An individual, who might not otherwise be heard, is able to publish thoughts and ideas. Yes, they could use a website, but a blog has more intimacy and immediacy.
The blog is, in many ways, about you as well as your business.
It is not always easy to get your voice heard in the traditional media.
Press releases and media contacts are great, but they depend upon their being used by the various journalists. They shouldn't be overlooked, as they are powerful tools of your trade, but they do have limitations.
By using a business blog, and promoting and marketing it widely, you can add an effective outlet to your regular media strategies.
Don't overlook working with other bloggers.
Bloggers are extremely cooperative, and are happy to work with you. All that's required is you return the favour. Everyone benefits.
Bloggers love to link to one another's posts, and each other's blogs. As the cross linking occurs, new readers follow. Of course, the blog has to be at least moderately interesting to the visitor.
I support posting in web forums as a marketing technique for your blog. On the other hand, the web forum is still not as powerful for disseminating your message as your own blog.
Web forums are a wonderful thing, but the individual voice as desired by the blogger, is often lost in the shuffle. Forums are better for publicity for your blog, and for helping others, than for directly providing your message.
Combine strong blog posts, with helpful forum and message boards posts for the best results. Use one method to reinforce the other.
At the same time, the blog becomes identified with the writer, almost as a personal brand. Since, in many ways a brand is a promise, the blogger's reputation is developed, or lost on the quality and interests, of the posts presented.
You have to continue to write quality posts to retain your reading audience.
Write about your business, your industry, and perhaps how it affects you personally. You will have an unlimited supply of strong posts as a result.
You can certainly have your voice heard, above the crowd, with a business blog.
