Step Four: Blogging

This week, in my Online Marketing class at Champlain college, I am fascinated to learn about blogs and the importance of them.
When did it all begin?
Like many things, early bloggers did not have a name for what they did, but blogging has been around since the beginning of the internet (1990). It was slow starting but since 2002, Blogs have gained increasing notice and are now taking over the news!
Blogs make the headlines. There are even Blog of the day awards!

There are blogs representing every interest and business you can think of and more. They are a way for people to share information and their feelings about it, creating a deeper more personal experience for the reader.
The Welton Mountain Tech Blog by Gabriele Martino, tells of how an article in the Boston Globe affected her family and her community.
The Continue Your Education blog by Katrina Gibson, talks about how online marketing classes are important while the Vermont Unboxed blog by Bob James, talks about interesting things to do in Vermont.

There are many advantages for B-to-B Companies to start blogging.
Blogs can help:

• Create a personal interaction with the customer, especially for customer support issues.
• Increase visibility and search engine rankings by creating a broader content base and traffic to your site
• Network with people who have similar interests
• Establish credibility as an expert in your field
• Expand your reach to potential customers and stakeholders

Lesson#4: Blogging

• Google Blogs in your area of interest and find out what people are saying about you and your competitors.
• Offer your opinion or expert advice with a word of caution: Don’t use marketing speak to try to sell your products! Consumers don’t trust product information they find on social media.
• Deciding what you want to achieve with your blog can help you get focused, so that you can spend your time and effort on activities that help your business objectives.