| Although rubbished earlier as being nothing more than | | | | stressed how important connecting with your target |
| vehicles for people to channel their frustrations and | | | | audience, being approachable and generating goodwill |
| daily ramblings, blogs today are an indispensable tool | | | | is for your business. |
| for the marketer and growing business. Your blog can | | | | § Grab some attention: Give away free samples |
| say a lot about you, your company, and the products | | | | to frequent visitors. Also, conduct contests and special |
| you offer because they serve as extensions of your | | | | 'promos'. These would serve as 'test runs' to actually |
| brand's or product's personality (in the case of | | | | gain valuable feedback and suggestions from people |
| businesses) or as extensions of yourself (private | | | | who are willing to try out your product. Go 'out there' |
| blogs). | | | | and let people gauge whether there is any room for |
| Blogs are a force to reckon with when it comes to | | | | improvement. |
| online promotion, case in point - Lifehacker, and what it | | | | Conduct polls, post video demonstrations and add |
| has done for thousands of previously | | | | rating features to your blog. Start Q&A sessions, |
| never-heard-of-but-now-oh-so-popular programs such | | | | post an FAQ link that directs them to your website |
| as Rainmeter. | | | | and resolve doubts by taking part in discussions. |
| Read the following to help mold a positive perception | | | | Individuals are spending their valuable time in visiting and |
| of your offerings and to communicate with the very | | | | checking out your space, so treat them like you would |
| people who will matter most to your business: | | | | any 'expert' and be open to new ideas and inputs so |
| § Generate traffic to your blog: Blogs do get | | | | you can use this first hand information to boost your |
| picked up by search engines, but that in itself takes | | | | sales. |
| some time for them to do so; not to mention that you | | | | § Complement your blog with Twitter: Use |
| may end up disappointed after Googling your blog and | | | | Twitter updates to send multiple, concise messages to |
| seeing it on the 53rd page of the search results. It is | | | | the community and make announcements, post new |
| essential that you pull all the right stops in getting all the | | | | offers, send online coupons and give people real time |
| blog index websites like Technorati and good ol' | | | | updates about your business. |
| Google to pick up keywords and meta tags contained | | | | § Blog advertising: If you don't have the time or |
| for quicker indexing. | | | | inclination to be bothered with a blog, use the platform |
| Use SEO websites to get those search engines pick | | | | to advertise your product. Most research findings have |
| up your posts and updates to grab more eyeballs. | | | | shown blog readers and visitors to be an important |
| Also add Stumbleupon, Digg, Reddit, Delicious, | | | | part of niche markets; a huge majority are well read |
| Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter buttons to your blog | | | | people and users of 'new products'. This is an |
| to get more folks interested. | | | | opportunity for you to tap into this segment and |
| § Email and RSS: A blog is worth nothing if it | | | | substantially broaden your market base. |
| does not include an email subscription and RSS feed | | | | It would be a great thing if you also utilized the web's |
| feature. Both allow existing as well as potential | | | | most popular blogging tools to become an efficient |
| customers to keep in touch with you, ask you | | | | blogger. Remember, blogging is about PR as well, so |
| questions and get the opportunity to check out what | | | | don't overlook the platform when it comes to crisis |
| they've missed via an RSS feed reader or just simply | | | | management and reinforcement of a positive image |
| viewing your blog posts in their mailbox. It cannot be | | | | for you and your business. |