Sunday, January 21, 2007

Blogging For Dollars

You have probably heard of weblogs, or blogs. They are like regularly updated online journals, normally full with short snappy commentary and links to related websites on the Web.

Blogs have become one of the internet's fastest growing features. Because nothing but good can spread online, blogs must simply be very useful. Ok, they are trendy too.

The reason for this is probably the easy to-use feature. Blogs have long been popular with teens looking to share their ideas, making them look a little bit important and publish their political attitudes. Blogs have been part of teens and youngsters lifestyle´s.

But they are increasingly become into commercial use by home business owners for whom they offer a great tool to expand the communication platform.

That's because blogging is effective and low cost tool for home business owners -- an easy way to communicate directly with customers, partners, and clients, craft a strong, outspoken online personality, and escape the doldrums of static homepages.

Blog serves as a kind of online customer service center, where home business owner, customers and partners can change ideas. Before blogs, it was difficult for home businesses to afford a way to stay in touch with their customers. Now they can. And they have become a strong marketing methods.

While most blogs are simple text diaries full of hyperlinks to other websites, they can also utilize a richly designes with eye-popping photography and links to sites and articles on everything from autoresponders to everything needed in home business running.

If blog is utilized effectively it really must offer fresh and useful information to target audience. The fresness is a must. Nothing is more over-promised than a blog which promises fresh content, but is in reality full of months old content. Then it works against itself. The comparizon with diary is very good, both must be written on daily basis.

But weblogs don't need to be flashy to be effective. The strategy of major website must be seen also in the blog: in it´s design, structure and richness of the content. The more interactive the blog is, the more effective it is. Discussion forum ( moderated ) is a useful tool for everybody. It serves information and makes constant up-dated info onboard.

Feedback from discussion forum brings also a lot of tips for home business owner for further site development. Somehow it is a brave tool from blog-owner, which shows a strong pro-image to users.

One of the nicest things about blogs is how easy they are to create and update. Leading software providers like Blogger (which was recently bought by Google), Movable Type, Trellix, and Userland make it easy to set one up. And updating usually requires little more than typing into a field and hitting "Send."

Once it's up and running, advertise your blog to the customers and what kind of the content it has. Non-customers will generally hear about a blog through word of mouth or search engines such as Google. You can also make contacts with other bloggers, discussion forums and arrange to share links. Launch to hundreds of search engines is effective.

If your blog is regularly updated and entertaining( this is human ), you'll be surprised at how fast the word spreads in the blogosphere.
Still, blogs are not for everyone. If your clients spend only a little time online, it may not be worth the trouble. What's more, blogs get old-fashioned fast and require frequent upkeep to be effective. Blogowner must follow the time.

They also require a certain amount of personality, your personality. After all, the whole point is to give a company a distinct voice. But if you and your employees are committed, you may be surprised at the results.

About the Author:
Juhani Tontti, The Home Business Start, has a passion to blogging. Get #1 rank at Google, Yahoo, MSN. Thanks!
Submitted on 2006-08-26
Article Source: http://www.ArticlesAlley.com/

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