Is Blogging For You? Take This Quick Quiz

What The Hell Is A Blog Anyway?

The word 'blog' is a shortened version of 'web blog'. A 'web log' just means a log or diary-type entry on the web. So if you were away travelling on a round the world trip you might post a diary on a website so your friends and family could keep up to date with your progress. On this online diary, or 'web blog' you might also post photos for your friends and family to view.

And so - the BLOG was born. And it's really nothing more than that - a collection of thoughts and information from one individual to be read and seen by others.

So What Makes A Blog Different To A Website?

A blog is more immediate and informal. A blog doesn't have a homepage as such - it just has blog entries or 'posts'. The author or 'blogger' makes regular posts into the blog that are archived as new ones are added.

The main difference between a website and a blog is that a blog is designed to be added to much more frequently than a website. Some blogs are added to by their authors once a day or more! But it has to be said that such bloggers are in the minority.

**Is Blogging For You?

Well, it provides you with a unique opportunity to keep in close contact with a specific group of people. The CEO of a company may choose to launch a blog to keep in touch with staff members and shareholders. As a business-owner you might want to start a blog to let your customers or suppliers know what is happening in your business.

Blogs are not for everyone, so here's a few key questions to ask yourself.

** Question 1

Do you want to keep in close contact, on a one-to-one basis with a specific group of individuals?

** Question 2

Do you have the time to add a new and valuable information to your blog at least once a week? (Or can you pay someone to do this on your behalf?)

** Question 3

Do you find that people are always coming to you wanting more information about your product or services and that maybe posting regular updates on the Internet about this might free up your time to be spent on other activities?

** Question 4

Are you offering information products or services that you can provide 'tasters' of in a blog?

If you find yourself answering yes to most of these question then you should seriously consider starting your very own blog.

It's A Gut Feel Thing

Ultimately the decision comes down to whether you have things to say to others on a one-to-one basis. Unlike many websites you see out there, a blog is very much a person-to-person experience. A corporate blog wouldn't really work unless you had a face and name that people could put to all the posts.

It's also worth noting that a blog can be a two-way communication tool. Most of the blog software available includes options for readers to be able to post comments in response to what has been written. This can be an excellent marketing and research tool for your business if handled in the right way.

Whatever you do - don't take the decision to start a blog lightly. It can be a big commitment and once you've started out on that road there's no going back. People will be regularly checking your blog after you've publicised it and the pressure is then on to deliver readable material on a regular basis.

Some Blogging Software To Consider

Typepad - very popular and comes with a free trial and upgrade options: http://www.typepad.com BlogHarbour - also comes with a free 30-day trial http://www.blogharbor.com Blogger - the 'grand daddy' of blogging http://www.blogger.com

Happy blogging!

My blog: http://michaelcheney.typepad.com

Michael Cheney is Author of The Website Marketing BibleTM. Take the Free 7-Part Course "Internet Marketing Made Easy" and get your free sampler of 'The Bible' here: http://www.websitemarketingbible.com/marketin g/

---

17 Mistakes Professionals Make with Their Blogs

Are you getting results from your business blog? Is it... Read More

Seven Sizzling Ways to Turn Targeted Traffic Towards Your Blog!

Blogs are an unbelievable way to achieve success on the... Read More

3 Tips to improve your RSS marketing

3 Tips to improve your RSS marketing You have... Read More

Blood Test for Your Blog?

Are you contributing to one of the estimated 36.1 million... Read More

How To Add Random RSS Content To Your Site

Most savvy internet marketers will know how important it is... Read More

Are Blog Meant for Raves and Rants?

Blogging is the latest internet craze and it may turn... Read More

Promoting Your Business Using Blogs

Internet marketing using blogs has quickly gained a lot of... Read More

Marketing with Blogs and RSS Feeds

Perhaps you still don't realize or fully understand the power... Read More

Is RSS Here to Stay or Gone Tomorrow?

RSS is totally hot. We have seen it everywhere, from... Read More

Internet News Services Explode Online

It seems no matter how much information comes available online,... Read More

Displaying RSS Feeds on Websites

Displaying RSS RSS offers webmasters a unique opportunity to display... Read More

How to Make Money with Your Blog

-- What Is A BlogA blog (or web log as... Read More

Feed The Need: 5 Ways To Use RSS To Boost Your Business Or Organizational Success

RSS (it stands for Really Simple Syndication, among other things)... Read More

How Direct Sales Reps Can Use Blogging

One of the tools that a smart direct sales representative... Read More

RSS And The Billion Channel Internet

The real potential of RSS lies in Broadcasting.In former times,... Read More

Why Your Blog Might Be Sabotaging Your Business

Many marketers were very excited when forum and newsletter discussion... Read More

7 Tips for Successful Blogging

So, you have a blog! Do you have traffic? Do... Read More

Advertising in RSS Feeds: Are we risking disaster?

Advertising in RSS feeds is something that Google is considering... Read More

The Viability of Blogging to a Niche Market

Niche marketing is an old and very successful marketing strategy... Read More

RSS Publishing for Webmasters

Since the recent rise in interest in RSS there has... Read More

Blogs and Networking

In the middle 1990's everyone started talking about needing a... Read More

Benefits to RSS

RSS streamlines communication between publishers and readers. Since RSS has... Read More

Why Blog?

It seems everyone these days is talking about blogging. Everywhere... Read More

What Are RSS Feeds?

RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication." It's a format that... Read More

Blogs for Kids

Flush out the writer in children. Blogging could draw out... Read More

An Appeal To The Bloggers!

Blogging is smart an art. Blog sites are the nicest... Read More

So You Have a Blog, Now What Do You Do With It? Blog Basics

(This article assumes that you have already set up a... Read More

RSS Feeds, What They Are and How to Use Them

What does RSS stand for?RSS "Really Simple Syndication" was created... Read More

How RSS Advertising Can Help Business Gain A Higher ROI

I recently read the case study conducted by Pheedo, an... Read More

The RSS Promise for Internet Users

The RSS promise for end-users is simple:--> a unified one-stop-shop... Read More

Blogging Communities Turn Faceless Strangers into Close Friends

I've been searching the Internet for blogging sites for a... Read More

Is Blogging For You? Take This Quick Quiz

What The Hell Is A Blog Anyway?The word 'blog' is... Read More

What Will Microsofts New RSS Windows Mean To You As A Computer And Internet User?

Nothing and a whole lot!That's if Microsoft gets it right.... Read More