What I've been doing for the last day

[prog]

I launched the Appleseed Blog. Yes, another blog from me. But really, running a technology business's website without a blog attached is a poor idea these days.

It look so long because getting Mason and Movable Type to play together was a little rough, but (with daerr's assistance) I got it going, and ended up learning a lot about all technologies involved. So I call it a win, even though none of it's billable time.

Anyway, I'm going to use it both to make public updates about Appleseed as well as occasionally pontificate on Appleseed-relevant technology. And, yes, the neglected jmac.org blog is still running as a separate thing. I still need to hack a way to crosspost consistently between that and this LJ, since I've discovered that I can't just give this up.

Comments

[prog.livejournal.com]

There's a few good things a blog can bring to a small business site, in theory.

* If the blog manages to have merit on its own, then it can be a great attractor of new business, and vector of ones' business name (and URL). (Arguably, looked at this way, a blog becomes yet another thing you have to market. But if your writing is interesting and useful, folks will come, and stay.)

* It adds dynamism to a small site that would otherwise be a static brochure that's unlikely to get repeat visits.

* It reminds customers both current and potential that you know what the hell you're talking about, and that you have a personal interest and even a desire to educate in the field you profess billable expertise in.

* Once people start leaving public feedback, *poof* you're a Web 2.0 company, engaging your customer base in active conversation. This is the woo-woo hot-shit reason you're allowed to be a little cynical about, but it's not a big deal without reason.

I struggled for a while about whether a blog was worth having for a business as small as mine, where (so long as I'm the only full-time talent) I'm unlikely to have more than a couple active contracts at a time. I think that the success of the Gameshelf blog has shown me how setting up a blog can definitely bring a lot of vitality to any major project. I figure it's worth a try.

[radtea.livejournal.com]

Ok, you've convinced me. I'll give it a whirl. Thanks!