The word "blog" came from the combination of "web" and "log". As with all social media, blogging started at a personal level. Individuals kept personal blogs using free blog services to record their travels, personal thoughts and/or daily events. One of the most important aspects for the personal blog is the ability to keep friends and family who live far away up to date with current activities.

It has not taken long for businesses to tap into this source of staying in touch with others. A business blog can allow interaction and provide a more personal experience for customers. It allows two way communications between businesses and their customers by giving the ability for a viewer to comment on it. It can set a business apart from its competitors. It allows a business to communicate the value of their product and share valuable information about their industry. Information type articles will attract more visitors, and as long as it has all aspects of social media implemented within it (i.e. a link to the business’ Facebook and Twitter pages), having a blog can be a great way to raise brand awareness.

A blog with constantly changing content will push the website up in ranking for search engines (huge help with SEO). Having a business blog alongside the usual social network pages creates a community, which is one of the first steps towards brand awareness. A business owning a platform through which they can regularly reach interested parties (followers) will keep building the community size, and allowing them to reach more people.

The real question is, “do I need a blog?” The answer is no. However, you do need fresh and new content on a regular basis. The best place to put this is in your blog so your potential and current customers can subscribe to them. This keeps your brand fresh in their minds and up-to-date with new services and/or specials.