Why Blog?

Whenever we talk to people about starting a blog, there are certain questions that always seem to come up.

What is a blog?
The term blog is short for weblog which was coined in the 1990’s to mean a diary or journal maintained on the internet. This doesn’t mean that it has to be personal. Blogs are maintained by everyone from individuals to corporations.

What is the point?
A blog can be used for a variety of reasons. Because it is basically a website that can be updated by anyone, no webmaster is needed! Blogs are a platform for everything from disseminating information, to interacting with an online community. In either case, maintaining a useful blog will foster relationships… and that’s the point, right?

What if I have nothing to say?
First of all, everyone has something to say. What seems like obvious information to you, might be exactly what someone searching the web needs to know. Posts don’t have to be the length of a dissertation. They can be as short as a joke or quote. If you make videos or find one that you like, you can post that as an entry as well. A picture can speak a thousand words, and can be posted for your blog subscribers to see and comment on.

How often do I post?
There is no right answer to this question. Just know that people stumbling upon your blog site will be more likely to subscribe if they see that you put time and effort into it. Twitter is called a microblog because each 140 character post is considered a blog entry. Some people post to Twitter every hour! The frequency with which you post is totally up to you and should be based on what your blog goals are.

Blog on Blogging

Today I am Blogging on Blogging… which sounds akin to eating a “Hot Pocket© flavored Hot Pocket©” (Jim Gaffigan.) In our last few marketing classes, people keep asking what the point of blogging is. Why does writing out thoughts for everyone to read benefit you, your business, and the entire human race? I actually have an answer for this! If you have already heard my chicken bones story, feel free to skim over the rest of this post, however, if you haven’t, get ready to have your mind blown.

My dog is a giant Alaskan Malamute who literally devours every food scrap he can get his paws on. One evening after preparing delicious Chicken Enchiladas (from scratch) I discarded the bones, gristle, and remaining undesirable parts of the chicken. About an hour later, my dog (Atreyu) busted open the garbage can and ate EVERYTHING. Once I realized what happened, I started freaking out because everyone knows that you should never let your animals eat cooked bones due to the fact that they splinter and cause choking, internal bleeding, and many other horrific maladies. Of course, it was the middle of the night so I turned to the world wide web for answers before I rushed down to the Animal ER. I googled “dog ate chicken bones” and happened upon a blog run by a veterinarian. Her post told me exactly what to do, what to look for, and when to load up the 120 lb dog and head to the ER. I followed the instructions which said to feed the dog bread and other food products that would pad the stomach lining and hopefully prevent punctures, bleeding, etc. Don’t take my word for it… take hers! She’s the Doctor.

My point in all of this is that you never know who wants to know what you know. I am forever grateful to this faceless blogger for getting me through a very stressful night as a dog owner with a guilt trip. When you blog, keep your reader in mind. How can you help someone else solve a problem that you could navigate blind folded with your hands tied behind your back. It’s like giving your reader a reassuring hug through your blog… a Blug….

And on that note, I am signing off with a heartfelt CHEERS!