Blogging has come such a long way from its beginning, it’s quite amazing actually.  Prior to blogs, we had this thing called a diary/journal which consisted of pretty much a pen, a piece of paper, and your thoughts.  And this diary/journal you had was normally kept private for you and you alone.  Wow, has that changed in the past 10 years.

A blog (aka web log) is now the “in” thing.  Everyone has a blog, including yourself, your teachers, your coworkers, news reporters, your kids, artists, doctors, businesses, even your grandma.  People blog for a variety of reasons.  Many people have personal blogs, they write about themselves, their day-to-day activities, their thoughts on things.  These people write for themselves, for their friends, and for their families as a way to keep everyone in the loop.  Others write to express their opinions or share their expertise on particular topics, whether it be cooking, traveling, politics, music, etc.  Some people write to stir up discussion, to get other people’s opinions on certain topics.  And lastly, businesses have begun to use blogs as a marketing medium.  They use blogs to communicate to their customers, to prospects, to the mass media.  They want to engage people, show them that they are human, market products/services, and create a relationship.

I think blogs are great and I think that everyone should have one and that every business should have one as well.  It’s a great way to connect with people you know and people you don’t know.  It’s an excellent way to create conversation about topics you care about.  As for businesses, I think it is very important that every business has a blog.  A study conducted by Burson-Marsteller found that only 15% of Fortune 500 companies have blogs to communicate with their audience.  Only 15%!  People like to put a face to companies.  People want to know that there is more than just a name.  The more connected a business can get with their customers, the better they will get to know them, which results in providing better products and services, and eventually leads to more sales and happy customers.

So, what are you waiting for?  Go connect with the world!