These three simple rules for blogging may seem obvious to you:

• Create a persona – if at all possible, make sure that your voice is consistent.  Readers want to feel they know the author.
• Be helpful – supply plenty of resources that support the blog content.  Your readers may want to drill deeper on that subject.
• Have a purpose. Do you want to build a brand? Do you want to explain how your products/services may help the reader? Do you want to become the ‘go-to’ for expert questions ?  Of course, it’s possible to accomplish all three but the fundamental purpose should be to inform.

Blogging allows potential customers to find you on search engines, forward valuable information to friends; communicate with you on your website; search for subjects you’ve covered in blog posts; tweet your blog; add blog to Facebook, G+, or any other social connection you provide on  your blog.

The most significant time I spend on blogging is research – I want to make certain that I know what I’m writing about and to project that credibility.

A blog is critical to your brand – that is, your reputation.  No amount of advertising can substitute for direct communications to your target audience.