Weblogs

Weblogs, more often referred to as "blogs," were once considered the purview of teenagers and those with an axe to grind. Essentially an online personal diary, they were normally filled with rants and raves upon anything the author wished to expound. Now, however, they've come to be used by those with actual expertise in their fields, as a way to share information or knowledge, or to just act as a catalyst for discussions on politics, sports and business.

OK, so why would you, as a business owner, want a blog? Two reasons, actually. First, it's a way to share your expertise with your customers, perhaps with product reviews or technical information, and add a human element to your content. And, just as important for your website, it's a way to increase the rank of your page in the various web search engines, particularly Google. Your blog can become a good promotion for your web site, building traffic and providing frequent updates to your content. Search engines are attracted by frequent, keyword-rich content, and as your blog becomes popular with those interested in your field of expertise, other sites (and other blogs) will link to yours, enhancing your search engine standing even more.

Another advantage for you, as the web site owner, is that most blog software allows for instant updating of the web site hosting the blog, without the intervention of your web developer. You will not be bound by the cycle of content development, content submission, and content updating required for the static portions of your site.