Ken McCarthy’s latest article titled “Do blogs makes sense for business?” is reprinted here. [Article]


Ken McCarthy’s latest article is reprinted here.

“Do blogs makes sense for business?”

What about blogs?

Are they worth the effort? Or are they just a fad for folks with too much time on their hands?

I was a blog-skeptic until Internet pioneer Dave Taylor sold me on them.

If sharing information is part of your sales process (and it’s part of EVERY sales process no matter what you’re selling), then publishing a blog deserves a serious look no matter what business you’re in.

Here’s why:

A well done blog can be a traffic magnet.

Unlike e-mails, blog posts persist and are findable on search engines.

Dave found this out with his blog “Ask Dave Taylor” when valuable traffic about PSP (the Sony Playstation) started flooding his highly regarded technology blog because of some posts he made.

There are even ways to profit from blogging without starting a blog of your own…

First, the right blog can be a peerless source of great information in your field.

Finding the good ones in your niche and reading them regularly is a great way to make sure you’re on the edge of the curve, not flattened by it.

Second, OPB (other people’s blogs) can be a source of traffic for you.

I’m not talking about the weasels who sp@m people’s blogs with junk posts (known as “splogging.”)

Here’s the secret:

Don’t just read the best blogs in your niche. Figure out how you can do business with the people who run them. The good ones have traffic and influence you can tap into.

Many bloggers sell advertising and blog ads can be a low cost, highly targeted buy. As always, know your numbers and track. You can also volunteer to write for specific blogs – with a link to your site as “pay.” For example, I just enjoyed a week as the guest host on the blog for the International Association of Online Communicators.

There are probably opportunities like this in your market.

As Dave Taylor points out, search engines – especially Google – love good blogs and having your name and web address spread all over the blogosphere in an authentic way is a very good thing for long term search ranking.

Find the great blogs in your market and start making new friends today.

How do you find the best blogs on the Internet? That’s the easy part.

I’ve just found a super resource here:

http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/?p=71

‘Best blogs’ – McCarthy’s Latest Article

Ken McCarthy

Ken McCarthy organized and sponsored the first conference ever held on the subject of the commercial potential of the World Wide Web. His company Amacord Inc., formerly E-Media, was one of the first Internet-based businesses in the world.

In addition to working with small and mid-sized business clients since 1993, McCarthy was a consultant to NEC’s Biglobe, the largest online service in Japan, from 1996 to 2001. His book The Internet Business Manual was the first book on web entrepreneurship published in that country. He is also credited by Hotwired magazine with being one of the people responsible for the development and popularization of the banner ad, one of the key underpinnings of commercial Internet publishing.

A graduate of Princeton University, McCarthy came to the Internet industry with a varied background which included technical consulting for two of New York’s top investment banks, lecturing on educational psychology at MIT, Columbia, and NYU, and founding and operating a number of small businesses, including one that helped produce an Academy Award winning documentary. Ken McCarthy is associated with the following blogs: Ken McCarthy’s Blog, System Video Blog and Internet Video Marketing Letter

*IMNewswatch would like to thank Ken McCarthy for granting permission to reprint the latest article.