersare as varied as all the out there in cyberspace. Oh, andin case you don't know what are, they're web logs that areupdated regularly, sometimes daily, kind of like an onlinediary. Even if you're aware of blogs, you may have thought theywere reserved for your teenage daughter...but think again!
Millions and millions
Blogs are growing like ... well ... blogs. Literally hundreds ofcorporations now have their own blogs. If you're thinking nameslike Microsoft, Cisco, Sun Microsystems and IBM, you're right.But add to that some surprising bloggers, including Boeing, P.R.firms Hill & Knowlton and Burson-Marsteller, Stone Creek CoffeeRoasters and even a Savile Row Tailor, Thomas Mahon, and you'llget an idea of just how big the idea of creating on-line logshas become. In fact, there are more than 9 million outthere, with 40,000 new ones popping up each day. Admittedly,some are just plain silly (and not just those teenage girls).But even assuming that 99.9% aren't worth reading, that leavesat least 40 new ones - every single day - that could be talkingto your customers or engaging your employees.
So, what does it all mean for business?
Blogs have evolved into the latest approach to web content.Whether blogging is a here-today, gone-tomorrow fad or proves tobe a new way to communicate with customers - either existing orpotential - remains to be seen, but it deserves at least acloser examination. Many companies under pressure to keepwebsite content fresh and attractive think are the answer.Innovative content is becoming a must for online businesses,both to be found by search engines and to give visitors a reasonto return (and to buy). Business let companies givecustomers industry news and tell them how their products can bebeneficial. And the fact that copy is updated daily increasesthe chances that search engines will find your site.
Ready to jump on the bandwagon?
If you decide to use a blog for your business, you must set aschedule and stick to it. Tell your readers what to expect andwhen to expect it. can direct attention to areas of yourbusiness that you want to showcase. You manage the content, butlet your readers and customers guide you.
Blogs may or may not be for you, but you can't afford to ignorethem, because they're changing how businesses communicate.Deciding to blog or not to blog is undoubtedly your decision,but keep in mind that ideas circulate at warp speed andcustomers are always out there, sniffing around for deals. Andthousands of companies are looking at ways to collect ideas fromblogs, dust ads into them, and even determine what theircompetitors are up to.
Whatever you do, have fun and good luck!
About the author:Allison Nazarian is president and chief copywriter of Get It InWriting, a Florida-based company that helps businessesnationwide harness the power of words to sell, inform andpublicize. Allison can be reached at 561.487.3917 oranazarian@getitinwriting.biz. Copyright© Get It In Writing, Inc.May be reprinted without permission of Get It In Writing, Incand Allison Nazarian if in full, unchanged format and withcomplete attribution to author.
