Blogs
Terms:
Blog: Short for “Web-Log.” Say it fast (like one word), and it’s the second syllable. It’s an online journal or diary where you can “log” your ideas, comments, and news.
Comments: Text posted by registered visitors to your blog. Generally, you may choose to enable others to comment, or not.
CMS/Content Management System: Software installed on your website server that manages the content for you. You add a new “page” of information by adding the content and a title. The software formats it on the page, creates menu links, search and category listings, archives, etc. Often includes blog capability.
Pingbacks: If enabled, shows comments posted on other blogs about your post on your blog.
RSS: Technology which allows your postings to be picked up by software programs called news readers. These programs track new postings on syndicated blogs and offer quick summaries.
Themes: The layouts, graphics, colors and backgrounds used on your blog. Sometimes called “skins.”
Trackbacks: If enabled, a feature which shows which other blogs have written about yours.
Blog Examples:
Heather Hamilton’s blog (no relation) at Microsoft is an example of what blogs were intended to be, personal journals. In this case, there’s some business purpose, but this is not an example of what I think you should do for your business.
A “big city” example of the “Online Newspaper” approach would be this special interest website offered by The Wall Street Journal: CareerJournal.com
A small business approach would be our sister website, RYOWebsite.com.
You can check out my experimental blog at sellbetteronline.com. No telling what you’ll find there; it’s where I currently test things out. (If I’m testing, it might be broken.)
Frequent Questions:
Can I try out blogging free? Sure. Go to WordPress.com and start a free WordPress blog. It will probably take 15 minutes or so to set it up. Post a comment. Tell your friends. (This isn’t the same WordPress you’ll use for your commercial website, but it’s based on the same software.)
Do I have to have my own website to have a blog? No. You can use free services from Blogger.com, Yahoo.com, LiveJournal.com, Xanga.com, MSN Spaces, or even WordPress.com. But a “Professional Blog,” representing your business and presenting itself like an online newspaper, should be on your own website. (See Hosting.)
Why do you say I shouldn’t use a free blog service for my business? Because you want your business to look professional, not like the kid down the block who started a blog to talk about rap music in middle school. And because you want control, over the appearance, the web address, and the other elements you can control at your own website.
Should every website be a CMS? Probably not. But most small companies can probably use a blog system as the basis for their website, and grab all the associated benefits.
Are any big websites run by CMS? Yes, but the giants wrote specific software for their needs. Yahoo!, CNN.com, MSN.com, and Amazon.com are all CMS sites, based on the idea that their content is in a database and the pages are created when you request the information. That’s how they’re able to change it so fast.
How do I make it work with the search engine strategy in the book? Since every article you write becomes a page in your website, determine your target search phrases, and write an article for each one. Then start writing new articles to add additional information to your website, re-targeting those search phrases, and adding any new ones you find appropriate.
Why isn’t this website a blog? It is. This is a WordPress system.
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