By: Doug Caverly

More and more people are finding blogs to be an effective business tool. Blogs can generate helpful feedback, solidify a customer base, and even draw in new clients. They are an especially cost-effective tool, as they can generally be maintained for little or no money.

“If you don’t know where to start, go with one of the big names, [such as] Yahoo! Small Business. Also, for experimenting with a blog, there’s nothing more simple than setting up one on Blogger.com.” Such is the advice of Rex Hammock, owner of Hammock Publishing.

James Governor, a technology analyst with Denver-based RedMonk, suggests using a tagging service such as Technorati.com as a way of building traffic to your blog. “A tag is basically a label you give your blog-say ‘professional services.’ Anyone who uses Technorati and has subscribed to that tag will receive a notification of your new blog entry on that subject,” he said.

Some businesses form blogs in conjunction with several other businesses. In instances where they offer complimentary services, this is mutually beneficial, resulting in increased recognition for all without any competition from within.

Ruth Bielobocky, president of Ion Design, offers both words of support and caution. “A blog can be a great part of your marketing effort, but it should be planned appropriately with strategy in place . . . . Don’t forget the true needs of your target audience. If the information from the blog doesn’t directly help them solve a problem or address their wants and needs, it will not work.”

Any blog, but particularly a business blog of which something is expected, needs to be updated regularly. It is generally considered best to have one dedicated writer, or at least a consistent voice between several contributors. And companies shouldn’t hesitate to solicit feedback from readers-that is a large part of what business blogs are all about.

Via WebProNews