I’m in England right now – God save the Queen…and all that Jazz!  (If you are curious to know why – then click here – Sam’s youtube video  ).

Any how, I have many friends in the UK that own their own businesses, from small business start ups to companies increasingly expanding. Now, I must say, if I’m passionate about something and know it works then you can’t shut me up….I’ve been told I can be a little full on at times! FULL ON…come on…..if you’re passionate about something and know it works then why not share, especially if you know it’s going to boost their business and gain them more exposure!

Right now,  one of the strategies I am utilising with my clients (to gain exposure and push them up the Google rankings) involves blogging. I luuurve da blog –   INNIT!  (said in a cockney London accent!).

Why???? Well, I’ll go into that on my next post, yet firstly I’m guessing some of you may not know what a blog is, so I will break it down.

What is a business blog?

A business blog is also known as a web blog. It’s basically a journal with software that is installed into your computer.  It has a content management system (a system where you can control the content) and uses a data base and a scripting language….blah blah. Yet, the main feature of a blog is that YOU can contribute messages (posts) into this and have full control over it. POWER TO THE PEOPLE – AKA – WEB 2.0!

A blog is like a website yet far more powerful (in my eyes) as it’s interactive and engaging (Web2.0), that’s if your website hasn’t been all web2.0ed up yet!

Your business blog is like a diary. It can contain tips about your products, success stories about your clients, quality information about what your target market would like to read, who is in your team (a personal version from the heart..with pictures or video) etc.  It’s you – you are your brand! Remember, you are helping people and engaging them in the conversation, you are giving them previews of what’s new and what’s coming up – there are so many exciting things a business blog can write about. I’m going to burst!

So why blog?

As mentioned above, a lot of my friends run businesses, and the usual questions they ask  me are :  “what shall I do to increase traffic to my business web site” and  “what shall I do to let people know my business exists” “how can I sell more  and position myself as an expert, whilst banding  myself”, to name just a few! My first answer..honestly…  START A BLOG!!!!

So, why am I so aweeeeeeeeeeeeeeee  about  blogging?

Ok, think about a normal website for a sec, (static website) that has not been web2.0ed up…by us  :-) ! It’s pretty much like a brochure, wouldn’t you agree? So many websites we upgrade are like printed brochures in an online form (web 1.0). BORING! There are usually a few pages that describe what the business does, how they do it and their vision/mission along with the services they provide. The language is usually in marketing speak; you know the ones, right? Can I be honest and straight to the point?  People get bored and distracted by this; they’re more interested in how you can help them (what’s in it for them), how can you relieve their pain! Or fulfil their pleasure!

Think about this..then read our “Why blog?” and “How to blog for business success” in the next coming blog posts – be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out!

If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave comments below (you can leave comments by clicking the comments link under the tweet this link) – I can assure you I will get back to you in the shake of a lambs tail …or something like that!  (Also share this on facebook and/or tweet it)  if you believe it’s a great post using the buttons below!) I will be tracking these!  :-) Whoop whoop!

This week has been an interesting week on Twitter guys. I have learnt a few new strategies that really work and have now got my head around balancing out this powerful tool – work and life balance! Fresh air! Geeze, it’s taken 5 months!

I now have a trusty follow base, tweeps (people on twitter) I can rely on, that I trust, like and respect. It’s ever growing too! Today I’m going to introduce you to a guy that has blown my mind and provided me with an application that I was foaming at the mouth for.

Drum roll…introducing:  

Kevin Sherman of BubbleGuru.com

You are probably aware by now, that I’m always looking for powerful ways to interact and engage with people via this computer screen and mobile phone. When I say people – more specifically, I mean my target market.

I have been looking for an interactive tool that would assist me to stand out from the crowd, and connect with my viewers . You know right? have more of that juicy web2.0 human touch to it. I’m guessing (if you utilise twitter) that you can get pretty peeved off with the dry and text base auto responders, I certainly do- unless they are fresh and fun!

Well, thanks to @thecardioexpert http://TheCardioExpert.com, I beautifully got introduced to @bubbleguru. That’s what happens on twitter right! Follow great people, and then get referred great resources. Whoompa!

Kevins Bubble video solutions have some heart thumping Web2.0 options so I just had to share!

BubbleTweet, BubbleComment and BubbleTestimonial, are all quirky and cutting edge tools that can assist you to create, send and manage your videos. From here you can place them onto any website/page you choose! Keeping that personal web2.0 touch with your target market. Love it!

Let’s drill this down for you:

BubbleTweet.com is  FREE. It assists you create and share your own personalised video message with other twitter peeps  - it’s quick, simple and easy. Why not make an impression and get remembered by creating a  “welcome message” for new followers like this.  There are so many more bonuses here – so dive in and check it out…..(After you have read and commented on my post mind you!:-)

BubbleComment.com has a free and paid plan option. I love BubbleComment because I can quickly create a quirky video message then pop it onto ANY Website I choose. This works really well if you want to guide people to your blog or share fantastic resources with others.

BubbleTestimonial.com is a fully charged video sharing tool for businesses. Simply whip up video and text based testimonials to show off your expertise on your Website or blog. You can even invite clients to record and add a testimonial at any time. From here simply manage the testimonials, whilst having control over the content.

So, isn’t it about time you added some web 2.0-ness to your twitter page? Let’s sprinkle that human element to web2.0!

Click here to see my bubble tweet!

I’m looking forward to seeing your links to bubble tweet in the comments section below!