Obviously we love blogging here at Blackdown Blogs but we also know many people and businesses who don’t really understand blogging or even what a blog is – so here’s our list of reasons WHY you might want to start your own blog:

1. Your blog will attract search engines like Google, MSN and Yahoo. We all want our websites to be found and recognised by search engines and blogging regularly adds new and fresh content to your site, which search engines love and will reward you with high rankings!

2. Blogging enables you to build up relationships with your customers and to be honest, customers expect to be able to engage in a dialogue these days. Even large stores like Asda have a daily blog to enable customers to share their comments, feedback, ideas and concerns. Use feedback or comment forms to start a conversation and don’t worry – you can check and moderate all comments before they go live on your blog. Clinical Hypnotherapist Tracey Jones of Cariad Hypnotherapy says “I started a blog so that potential clients could get to know me a little bit.”

3. You can expand your knowledge by blogging like Harriet McAlonan of The Children’s Jewellery Company who says “I blog because I like reading and sharing thoughts”. Writing on a daily basis often requires finding out new information and the best way to improve your own blog is to read (and comment on) as many other blogs as you can.

4. Promote your business using your blog. Explain how you make or choose your products, showcase new items, special offers, shows you are attending etc. Tola Popoola of Chocolat A Toi told us that “Blogging has given me an avenue to promote my business services and products in as many words and pictures I could fit on my website.” Shiny Learning writer Helen Melhuish says “I blog for entirely business reasons. I use my business blog to keep customers up-to-date with latest news and product updates, product promotion etc.”

5. Blogging is fun! Claire Curran in Maidenhead explains “I blog so as I can pass on how daft my kids are then I can show them when they’re older how funny people think they were!”

6. Express yourself through your blog and get it all off your chest! Tell the world what you feel about the things that really matter to you. Colette who writes What Katy did next – life as a Yorkshire Mum says “I find writing things down quite therapeutic and enjoy reading back over the months.”

Carrot in Mums Hair is written by blogmum Kim who says “my blog started off as a diary to record my daughters adventures with food but it eventually became a lot more than this. I use my blog to record special moments, funny moments, sad moments anything really and I love the blogging community I’m part of. I find writing so therapeutic and I love the fact I’ve got such a lovely written record of my daughters life to look back on.”

7. Carve a niche as an expert in your field. Blog regularly and consistently and you will begin to develop a readership. You can then write as an expert in your specific field or market.

8. Make friends by blogging. Connect with new people all over the world or re-connect with old friends and family members. Val Robus in Sligo, Ireland writes Magnumlady’s Blog adds “I blog because it’s a diary for me and I’ve made lots of new friends from blogging.”

Sound good? All making sense now? Fancy setting up your own blog ? Contact us today or go shopping in our blog store!