WordPress probably has the most popular platform at present for bloggers. But is WordPress a good idea for Business? For most businesses, probably yes. How will you decide on whether to add a blog to your business? Here’s a rundown of the considerations:

Do you actually need a blog? - - Writing and updating a blog takes work and time, as well as some ability and interest in writing. If you don’t like to write, it may not be your cup of tea. You have to weigh this one out against spending money for advertising or links.

Who do you need to reach with your blog? - - This is all about telling visitors/customers about your products/services. Do your products need or benefit from explanation? Do your potential customers want to read? If you sell an impulse-buy item from a local storefront then there is probably no need to blog, a sign should do. If you sell complex, unique, or intangibles rich merchandise, then you have to get the word out somehow, and a blog is very effective once the URL is in front of their eyes - either by ads or by SERP.

Is your buyer an internet user? This is an easy one. (Duu-uuuh!?)(Couldn’t resist) Is your buyer a blog reader type?

If you need SEO, a blog is an excellent way to boost your search engine rankings and get listed for a lot of your target keywords. If you know that your audience uses search engines to find information, a blog will increase your chances of getting their attention.

What else can a blog do? - Increase your visibility, brand your products, build a like-minded community, expand your presence to new locales, establish your credibility as an expert in your field, put a human face on your business.

You must try to be objective about what you want to achieve with your blog so that you can remain focused and spend your effort on activities that help. Some business bloggers not only spend time writing their own blogs, they read up on other blogs in their field. If you have no time to blog you can hire someone to do the work - but then you should rethink a decision to start a blog.

Decide on your platform because it can be very difficult to move an established blog to a new platform once it is started. A move can result in losing your data, search engine listings and readers, so don’t take this decision lightly. WordPress is my favorite, easy to use and free.

To determine how successful your blog is in boosting your profile or profits you will have to measure your blog traffic and track sales. And to get your blog address out there for local business you can put your blog URL right on your business card and stationery so that your contacts can easily be updated on your business developments at work or at home. I’ve seen shops with their site address right on the sign. I’ve seen flea marketers and people selling right out of their cars with a blog address on their car or truck. You can buy these from auto signmakers.

If you have a blog that’s doing you some good, drop us a line, we’d like to hear about it.

Ever the Raconteur,

Arthur Browning