Blog is word we have all heard but many people don’t really know what it actually involves. When creating a website for a client I will often recommend a blog but are often faced with either a blank or disdainful face. Often I will be asked ‘What actually is a blog’ and it is then that you realise that this word BLOG can actually be quite alien and off putting even though the concept has been around for many years.

But if we forgot the word blog and used a different more comfortable word such as ‘opinion’ or ‘diary’ maybe a blog wouldn’t seem so scary. Anyway if you still need convincing here are some thoughts on why your business should be blogging –

1)   They are stuffed with juicy key words

Ok so you know how important keyword rich content is, but you are limited by your web pages as to how many you can use (or how specific you can be). A blog gives you the opportunity to write keyword rich content over and over again. In fact you can respond to keywords that are transient or trend based. When we had the snow you could tag onto the many searches by linking to your blog entry (see Act fast and make some money from this bad weather)

2)    Making it personal

The way a blog is written is from a very personal perspective. It is your opinion. In fact that is why the big brands have so taken to blogging as it provides a fantastic opportunity to bring a brand alive. Even big brand blogs are written with a certain personality so you actually feel like you are reading a personal piece of writing not marketing copy. With this in mind make sure you do write in the tone of voice that makes your blog appear natural and personal.

3)   The more they know about you, the more they trust you

Do you trust people you don’t know? Probably not. It is human nature to be more trusting if you understand more about a person or organisation (good and bad). So a blog give your business a chance to open the door to the organisation (see No more excuses – 10 blog ideas for every business).

4)   It is the hub of your social media and online marketing

One of the second most frequently asked questions in regards to social media is ‘What do I tweet / Facebook about?’ Although not the whole story, if you have a blog then you certainly have a good start with what to post on your social media sites.

When you have a new blog entry post in Facebook, twitter, Linked In etc. If you want to communicate with your customers and prospects via an email newsletter then summarising a number of your blogs provides great content.

5)    Forget about the hard sell

The mistake that many businesses make is thinking than a blog is another hard sell platform. This runs against the ethos of most Web 2.0 applications and people will soon tire of being sold to. Blogs are primarily there to inform, entertain and stimulate. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t some soft-selling messages going on but try and be subtle. And if you do want to post a slightly harder hitting blog then make sure it isn’t a regular occurrence.