What can a Blog do for your small business?

July 15, 2003

The blogging movement is picking up speed with the launch of blogs on our About.com network and the purchase of blog software company Pyra Labs to Google. More companies are experimenting with the blog environment. Will blogging become the next mainstream application like email? What the heck is a Blog?

According to Pyra Labs Blogger, "A blog is a web page made up of usually short, frequently updated posts that are arranged chronologically—like a what's new page or a journal."

The term is actually weblogs coined by Jorn Barger in 1997. The boom of weblogs happened in 1999 when several companies & developers made easy business blogging software and tools. Since 1999, the number of blogs on the Internet has exploded from a few thousand to an estimated half a million.

Weblogs can fall into two general categories:- 1) Personal Blogs: a mixture of a personal diary, opinion posts and research links, and 2) Business Blogs: a corporate tool for communicating with customers or employees to share knowledge and expertise.

Business blogs have yet to sweep the business community. With the Internet and technology melt down, combined with corporate layoffs, larger companies are adopting a wait-and-see attitude. This presents a window of opportunity for small businesses to embrace blogging and adapt it to the small business environment.

What does Blogging Provide to Small Business? Blog software is easy to use. Simply write your thoughts, link to resources, and publish to your blog, all at the push of a few buttons. Blog software companies such as, Movable Type, Blogger.com and Radio Userland all offer easy blogging tools to get started.

Blogging is a low-cost alternative to having a web presence. For small business owners without the time to learn web html or the money to hire a designer/developer, blogging offers a cheap method to get your company's name out on the Internet.

Updating the weblog is a much quicker process than contacting a web designer with changes or doing the coding and uploading yourself. Business blogs provide your small business with a chance to share your expertise and knowledge with a larger audience. A powerful benefit for consultants and knowledge workers.

Examples of Business Blogs: Gizmodo is a weblog about everything about gadgets and gizmos for those who want to remain on the cutting edge of consumer electronics. As a web magazine, Gizmodo is quickly building a specialized audience in consumer electronics with an advertising business model.

Research Buzz is an excellent resource tool for Internet research. An information provider, Research Buzz provides advertising and a special paid edition of their newsletter.

Joel on Software is a blog that displays Joel Spolsky's knowledge and views on software development. The blog acts as a method for Joel to highlight his expertise and promote his small business, Fog Creek Software.

Jupiter Research, a top business market research company has a blog for each company analyst. The weblog provides analysts with the means to connect with their audience on a regular basis.

Loosetooth.com Shop Blog, by Brandy Agerbeck, is an online art shop blog that provide customers with a way to get to know the store owner. This blog is an e-commerce site with buy and shop options.

MacroMedia the software company provides a customer service blog for users and staff to share solutions in an organized fashion. Blogs do have a downside. Blogging does not provide the functionality of web pages, has limits for e-commerce solutions and can be time-consuming with regular posts. But with minimal costs, it maybe advantageous to start blogging and position your business early. Is your small business blog ready?

Article by Darrell Zahorsky
Source: About.com

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