| The next generation of the Web is here and it | | | | general than helpful advice for buying a |
| is called Web 2.0. Web 2.0 is the use of new | | | | diamond but is loaded with fun and |
| technologies and old technologies combined to | | | | interesting fact and stories about diamonds & |
| create the ultimate user experience of a | | | | jewelry. This is a great example of an |
| media: direct interaction. Are you an expert | | | | industry leading blog because of its style |
| on a subject? Write about it on Wikipedia. | | | | and wide ranging content. |
| Have a great idea for a movie? Don't wait for | | | | |
| the movie studios, make your movie and | | | | The benefits of Blogging: |
| publish it on YouTube so the masses can | | | | |
| watch. Before making a webpage involved | | | | 1. Blogs are the perfect public relations |
| knowing code, now anybody can create a | | | | tool. Their personal nature gives you and |
| mySpace page or a blog in few minutes which | | | | your organization a unique voice online - a |
| is customized to their personality. Web 2.0 | | | | voice heard by the people who matter - your |
| encourages people to take action and create | | | | customers and clients, other bloggers and the |
| the media that they want to see. Every | | | | media. |
| subject matter how small can have a network | | | | |
| in Web 2.0 and if doesn't exist now you are | | | | 2. Blogs help to position you and your |
| free to create it. | | | | company as experts and leaders in your |
| | | | industry. |
| What is a blog? | | | | |
| | | | 3. Blogs act as instant-feedback mechanisms. |
| The term "blog" is a combination of web + | | | | They allow readers to respond to your posts |
| log, or diary. This is first and foremost the | | | | via the comments section or link to them on |
| place where people can write their memories, | | | | their own blogs which are read by other |
| thoughts, ideas, feelings and save them as | | | | people who might be interested in what your |
| their own personal diary. What makes a blog | | | | business has to offer. These features provide |
| different from a traditional journal is that | | | | near real-time feedback on ideas, opinions |
| it instantly published is updated frequently | | | | and issues that affect them, or highlight and |
| and allows for user feedback via comments and | | | | address new or existing problems. |
| syndication through RSS feeds. Popular blogs | | | | |
| can draw hundreds of thousands of readers. | | | | 4. Their simplicity and addictive nature |
| Business blog can also achieve a wide | | | | allow you to share more of your knowledge |
| audience whereas the goals and uses of a | | | | more often. Blogs are about sharing what you |
| business blog are much different from a | | | | know, think and believe on an ongoing basis. |
| social one. | | | | |
| | | | 5. Search engines index your blog posts more |
| What is a business blog? | | | | often because of more frequently updated |
| | | | content. Your ongoing blog and knowledge |
| A Business blog, is a very powerful tool | | | | sharing shows up in the search results, |
| which enables a firm to extend its | | | | making it easier for your customers and |
| communication level with certain segments of | | | | prospects to find you. |
| its target audience. The firm's business blog | | | | |
| is the place to communicate the "underground" | | | | 6. You can have many conversations with many |
| materials from the firm's headquarters - | | | | people at once - something nearly impossible |
| information which will usually not be put on | | | | in the brick and mortar world. |
| the company's website and only those who know | | | | |
| people can know about it. The business blog | | | | 7. They're automatic buzz-machines. Go ahead |
| allows its readers to access company | | | | and try it. Blog about something new - a new |
| information such as R&D, development and more | | | | product or service launch, an improvement to |
| giving readers a special insider perspective. | | | | an existing product, or a newly appointed |
| Whether it is new ideas, developments, beta | | | | manager. See how fast the news spreads |
| versions or sometimes personal posts by | | | | throughout the blogosphere. |
| leading personnel like a CTO or R&D manager, | | | | |
| or sometimes a simple as pictures from a | | | | 8. They're self promotional due to their RSS |
| company outing, blogs create a regular | | | | feeds being aggregated across the net almost |
| returning readership when written well. | | | | instantly. |
| | | | |
| The Goal of a Business Blog | | | | 9. Feedback. You can track your RSS |
| | | | subscribes with tracking software and start |
| The goal of a Business blog is to inform and | | | | to identify marketing trends and new markets. |
| connect with specific segments of target | | | | |
| audience - whether potential clients, | | | | 10. Companies who blog are considered early |
| distributors, partners or potential | | | | adopters, thought leaders and "in". Blogging |
| employees. Business blogs are routinely used | | | | is "cool" therefore companies who blog are |
| for PR by other sources greatly expanding a | | | | "cool" and "up to date".. |
| company's marketability. Business blogs | | | | |
| which offer industry wide information can | | | | But the most important thing to remember when |
| help a company become more respectable and an | | | | blogging is that you're not a speaker talking |
| authority, no matter what size of the market | | | | to an audience, you are sharing and |
| the company controls. | | | | interacting. You are one more voice to be |
| | | | heard and how powerful that voice is depends |
| A great example of a business blog is the one | | | | on how much interacting you do. |
| used by Magic Software Enterprises, at They | | | | |
| offer hints and tips for making their | | | | Readers of blogs make comments and other |
| products more useful. Plus the blog is well | | | | readers reply to those comments. Bloggers |
| read by their software users who leave | | | | will commonly take posts from other blogs as |
| feedback and create positive free word of | | | | ideas for new posts. A blog is more than an |
| mouth advertising. | | | | online journal it is an interactive |
| | | | communication platform. When done properly |
| Another example, but quite different is blog | | | | blogs can create authority, respectability, |
| at This blog is written by a company called | | | | and marketing leverage for your company over |
| Diamodns-USA however its content is much more | | | | the competition. |