Some folks run blogs as a business in itself, usually by monetizing their blogs through various advertising setups. However, many entrepreneurs and corporate folk use blogs as part of their business, usually as a marketing tool, and as a means of connecting to customers around the world.
I know a few folks who market their products solely through social networks and blogs. One good way to market small retail items like fancy jewelry, trinkets and gift items, for instance, is by taking snapshots of these, posting a few sentences as a short description, and offering the items for sale online. Sure, you can try selling on eBay and you will probably get more inquiries (not to mention an easy way to close deals). But running blog features on your products for sale would definitely add to the personality of your business.
How has blogging affected your business? If you don’t run blogs as your business in itself, you probably run a blog for a variety of reasons. Maybe it’s a personal blog, and the discussions about your work or business are an offshoot of your sharing professional experiences along with personal reflections. Or maybe you have the habit of searching for online reviews about your products, and responding on the comment threads when you feel you need to clear up a few things.
Then there’s also the negative aspect of blogging and new media. Have you ever caught employees slacking off during office hours, and writing on their blogs, tweeting, watching videos or connecting to social network friends? Time spent otherwise being productive are being channeled to personal online activities, and this results in decreased efficiency.
Maybe you yourself have experienced focusing on social media too much that you forget your other duties in the workplace or the business. Do you find yourself increasingly enamored with your blog, Twitter, or just about any social media application that you are fond of using? Are you focusing too much on online clients? How about clients and customers whom you are supposed to service face-to-face?
Being involved in blogs and other social media can be a great way to establish your identity online, and perhaps build up your authority in your field. Sometimes, it does have negative effects, too. How has blogging affected your business? Are your experiences all positive? If not, then do you have a plan for better harnessing the benefits of social media to your business?
