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What's a Blog?

A "Blog" is short for Web Log, and as the name "log" suggests, they were (and still are to some extent) used as a public diary.

The main similarity with a diary is that the author sets the agenda by writing up articles on a regular basis. And, as with a normal diary, the articles are date stamped.

The main difference is that with a Blog readers can respond by leaving their own comments at the foot of the article that are also visible to others. In this way a Blog is said to be interactive.

Blog or Forum?

There are similarities between these two mediums but I think the key difference lies in how the basic content is controlled. In a Blog the author who posts articles is usually the Blog owner/administrator/editor. In this way it becomes a guided agenda. Put simply - visitors can only respond to articles that have been posted. Forums tend to be more loosely structured. In this instance visitors need only to register to be able to start a new discussion thread. This is not to say that forums have no structure. They do. It is just that the structure inevitably takes on a shape defined as much by its users as its creators.

So the trick is to think a little about how you want to interact with your customers or clients, and how you want them to interact with you.

If, for marketing or general business reasons, you want to set the agenda and keep discussions focussed on that agenda then a Blog may be the best solution.

On the other hand if you want to tap into your customer's own knowledge and ability to support each other then a forum may be the answer.

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Wordpress Blog

A Blog is an ideal way to provide both product and customer support. Blogs from TOSD are based on Wordpress, an increasingly popular blogging platform. The beauty of Blogs (as opposed to forums) is that they are a more effective way to set the agenda and keep the focus where you want it. Another excellent reason to couple a blog with an online shop is the additional traffic they attract.

At this stage the role of Blogs as a support tool for online businesses is not generally understood, so here are some thoughts to help you get your head around some of the key issues:

  • A Blog is best written with a "single voice". Put another way, it should be written as if you were providing information or expressing personal opinions directly to one of your customers. It is this personal approach to "blogging" that helps to humanise your business.
  • A Blog enables your customers to respond to the information you post, and these responses are visible to other customers. This is invaluable feedback to you as the business administrator/owner, but equally it is of great interest to your other customers who may have the same issues or queries.
  • Thoughtful, informative posts help position you as an authority within you industry or market segment. This is a very effective way of raising the profile of your business.
  • Topical information relating to events of interest to your customers is easily covered and in fact can be used to increase traffic to your Blog, and from there, to your online shop.
  • Search engines respond well to Blogs and there are also Blog directories that can be used to increase traffic. Wordpress Blogs, as used by TOSD, are very well optimised for search engines.
  • Blogs can be tightly integrated with an Online Shop. From the Shop end, links can be inserted after product descriptions to refer customers to additional information on the Blog. And equally, your Blog can feature articles of a more general nature with links that take customers to specific product examples in your Online Shop. This is a powerful marketing combination.
  • Blogs from TOSD can be themed with headers and colours to match your Online Shop or web site. This further enhances your customer's perception that one is a natural extension of the other.