In simple terms, a blog is a web site, where you write stuff on an ongoing basis. New stuff shows up at the top, so your visitors can read what’s new. Then they comment on it or link to it or email you. Or not.
RSS is built into your blog. You or your readers can subscribe to the blog so you will receive automatic updates on your desk top. This is done through an RSS (real simple syndication) Reader.
Links to two RSS Readers are listed below.
RSS Readers
RSS and Atom files provide news updates from a website in a simple form for your computer. You read these files in a program called an aggregator, which collects news from various websites and provides it to you in a simple form. But what aggregator to use? I recommend NetNewsWire for the MAC and FeedDemon for the PC (windows).
Both NetNewsWire and FeedDemon are free.
Since Blogger was launched in 1999, blogs have reshaped the web, impacted politics, shaken up journalism, and enabled millions of people to have a voice and connect with clients.
And we’re pretty sure the whole deal is just getting started.
Get a free blog from Google’s Blogger…
There are disadvantages and limitations, but it is free.
Wordpress can be located on your own server with slightly more set-up time, but it definitely has seo and better traffic advantages for your web business site. See a blog example here.
Why should my business have a blog?
By Susan Ward, About.com
Question: Why should my business have a blog?
Answer:
Because of the community building and marketing capabilities of business blogs.
A blog can be an incredible tool for sharing information and expertise. Kathleen Goodwin, CEO of iMakeNews, says business blogs "can offer organizations a platform where information, data, and opinion can be shared and traded among employees, customers, partners, and prospects in a way previously impossible: a two-way, open exchange" (Meet The B-Blog).
Instead of sending out communiqués through email that may or not be responded to, a blog offers a business a chance to build a real community. Blogs make it easy and quick for people to post, comment, and update posts - making it easy for everyone to participate.
And business blogs can be a powerful marketing tool. "No one listens anymore to sanitized marketing messages. If you find the right person in your organization to “blog” about your products or services you’ll brand your company as authentic and knowledgeable," says Debbie Weil, publisher of WordBiz Report (5 Key Questions To Ask About Business Blogs).
Marketing through business blogs can also be done more subtly, through using the blog to attract and develop a regular audience. Take a look at this blog by CTDATA, for instance.
A well-done blog does two important things for a business web site; it makes it easy to add and update content, so there’s always something fresh on the site; it helps establish a relationship with visitors and build a climate of trust. Potential customers get to know you and know about your company through your blog.
And for small businesses, a blog can be an inexpensive way to establish an Internet presence, points out About Small Business: Information Guide Darrell Zahorsky. "For small business owners without the time to learn web html or the money to hire a designer/developer, blogging offers a cheap method to get your company’s name out" (What A Blog Can Do For Your Business).
Call 816-415-0776 for detailed "business blog" information.
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