tool_review.htm

Most Internet users have no doubt heard of a blog, the common name of what was originally a Web log. This is a Website generated by a user where entries are made in the form of a journal. In this case, it is a daily record of business or other events. These entries are displayed in reverse chronological order meaning the latest events are listed at the top of the list.

Blogs generally provide thoughts or news on a particular subject, such as food, politics, or local news; in our discussion the subject will be business related. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on photographs (photoblog), sketchblog, videos (vlog), or audio (podcasting).

The Gartner Group expects blogging will peak in 2007, peaking when the number of writers maintaining Websites reaches 100 million. Most bloggers have private sites and may lose interest in them. What we are talking about in this article are blogs that have some business function.

Rick Bruner, President of Executive Summary Consulting, says there are four types of successful blogs:

Thought Leadership Blog. The thought leadership blog allows bloggers to distinguish themselves as being a well-informed industry professional. A professional might use this kind of blog to get their name before peers who might use their services or products in some way to profit the blogger.

Customer Relations Blog. The customer relations blog engages with customers. This kind of blog makes a lot of sense for entrepreneurs. New products can be quickly introduced as well as helpful tips on how to use existing products. This kind of blog helps to make satisfied customers who will give marvelous referrals for your products and business.

Peer Marketing Blog. These marketing blogs are ways for marketers to get the word out about new products. If enough traffic can be generated to one of these blogs, a lot of sales volume can be generated. A serious marketer will do whatever is needed to generate many links to this kind of blog.

Media Relations Blog. These kinds of blogs can be used to augment a marketing plan by furnishing press releases. The main effort with such a blog is to create a personal relationship with journalists and the general media.

Blogs are also useful tools for gathering information. Entrepreneurs need to find time to regularly read every blog related to their particular kind of business. Gizmodo.com is one such niche blog and it is mentioned below in the list of 10 most popular blogs.

These are three examples of excellent non-business blogs to give you an idea of what people do with blogs:

Instapundit is a mostly political site, very popular; the author says exactly what he thinks.

Gawker.com offers Manhattan media news and gossip.

Wonkette addresses DC gossip and is very politically incorrect.
Because there are so many millions of blogs, it has become necessary to use specialized blog search engines. Perhaps the best known is Technorati which tracks over 55 million blogs.

Here are the best of the first 10 business related blogs by Technorati based on links to them in the last six months (rankings are on the date this article was written):

Engadget is No. 1 with over 25,000 links; its basic subject is current electronic devices for consumers and government.

BoingBoing is No. 3 with 19,000 links; its basic topics include cultural aspects of technology.

Gizmodo, The Gadget Guide occupies position No. 5; with 15,000 links, this site deals with computer-related electronic equipment.

Lifehacker, the Productivity and Software Guide is No. 7; it deals with computer issues especially those pertaining to software and has 11,000 links.

Ars Technica analyzes all aspects of technology and is No. 10 with almost 10,000 links.

By now you are saying, “This is so complicated and it’s just another learning curve I’ll have to master. I don’t want any of this!” Well, that’s entirely wrong. There are only four things you must do:

Choose a blog platform (several are listed below; you may change at any time).

Create an account on the platform.

Name your blog.

Choose a template (most platforms have several available).
That’s so easy even I am going to start at least one. I have a lot to say that my editors won’t allow. It’s also a powerful marketing tool.

Here are some platforms. Many are free, but you can get a few more bells and whistles if you pay a small fee, some as little as $4.95 per month:

Bloglines

Blogger (from Google)

TypePad. Plans $4.95 per month and up.

Moveabletype is a publishing platform. With no support, you can get it free. The personal plan with support is $49.95 per year.

WritingUp is a free blog site that offers a way for writers or anyone else who can write very short messages on a regular basis to generate at least small amounts of money. It works using Google Adsense and sharing the income with WritingUp. Don’t know how much you can make, but it’s another income stream which also accomplishes your blog objective.
Now that you have established your blog you need to do everything you can to drive traffic to it. In The 120 Day Wonder: How to Evangelize a Blog, Guy Kawasaki discusses 10 ways to direct visitors to your blog. Just like with any Website you want as many people as possible to read your messages; if people don’t see what you are saying why waste the effort?

There are several offline Web log clients that permit you to write a text for your blog without being online all the time. When you are ready to post it just do an upload. Two of these are:

BlogJet—$39.95 (not for Mac).

ecto—available for 21 days free trial, then purchase for $17.95 (Mac and Windows).
One of these programs can save you a lot of time and let you write without any pressure at all. They are worth the small cost.

Happy Blogging!

Yank is a home-based entrepreneur and freelance business writer living in Hurricane Alley, North Carolina, USA. His Website is http://www.furriwhalesworld.com/. Contact Yank at globalbiz@furriwhalesworld.com.