Marketing Your Business - How to Start a Home-based Computer Repair Business - page 147

Blogging, Blogging, Blogging
Blogging. This was a foreign word to me several years ago. I felt that I was “above” blog-
ging and imagining myself sitting behind a computer typing stories to my readers just
didn't seem like an effective way for me to spend my time.
A blog is short for “web log,” but the exact definition is still very much in flux. It's original
and basic purpose is that it's literally an online diary or journal that can contain photos,
movie clips, and links to other websites. These journal entries are made by the author, oth-
erwise known as the “blogger.”
A typical blog, when created, starts at the top on the page while yesterday's news scrolls
down the page. The oldest blog entries hence are at the bottom of the page or several pages
back, depending on how long the blogger has been writing.
Most blogs allow the reader to leave comments, and these comments can be moderated by
the blog administrator or the blogger. Typically this interactive nature also allows readers to
link to other blogs and therefore “network” and interact with your entries. This can also be
called interacting within the “blogosphere,” in which several blogs with a common subject
or interest are linked to one another. The blogosphere is important because it keeps people
interested in what your blog might have to say.
The blogosphere may not happen on its own. You, as the blogger, will need to read other
blogs, comment on them, link to your blog, and start the networking process in many cases.
If your goal is to use your blog as a marketing tool, then this will be necessary. Of course
the web is a crowded field, and many of the millions of blogs out there are not worth read-
ing. However, there are thousands of active bloggers who have the same mentality, passion,
and drive as you do, so networking with them is a good thing and may in fact teach you
something.
To get started on a blog, you need to use a service (which can be free) to get going. I have
used Wordpress.com and Blogger.com in the past, but if you do a simple search in Google
for “how to start a blog,” you will see several guides, discussions, articles, and even blog
entries that will help you get rolling.
Essentially, you'll need to come up with a blog concept. In your case, it may simply be “the
life of a computer repair technician,” but I prefer a title that might catch a reader's interest,
like “Joe's Repair Tips—How to Save Bundle on Computer Repair.” Either of these titles
and topics is engaging, but the title and theme of your blog will initially attract readers and
keep it interesting!