business blogging

I don't have hard facts to prove the return on investment of business blogging, but what I do know is that a blog is a fantastic way to demonstrate your credibility and your personality to a potential customer. A static website cannot do that to nearly the same extent. And a blog adds to your SEO, or the likelihood that what you write will get picked up by search engines, driving up your website/blog traffic.

Here's a blog post about some numbers about blogging: http://www.scoutblogging.com/2006/03/a_case_for_the_roi_of_blogging_1.html

(And by the way, that's a demonstration of the power of blogging right there. I found that company by doing a Google search on this topic.)

You might consider coming to the business blogging class that Dominic and I are hosting on January 11. It would likely answer some of your questions about how useful a business blog can be.

Just want to second what Rachel has said: right now if you google Everett, WA and Chiropractic or Chiropractor, you get me in the top 5-6 on the "organic side" (You start talking like that when you hang out with Israel Rothman (www.rothmanmarketing.com) for very long.) And that is without even doing any blogging since October.

Blogging seems to be just one of the many ways of adding to your web presence - these posts also help - and just being in Biznik seems to be very big.

So for me blogging serves the function of increasing SEO (Search Engine Optimization - I've only known what this acronym meant since talking with, again, Israel at the last Everett Happy Hour meeting).

It turns out to also be very true that who you really are comes through in your blogging and that attracts people who can connect with that: and it filters out others who do not connect with it.

Blogging is also a way to archive discussions which you can then direct patients to who need to understand some concept that you have repeated out loud 5 million times: now you can just say "read about it on my blog."

In theory a blog is also a place for dialog and feedback, but that assumes you are a power blogger like the Biznik blogmasters. Like a popularity contest it takes certain types - and one part of being the type is to put in all the time necessary to juice up your blog with power features, trackbacks, tags blah blah blah.

Blogging takes a certain amount of time and effort, but I think it is a good investment given all the other options. Like anything else you get out of it what you put into it. And if you're considering it I recommend Rachel and Dominic's class. It is bound to be a good use of your time. I couldn't get to the last one, though I tried. Dennis

We get on average 4-5,000 hits per month on our blog...which then translates to hits on our website.

I really would like to attend the next blogging event but its just a little to far into Seattle for me to go solo (can you say blond=gets lost easy).

I will have to wait until one comes further north! Rebecca

My take is that it really depends on your business... If you're in a service industry that can be helped by having a really good ranking in google's search engine, then blogging is a no-brainer. Over at Rain City Guide, two years of blogging has been very good to us in terms of connecting with potential clients interested in all things related to Seattle real estate.

We do optimized blogs specifically for search engine placement and authority building - my 90 day old website gets over 5000 unique visitors per month and rising - and lately I get about two to three buyers per week who already know what I charge and are interested in purchasing: business blogging, done properly, is the way to promote a business. My clients own the search engines: look for a PC laptop or Mac laptop in Seattle, or even a t1 provider in Seattle; and you will find Kevin Selkowitz, who introduced me to Biznik: and look for an internet advertising specialist, or an advertising consultant blog, and you will find me ;-) This is all accomplished with a blog. My start-up company has sold over $50,000 in the first ninety days. My biggest new client, Newhomes.com, found me online!

I'll say ditto, ditto, and ditto.

Blogs are an multi-threaded tool that can be used to reach a variety of objectives. For a consultative model such as your business, I would say that blogging would have the most significant impact used as a tool for recruiting new prospects in the area.

There are some good resources for blogging at problogger.com, and the about.com blog guides covering some of the basics. You can also visit one of my blogs at technicaldisaster.com and browse my blogging related articles.

There are a lot of metrics involved in blogging, from PR to word of mouth studies depending on the industry.

Nicole,

Thanks for asking the question. It's been on my mind for some time now. Glad to see it out there.