Posted on September 6, 2010 in First Principles

Put another blog on the fire. Part 1 – What is a blog?

Most of us have heard of blogs, and many of us may even use them to record private musings to share with a select audience of readers who may happen to stumble upon them. But the power of a blog goes beyond just a place to let off steam or to make a point that will change the world – for a business it’s a way to reach out to your customers.

In this short series of articles, we’ll be looking at what blogs are, and then how you can make them work for your business.

So what exactly is a blog?

A blog is short for "web log" – the term was devised in 1997. A blog is a journal of personal thoughts, news or web links in date order that is accessed on the web. It is a way to share ideas, thoughts and product news with an audience that is potentially limitless.

Blogs are usually (but not always) written by one person and are updated regularly – this is the key to their success.

There are blogs on almost any topic you can think of.

Blog communities have sprung up around some of these topics which put people into contact with each other so they can learn, share ideas, make friends with and even do business with people with similar interests from around the world.

Check out this short video which explains blogging in layman’s terms.

Why should I have a blog on my website?

You can make your website even more powerful and effective by keeping an up-to-date blog on your website.

This is one of the most effective forms of networking. It’s like going to a party and having a conversation that captures everyone’s attention, just for a few minutes. And that’s long enough to make a big impression.

Next time, we’ll look more closely at how blogging can help your business.