What’s Your Purpose? ..the purpose of your BLOG!

A successful blog needs to have a PURPOSE. Why, you ask? Think about the blogs you follow. Chances are, you are benefitting in some way, correct? Perhaps you like a particular blog because it increases your general knowledge base. Or perhaps it provides entertainment. Or even specific information about a product or service, or upcoming events.

Ask yourself, “What purpose do I want my blog to serve?”

It is crucial to clearly identify WHY you want to start a business blog.

• Will it serve as a focal point for a network of contacts for your company?

• Will it help to position you as an expert in your field?

• Is it to promote a particular service or product – and perhaps in the process, create a group of evangelists for your product or service?

• Perhaps the focus will be internal communications, either for the company as a whole, or for a specific business unit?

While these are ALL great reasons to start a blog, it is important to identify and focus on ONE objective in order to maximize your blog’s potential. Keep in mind though, that you may need to adjust your blog’s focus down the road to adapt to evolving business and audience needs.

Come back next week to find out how to define your target audience. Can’t wait? Assistance from the Graphic Matter Team is always just a phone call away!

4 Fabulous Ways to Follow Our 2¢!

So you checked out our blog and you think it is really great and has important advice for your business. Now you want to follow it on a regular basis, but we both know you are just going to get too busy and forget to come back and see what we have to say next week…. There has to be an easier way.

Lucky for us there is. Actually there are 4 primary ways to follow a blog on a regular schedule.

1. Internet Browser Bookmarks. Simply bookmark your favorite blogs in your browser, then pick one day a week and check out each blog to see what is new.
2. Subscribe to an RSS feed. Most blogs have a little orange button that says RSS. This will put a notification in your browser tool bar that this blog has a new posting, and a link to read the post.
3. Configure your Email application to accept RSS feeds. Each email application is slightly different but the basic concept and process is the same for each application.
4. Set up a Feed Reader page in your internet browser. Google offers a free feed reader service that is simple to use and very effective.

In the next few weeks we will discuss each option in more detail. Stay tuned!