If you are already maintaining a web site, having a blog can add to, or enhance, your existing web presence. The ability to provide your customers, and readers, with fresh content on a daily, or weekly basis can keep your business running even during lean months.  Blogging is also a great way for small business owners, with little web design knowledge, and small budgets to establish a professional, attractive, web presence.  Many designers charge much less for a completely customized blog design and installation than they would charge for complete, traditional, html or flash website design. 

When blogging first began becoming popular among businesses I was slow to notice the change.  It seemed to me as though more and more of my competitors were shutting down their traditional websites and replacing them with well designed blogs.  Other competitors kept their existing websites up, but added links to their websites that sent surfers to there companies newly created blogs.  I decided to start learning more about blogging, but I didn’t want to change my entire website format until I was sure blogging was right for me and my business. 

I played around with a few different blogging platforms on a personal level trying to find out what all the fuss was about.  I set up a small personal blog on Blogger and later check out a few others, supported with my hosting company.  After trying out all of the major blogging platforms I realized that using a blog platform to power my site rather than the current html design could do wonders for my business.  In addition to being able to make my blogs look, and feel, professional with little design knowledge, I was also able to easily add photo and text content to these personal blogs with no assistance. This was something I would never have been able to manage on my traditional site.  Read the rest of this entry

Creating a blog to promote a message, business, or a personal agenda is an activity that many have engaged in over the past decade. Blogging has increased in popularity over the past ten years and many people have embraced this opportunity to speak their mind in many ways. If you’re thinking about creating your own blog, it’s important to make good choices regarding software for blogging.

There are many different providers of blogging software available on the Internet. Just like any tool, blogging software tools vary in quality, reliability, and capabilities. Knowing what to look for in blogging software will help you get the most out of the experience. Consider these tips when looking for software.

1. There are many free blogging software tools available so it’s not necessary to pay big bucks to get started. Do your homework and find free tools that get you started quickly if money is a deterrent. Free tools obviously don’t have all of the bells and whistles of purchased software, but it can get you on your way to success.
2. If you do opt to purchase blogging software, make sure you understand what you are getting for your money. And watch for hidden costs or licensing fees. Financial surprises are no fun! Full customization will only be available with paid software so it may be important depending on your goals for blogging.
3. Blogging software should offer you a variety of templates that can be used to ‘customize’ your blog. Many of them have truly customizable headers with standardized page layout and formatting. The best blogging software provides you with an opportunity to change your template over time while retaining existing content, links, and posts. This helps you find the right template for your blog as you progress and learn more about your audience. Just be careful not change too much and try to settle on a standard template that people will recognize over time. Read the rest of this entry