Why Blog for Business?

Three years ago, I did not know what a blog was. I heard of online journals. I'd even had one since 1999. In fact, when I did start blogging, I found that I had a hard time deciding what went on a blog and what was too personal. Likewise, it seemed that having a journal connected to a business would be way too personal. Who would read your journal and purchase something from you? It just seemed like a bad idea.

Well, times have changed. Journals have become less personal and more information. In addition, online businesses have become more personal. The result, of course was the birth of the professional or business blog. I defy you to name a large company that does not have a blog in some form. Google has a blog. Yahoo has a blog. Blogger has a blog. EBay has a blog, and within that, they have bloggers who have their own blog.

You might argue, however that if you a small online business selling fishing lure (for example) why should you have a blog. The answer is simple. If you sell fishing lure, you are very likely going to attract fishing enthusiasts. If you were to keep a blog updated with information about fishing trips, fishing links, fishing stories, and fishing photos, chances are you will attract more fishermen who will just stop and purchase some lure since they are already on the website.

In this impersonal internet world, buyers are cautious about buying from small companies for several reasons. First, it is hard to know if the business is reputable. Second, they feel no personal connection to the product of the sales person. Having a blog will bring your prospective customers closer to you emotionally, which will bring them closer to you financially.

In addition to creating a personal tie between the seller and blog readers, a business blog is also used to talk about status of the website. To introduce new items and services and to inform customers of website updates and minor website problems and resolutions.

But blogging can be time consuming. Is it worth it, you might ask. The answer to that question is Yes! The longer you can keep your readers on your site, reading, searching for more information, or just having fun, the better the chance of them purchasing from you.

So get a blog. Attach it to your website. Write something relating directly to the subject matter of your website. Write often. The extra 10 minutes a day will be well worth it.