Everyone is doing it.

Blogging, that is. This popular activity, though only gaining ubiquity in recent years, has been happening all around us for some time. Early forms included online diaries and journals, which were followed with political opinion blogs. Blogging went mainstream when media outlets and public figures began using them for outreach and opinion gathering, and today, there are countless blogs online that serve a range of purposes, including instructional and lifestyle blogs, gossip blog web sites, discussions of current issues, and now: blogging for your business.

Why on earth would a business ever need its own blog, you ask? Blogs give your business a modern way to talk about your business, very much like having your own news outlet. You can inform and engage customers and employees, and take control of shaping your company's image in a world where social media is a cutting-edge method of advertising.

So, where to begin? First, choose the right platform, of which there are many (and we mean many). Which provider you go with will depend on your business' needs and the material you intend to post. The following is a breakdown of the pros and cons of some of the World Wide Web's most commonly used platforms:

WordPress

WordPress seems to have become synonymous with the term “blog,” and is one of the most popular platforms, used today by individuals and businesses far and wide. This platform provides exceptional SEO (search engine optimization), which will place your blog toward the top of the list of similar subjects and companies. It is self-hosted, meaning you will never accidentally lose your content into Internet oblivion. Beginners will love the ease of use (knowledge of HTML code not necessary), and advanced bloggers will appreciate the wide range of functions. Other “perks” include the ability to choose your own domain name and a plethora of free page themes.

TypePad

Typepad is not free, but this paid blogging service gives its users a wide range of options, while minimizing difficulty of use. A monthly subscription allows users to post and host as many blogs as they like, and the platform is a bit less “do it all yourself” than WordPress, so beginners may prefer to start out here.

Tumblr

One of the newer platforms on the Web, Tumblr is best known as the blog of choice for those wanting to focus on the design of their blog. Tumblr may be an excellent choice for individuals looking to keep a personal blog, but it lacks the SEO simplicity of WordPress, and for this reason alone may not be the best choice for a business or organization looking to draw in high traffic.

Blogger

Blogger, another widely known platform, has the potential to be an attribute to the face of your business. It is free, considered easy to use, and is owned by Google, meaning your blog is instantly submitted to Google's directory of blogs. However, your blog's web address will contain the ubiquitous “.blogspot.com” ending, which can be deemed unprofessional in appearance. Blogger also places its own logo and links on your blog. This is removable, but it takes a bit of know-how. The final decision: depending how professional you need your blog to appear, Blogger may or may not be a good platform for your business.

Blogging Tips for Businesses

Once you've selected your platform and gone through the set-up process (which will differ from website to website) it's time to get writing. You probably have a good idea of what your blog content will include before you begin, but it's essential to keep some “Blogging 101” basics in mind as you type away.

First things first, give each blog entry a catchy title. The headline is the first thing your visitors will read, and it is this simple line of words that will either grab them, or turn them away. Once into the body of the blog entry, quickly get to the point. Keep things simple. Studies show that most web users simply scan to find the information they are looking for, rather than read every bit of text word by word. The easier you make it for your readers, the more likely they are to gather the information you intend to give them.

As with all writing, be sure to cover your topic in a logical sequence, whether that be sequentially, chronologically, or, perhaps most often, in the order of importance. Journalists know that when they write a story that includes the most important information in the very first few lines, that have found the key to hooking people into reading the rest of the story or, at the very least, paying enough attention to the story that an appropriate amount of information is gathered. Craft your entries likewise. Put the “who, what, where, when, and why” before all else.

Have you ever visited a web page and come face to face with a wall of text? Then you, too, know how this feels. Avoid burdening your readers with too many words and instead leave sufficient “white space” on the screen. Break lengthy paragraphs up into shorter paragraphs and leave an extra space between each. Avoid superfluous sentences. Finally, use visuals fairly often. Of course, you don't want to post 20 photos or a dozen video clips every time you make a new entry, but it's safe to say that one or two nice visuals will catch a reader's attention better than simple text.

Everything in consideration, you are now ready to begin the process of setting up a blog and writing blog entries for your business. With a good bit of direction (planning is absolutely necessary) you'll be well on your way to creating a new outlet that, with any luck, will engage a host of current and potential customers.