What Makes an Effective Small Business Blog?

Here's an good example of a business blog building awareness for its niche: The Small Business Buzz.  Site owner Chris Brunner describes his blog this way:

A daily blog by site owner Chris Brunner covering business news from around the world. Discover links to tips and advice that can help you run an efficient, more profitable business.

Here's why I think this is an effective business blog:

1. Starting with that description, he gives his readers a reason to come back -- they will get "tips and advice that can help you run an efficient, more profitable business".  If you have a business blog, explain/describe what the BLOG is about, which is different than an About Me profile describing who you are.
2. He gives examples of how people use his services -- which not only highlights his customers' businesses (and gives them a nice ego boost for being selected); the examples also highlight what his work looks like.  Win-win!  I've seen a similar example in Paula Gardner's PR newsletter from the UK -- she highlights her clients' recent media exposure.  That gives her clients a nice boost, and establishes her credibility as being about to get people noticed by the media.
3. He actively seeks out posts on other blogs that relate to his business (business cards), and small business in general -- then he links to those blog posts and comments on them.  This interconnected web is what blogging is all about.  He links to other blogs, and comments on them as well -- this is a well-established way to build traffic to your blog.
4. He notices articles about his niche in newspapers, links to them, adds a few comments, then ties it back to his business.  Another easy way to add current, relevant content to your blog, while also plugging your business in an unobtrusive way.
5. Chris uses his blog to educate his readers.  In one post, he links to a relevant term found in Wikipedia.org, provides a few comments, then ties it back to his business.  Fantastic!  I never would have thought of using Wikipedia like that.
6. He actively hosts, participates, and highlights Blog Carnivals.  I'm still wrapping my brain around this concept, but even at this point I can see the marketing potential of Blog Carnivals.
7. He blogs regularly.  Posting even once a week keeps your business in front of your target market.  Blog irregularly, with months in-between, and your visitors will stop seeing your blog as a viable, valuable resource, and stop visiting.  No visitors = ineffective marketing tool.

There are other reasons, but you get the point.  Check out his blog; study it; figure out how you can tweak some of those ideas to make your blog a more effective marketing tool.

I happen to have a few ideas on blog marketing, and I've put together a couple of Special Reports - one geared toward general small businesses, and one written specifically for scrapbooking businesses. 
Download your own complimentary copy of the PDF:

• "Blog Marketing: 27 Ways to Promote Your Small Business with a Blog"
• "Scrapbook Marketing: 27 Ways to Promote Your Scrapbooking Business with a Blog"

technorati tags: small business, blogging, blog marketing, business cards

Edited to Add: ME "Liz" Strauss linked to this post in her 7/21/06 edition of "SOB Business Cafe" (SOB meaning "successful and Outstanding Bloggers", not the other thing...LOL)
 

Comments

[Gregory Kohs]

Another scrappy marketing use of Wikipedia is being explored by the new enterprise, MyWikiBiz.com. They will author professionally-designed articles on Wikipedia for notable companies and organizations that currently lack a presence on Wikipedia!

[Angie Pedersen]

Thanks for submitting your comment, Greg. Although, I think it might have been a little more upfront of you to mention that the website you mentioned is your own "brainchild", rather than an unaffiliated connection. Blogging, even in comments, is about transparency [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_transparency ].

[Gregory Kohs]

Okay, so that wasn't transparent. You got me there. But, you've got to admit, it is a scrappy concept, right?

[panasianbiz]

Angie, I just wanted to thank you for sharing this excellent post. I learned so much from your assessment of what makes an effective business blog. A few of these suggestions are new to me, and I will definitely try to incorporate them into my own blogging. Thanks again!

[Angie Pedersen]

Thanks, Bill! Since your industry and blog is so far removed from my own of scrapbooking, I'm glad the lessons "translate"!