Over the past 10 years blogging has moved from early adopter experimentation to a tried and true marketing tool. Blog marketing is a core tool in social media marketing. Yet there are many misconceptions about what blogging is and who should be using it.

1. Blogging is easy. False, blogging regularly is real work. It is also fun and rewarding as you develop a following that is interested in what you have to say. Writing original and interesting material takes research and helps the writer to learn and increase their expertise.
2. Blogging isn’t for everyone. True, but most everyone has subjects that if they wrote about, others would find interesting. This could be your industry, hobbies or real life experiences. What blogging takes is commitment and discipline to write regularly.
3. Blogs are not suitable for business websites. False, blogs are a powerful way to communicate your expertise and are given a high importance by the search engines. Blogs allow you to listen to what your customers are saying, their needs and ideas through their comments.
4. My customers don’t read blogs. False, blogs are so common place today that anyone using Google or Bing will find blogs scattered through the search results. Many read blogs to find new and current information about their industry,
5. Blogs get companies into trouble. False, particularly in small businesses where owners or senior managers are blogging. In larger organizations, guidelines, policies and training must be put in place to safeguard a company.
6. Negative Comments will ruin my company’s reputation. Discussions about your brand or company will take place online with or without your blog. A blog allows you to respond to and address issues. How you respond to criticism is what will affect your reputation.
7. You must post on your blog every day. Most bloggers will post 1-3 times per week. Posting everyday is not a bad thing, but not required. Posting less that once a week does not allow you to develop a group of interested followers.
8. No one will read it anyways. It really depends on what and how your write. You will develop a regular readership (no matter what your topic) if you keep it interesting, original and focused. Start with deciding who you are writing to and write about what they are interested in.