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Understanding and Profiting from Blogs Here’s my definition of a blog: A blog is an instantly, easily and frequently updated website focused around a topic, industry or personality. A blog - short for 'weblog' – looks very much like an online diary. The most recent entries – called posts - appear on the homepage of the blog with links to archives of older posts. Posts are separated by date and topic. Often the posts allow readers to add their own comments at the end to give their opinion or reaction to the post’s content. Blogs typically include a short bio about the blogger as well as a list of the blogger's favorite blogs and links (called a ‘blogroll’). But that's just a cosmetic description. The real genius in blogs and blogging comes in how they are written. You can update your blog instantly from any Internet connection anywhere in the world. Even from your summer home in Tahiti - as you sip an ice cold island cocktail. Blogs are designed for people who don't want to learn HTML. You use a special type of blogging software – called a blog tool - to create and update your weblog. You type your latest post into a simple online form. You click Publish and it is instantly available online for the whole world to see. It's super-easy. If you can send an email - you can create a weblog. Besides revolutionizing online publishing, blogs are also a revolution in marketing. While most companies put all of their marketing content through a lengthy and labored design process, a blog is instantaneous publishing at the speed of thought. Blogs take the power of ‘word of mouth’ marketing and bring it online where bloggers and their readers can influence a product’s success (or failure) with the click of a button. How a Blog WorksBut how does it work? Why is it easier and cheaper and faster than a conventional website? Here's a walk-through. 1. You want to update your website with your latest article, update or announcement. 2. Using any web browser from any computer, you login to your blog tool and click the button to create a new post. 3. An online form appears asking for the title of your post. You type that in. 4. There is also a field for you to write the body text of the actual blog post. You type that in, too. 5. You click Publish. 6. Your weblog is updated in a matter of seconds and your newest post appears online for everyone to read. 7. You go back to your life and remember when you used to pay a web designer every time you wanted to update your site. How Blogs Help Business
Blogger Angie McCaig nailed it when she said that a
weblog is a fantastic online marketing approach because it provides:
·
fresh content on a daily or at least very
regular basis
·
an informal voice that visitors can respond to
and get to know
·
useful information via outgoing links
Think of how many advertisements your customers receive everyday. Every year, it becomes more difficult to create marketing messages that rise above the noise and get heard. Further, we all know when we're being marketed to – and often don’t like it. Blogging brings back that human voice - that informality that doesn't take things so seriously and enables you to build trust and a deeper connection with your prospects and clients, because they’re getting to know the real you, not your company’s persona. Blogs don’t aim to seduce the reader into a hypnotic ‘buy-anything trance,’ they aim to inform, entertain and create an active conversation. Visit EasyBakeWeblogs to find out more information on Andy and blogging. Catch the blogging rage. Andy Wibbels' full chapter on Blogs and RSS Feeds appears in Mitch Meyerson's Online Marketing Superstars. To get a copy click here. As some of you know, I have my own blog as well and I invite you to get interactive with me. We have a section called Your Passion Inside and we want to hear from you. So visit here and let us know what lights you up.
(C) 2007 Mitch Meyerson |
