Blogging has become a serious marketing tool. Technorati claims they track over 50 million active blogs. Some are good and some aren’t. No matter, my guess is Blogging is here to stay.

Writing a Blog is not something most people enjoy doing. To illustrate, when we recently recommended to a prospective client that he post two Blogs a month on his website he physically froze and got that blank “How am I going to do that?” stare. After I explained that we would be writing the Blogs he was able to refocus on our conversation.  

If your boss commands you to write a Blog and outsourcing is not an option, here are 10 tips to remember:

1. You don’t need to be John Steinbeck to write a good blog. Most Blogs are written in a conversational style and getting professional writing help is much easier and less expensive than most people think.
2. Good blogs have a common denominator and that’s a unique individual voice – a personality. Don't shy away from a strong opinion.
3. To achieve that personality it is important that you don’t over-edit. A conversational style let’s you shine through. That does not mean poor grammar is acceptable.
4. Be consistent with your posts. People are creatures of habit and if your posts are good, they’ll adjust to your schedule. I post on Tuesdays and Fridays every week.
5. Keep your posts short and simple. Don't get caught up in length of your posts but somewhere between 300 and 600 words, less than a page, is the right length for most business Blogs.
6. Don’t feel confined to a single topic. It’s okay to veer off in another direction if the subject matter is timely and you believe your point of view is unique and interesting.
7. Allow comments even though most blogs get very few. People are a reluctant to put their name into the public domain or be critical.
8. Create an interesting title. People are busy and a catchy title helps you get noticed.
9. Inserting one or two (appropriate) images also helps your Blog stand out from the crowd since most Blogs are text-only environs.
10. Sending a link to your Blog is a great way to connect or reconnect with the people who you’d like to invite into your professional or personal network.

See you in the Blogosphere!

Steve