Almost since the internet was born, people have been using it to share ideas and offer their opinion on a wide variety of subjects. Blogs - or “web logs” - are hardly a new idea, but they have become something of a phenomenon in recent years as businesses and personal writers realise the potential they offer to anyone looking to share ideas or information.

Blogs fill a niche which ordinary websites cannot cater for:

• A focused piece of software designed to efficiently organise and publish information.
• Built-in search engine submission and pages which are easily crawled by bots.
• Optional comments by readers allow you to get instant feedback.
• Categorised posts allow different subjects to be written about, and readers to choose those which interest them.

So, a blog is a sure way to get my voice heard on the internet? Well… no, not really. It is however a powerful tool if used properly. At Primate Designs we specialise in helping small or new businesses find their feet on the internet, so here is a short list of bloggy things to consider:

• Separate it from your website: Whether your blog is visually seamlessly integrated with your website or noticably separate, remember it is there to allow you to focus on specific topics. Properly written, you can drive good traffic to pages on your main website.
• Choose your content wisely: Give readers something they actually want to read. If your blog is informative or entertaining, readers will keep coming back for more.
• Get involved: There are plenty of other blogs out there on a wide variety of subjects. Be sure to read others and do not be afraid to comment on them. Remember, if you leave a useful comment and your website address, people may visit your website to find out more.
• Keep it up to date: Blogs are typically search engine friendly because they often represent fresh information and are updated regularly. Regular blog posts can really help your search engine rankings; Alex’s post on our blog the other week regarding the Internet Explorer security risk ranked on the first page of Google for several search phrases!

This post could go on for pages and pages, discussing everything that is possible with even the simplest blog, but hopefully this will give you a taster. As with many things, the best way to find out is to get stuck in and see for yourself… happy blogging!