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Guest post by: Catriona Pollard Become an Author

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We all read blogs - but have you thought about creating one for your business? Blogs create PR and marketing opportunities that allow businesses to interact with customers like never before. As the blog has evolved - and because it is an interactive medium where readers can comment on the articles, or ‘posts' - businesses have embraced the blogs ability to build rapport with customers and humanise the business.

No matter the size of the blog or the size of the business which ‘owns' the blog, they naturally attract search engine traffic and have optimized site architecture. They have the added advantage to be well-linked to other blogs and websites.

Creating a blog is free and it's easy to post your information. However, it can take up time as blogs should be updated once or twice a week, which can be time consuming.

The benefits of blogging

I have incorporated blogging into my marketing mix to gain profile in my industry and to increase CP Communications marketing reach.

By cross-linking the website and blog I can maximise marketing opportunities by creating a wider audience than the website alone. Hits on the blog are on average 60 percent more than hits on my website.

Also readers will on-market blogposts which is free marketing for us. Sometimes they post these to discussion forums that have thousands of members. We'd never be able to reach these potential clients through our usual marketing activities.

Selling through blogs

Online marketing tools such as blogs provide real PR value to a business. It isn't the same as cold calling to get new customers, but they certainly increase industry profile and visibility online.

If you want to convert visitors into clients you need to have fresh content on your site to build credibility. There is no point having a 2005 press release on your home page. Blogging is easy and cheaper than paying a web developer to post new content on your site.

I see spikes in the hits on the blog when I address certain topics. This gives me insight into how the market is thinking and reacting at any given point. With this invaluable marketing intelligence I can offer new products or services to match that interest.

Not investing time to incorporate online marketing tools such as blogs into an overall marketing strategy may be the real cost. They have become an essential element to creating new sales leads within a comprehensive marketing and PR strategy.

For a business, blogs:

• Build your profile as blogging demonstrates expertise

• Allow you to shares information with customers

• Inform people about other things your business is doing

• Generate powerful referral networks

• Create an opportunity to network and share information with people from around the world

• Permit the kind of conversations that are necessary to truly connect with modern customers

• Create an opportunity to build relationships with your customers

• Search engines are attuned to finding blogs

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