Boost Your Bottom Line with a Blog

A blog isn't just a welcome vehicle for journalists to escape the editor's red pen or for teens to wax poetic about their latest crush. They can also be a great tool for promoting your business.

Whether it's computer security, San Francisco real estate or pretty much any other business venture under the sun, some of the best info you can find comes from pros who write their own blogs. Namely, people who can apply expert analysis and commentary to the latest trends and practices in their sector, and do just that in a blog format.

Whatever your business, odds are that you've had to become an industry expert in your field as well. And if you share that expertise on a blog, you'll help build trust in your brand as you show you know your business. You'll also put a personal face on your company.

And it's easy. Free sites like blogger.com or wordpress.com get you up and running with your own online soapbox in minutes, and you can even choose a blog URL that incorporates your company name. For example, Roger Thompson of Exploit Prevention Labs has for years run a useful Internet security blog at explabs.blogspot.com. He links to it from his company Web site, and the additional name and brand recognition afforded by the blog no doubt contributed to Grisoft's recent purchase of his company.

If you decide to take the digital plunge, here are a few tips for online presentation.

1. Be professional, but personal. It's fine and even expected to share your opinions on a blog.

2. Avoid the hard sell. By all means mention your company and/or products in the context of industry news or commentary, but save the direct advertisements for your company site.

3. Write for the Web. Keep your sentences and paragraphs as clear and brief as possible. Most online readers will quickly abandon a page full of dense text.