Blogs

Are you blogophobic? Are you one of those people that “don’t get it” when it comes to blogging, social media and the constant internet chatter?

Whether you love or hate technology, it’s something we all must deal with. And if you’re in business, have a ministry or want to be noticed as an author or artist – a blog is a “must have” if you want to be relevant and extend your brand.

A blog (short for web log) is a type of website that functions as an online journal, with the entries usually displayed in reverse chronological order.

As recently as ten years ago, blogs didn’t exist. It's estimated that there are between 50 and 100 million blog readers in the U.S. And according to blogworldexpo.com, Blog readers average 23 hours online each week.

An essential aspect of social media is the idea of staying connected and communicating with an audience. Blogs are about two-way communication – because when you write a blog entry, people can comment. Hence, blogs led the “Web 2.0” revolution!

Besides, blogging is fast, cheap and can be fun! It’s a way to put your personality on display – frequently!

Nickcole Byrd, an ordained minister at Higher Dimension church in Houston, Texas and author of “The Purple Book of Success” says,“Blogging is a creative and surefire way for people to experience you, yourservice and or product. It allows readers to take part in my world as it relates to empowerment and leadership.

As a writer it provides a canvas for me to further develop concepts and ideas for future writing endeavors. Blogging creates an infallible opportunity to leave a writing legacy.”

If you already have a traditional website, you can start a separate blog. There are programs that will automatically display your blog posts on your website. Even if you already have a traditional website, you can still add content pages to your blog to make it more like a website.

Nickcole Byrd creates “blogsites” for ministries. This is a blog that functions as
website but is really a Wordpress blog. She can also attach the blog to a
current website too. (This will increase your Search Engine Optimization
automatically too.)

Byrd created Ministry Marketing Solutions’ website which is really a “blogsite.” She set it up and we update it without any help. No technical skills needed! That’s the beauty of a blog. Anyone can do it!

Each of the entries or articles is called a "post" and the posts are usually updated once or twice a week. They are never long posts (about 300 words). Sometimes posts are lists of favorite things or links, a video from Youtube, a comment on current events or an interesting photo with a tag line.

Whatever you are passionate about, that’s what you blog. Before you set up your blog, think about what you like most – do you want to write opinion, teach theology, do videos, create conversation, or just have a place share your creative content – songs, sermons, devotionals, etc. It’s your blog – there are no rules!

“To connect with audiences today, you need to stop pushing your message out and start pulling your customers in with good content that spreads virally via social media. And there is no better tool for this than the blog, said Byrd.

“Blogging gives you a strategic way of marketing and influencing buyer’s decisions to buy products or buy into your ideas. When you post good content, it’s a key way to position yourself as an expert and thought leader. Websites give your validity online – but blogs build your brand and connects to your core audience consistently,” she concluded.