Blogs: Why You Should Have One

In the last few years, the term “blog” has gone from almost unknown to a household term. It seems that almost everyone has a blog, from corporations to the local bakery to the paper boy. Here are a few reasons why you should have one, too.

Blogs are a great communication tool. Most of the writing you do for your business, from your site’s content to your copywriting, is focused on what your readers want to know about. While your business blog should have posts that focus on your business, blogging gives you a chance to let your hair down a little. It is okay to occasionally post about your personal life.

Your readers will get to know your “voice”. They will feel like they know you. This will help you develop a relationship with them. You can further develop your relationship with your readers by adding a little interactivity to your blog. Allow your readers to comment on your posts. If possible, reply back to their comments. This back and forth bantering and conversation-style writing will keep your readers coming back for more.

Use your blog to find out what your readers want from you. You can ask your readers to give you suggestions on products or services they would like you to offer. Ask them to send in questions, and you can choose to devote one post every week to answering one of the questions you have received. By answering these questions, your readers will come to see you as an expert in your field and they will trust your opinion.

When your readers feel they can trust you, they will be more apt to use your products or services. People want to do business with people they like and feel comfortable with. Blogs help you give your customers a glimpse of “you” and your personality.

Blogs are also a great way to gain promotion. You can give your readers updates on new products or services that you are offering; as well as products and services that are “in the works”.

Blogging is a great way to promote your website. You can add incoming links to your website in your blog posts. If you have recently added a new article to your site, include an excerpt in a blog post and add a link to the page of your site that contains the whole text.

Blogs also help you develop your writing skills. If you normally write how-to articles, step out of your comfort zone and write a small blog post geared towards another writing genre, for instance. If the thought of writing a sales letter makes your skin crawl, you can gain experience in copywriting by writing a 100 word blog post that contains a call to action.