Blogging - An Essential Part Of The Marketing Mix

It seems as though I get more and more questions about Blogging.  Should my web site also have a blog?  What type of blog content should I publish?  How often should I publish to my blog?  Can I make money with my blog?  These are all really good questions and the topic of today's post.

First, let's start with my definition of a blog. A blog is a content rich site that allows you to post updates on a regular basis.  If blogging for you is an arduous process, then you're doing it all wrong.  Blogging should be fun and should be related to your business.  For example, this blog (The Marketing Blog) is all about marketing with a focus on Internet marketing.  Why?  Because I love it.  I don't need to get paid to write about Internet marketing because it's a true passion.

Okay, so now you know what to blog about, let's respond to the question "Should I have a blog?".  If you've met the criteria above and have something to blog about, my answer is an emphatic "YES".  Blogging is great, it's fun and easy to do.  I've found that it's also a two-way street.  Your followers interact with the content via comments and suggest great topics for future posts.  The benefit of blogging is both personal as well as marketing-focused.  By talking about your business on a regular basis you can generate positive awareness and make your offerings more appealing to your target market.

After starting your blog with Blogger or WordPress, make it accessible from your main web site.  This helps in search engine placement and can drive a considerable amount of traffic to your blog.  Have a clear goal in mind for your blogging with one caveat.  Always use your blog to provide value.  Whether through market information, content, or resources, your blog needs to give before it gets.  Once you've set a goal for yourself commit to that goal and work towards it each and every week.

Blogging can be a great experience but you have to be willing to set specific goals and deliver value on a regular basis.  If you do, over time you'll find that blogging provides significant value to both you and your readers.  Happy Blogging!!!

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