It’s a frequent question and my stock answer is… it depends. Helpful, yes?

Blogs are the website-of-choice and in many cases are the way to go - it you’re going to keep up with them. A stagnant blog leaves the impression that you aren’t around, aren’t available, still in business… egads! At least with a traditional website… well, you don’t expect them to be updated so frequently!

I’ve spent literally hours over the last few days visiting different blogs - on most I spent only as long as it took to click over to the next blog, but there were many that held my attention for quite awhile longer. What made the difference?

Content.

I’ve had many conversations over the last several months with my buddy Chris Muccio about creating good, solid content. Trouble is, everyone is beyond busy - tapped out, overwhelmed. It’s tough to find time to blog consistently or be actively involved in whatever social media/networking you choose.

It’s easy enough to find content providers to fill in the gaps, and on occasion I’ve used ghost-written content myself (not for this blog, btw). But this is not the content that provokes conversation or brings people back on a regular basis - it merely keeps the posts somewhat current. The content that brings people back - at least that draws me back - is interesting, thought-provoking, informative, edgy… not the same ol’ same ‘ol.

Naomi Dunford’s blog, IttyBiz, fits all of the above. While giving out solid small business advice, she weaves in interesting tales of her life. And there’s always a marketing lesson to be learned.

Blogs afford an opportunity to connect with your visitors, and because of their interactive nature, allow them to connect with you.

Especially for those in business, it brings home the point… people do business with those they know, like and trust. What better way to let your visitors get to know you than with a well cared-for blog?