More and more people are using social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. Personally I have used Facebook to stay in touch with my friends in other states and even in other countries. Facebook is a social networking site that can be used by anyone and is free of charge. It operates on the sense of people making an update about what they’re doing or feeling. People can also upload photos and videos. Facebook users can also group their friends to keep them organized. A business can use Facebook as a great means to get customer feedback by putting up information, photos and videos about their products. The customers can then comment on the products. All of this can be accomplished by using Facebook’s advertising pages (1). Facebook has been a great tool for me personally to stay in contact with my friends that I don’t see that often and it’s really nice to be able to chat with them and read what they are up to these days. Facebook is a great tool for both people and companies.
(1) http://www.facebook.com/advertising/?pages
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Ten Well-Created Personal Blogs
It is very difficult to distinguish which blogs are better than others because there is a variety of criteria upon which one can judge a blog. Below are ten blogs that are my favorite.
1. LA Galaxy Blog-Since I’m an LA Galaxy fan this blog is a given for me. It provides exceptional information about the upcoming games for the Galaxy. This information includes a look at the opponents. This blog is great for anyone that is an MLS fanatic because it’s very easy to navigate through and you can go to any MLS team that you love.
2. Daily Italy Travel News and Deals Blog-I would love to go to Italy someday and this blog seems like a perfect one to follow because it provides news about Italy and deals on traveling in Italy. It also gives information about what new tourists attractions are coming up in Italy. It is also very organized and colorful.
3. For The Love of Baking-This bog is perfect for those who love to bake or just love desserts in general. I love to bake, or at least try to, and I love desserts. This blog gives you new and interesting recipes to try out in your own kitchen.
4. Disney World Orlando-I love Disneyland and would love to go the Disney World in Orlando, Florida. This blog provides information about what is coming up in the park and what new attractions are being created for the park. This is the perfect blog for the kid in all of us.
5. Chocablog-Since I’m a girl and girls just love chocolate this blog is another given. I love chocolate, but sadly I can’t eat it that much. This blog gives the chocolate addict information on phenomenal chocolates he/she can find and try for themselves. It is essentially a review of chocolates.
6. globalEDGE-This is an international business blog. I’m an international business major and this is a great blog to get news about what is happening in the global business. It gives great information about brands and industries that are thriving in the global economy.
7. Salt Lake Real Estate Blog-I want to move to Salt Lake when I graduate and of course it means finding a place to live. The housing market is not doing that well throughout the nation and I wanted to find information about the housing market in Utah. This is blog is great because it gives information about the federal programs that are going into effect. This blog has great graphics.
8. Mad About Madrid-This travel blog is great for anyone wanting to visit Madrid, Spain like I do. It provides information about hotels, restaurants, and the top tours one can take while in Madrid. This colorful and easy to navigate blog is great for the ambitious traveler.
9. Mayan Ruins Explored-The Mayan civilization has long been gone, but its great architecture is far from it. The Mayan people left behind their marvelous and mind boggling ruins. This blog is excellent for anyone who wishes to explore the Mayan ruins without ever leaving their home. It provides photos and detailed information about the Mayan ruins in Mexico and Central America.
10. Real Time Economics-This is a blog from the Wall Street Journal that provides great analysis of the economic situation right now. It is very easy to navigate through.
1. LA Galaxy Blog-Since I’m an LA Galaxy fan this blog is a given for me. It provides exceptional information about the upcoming games for the Galaxy. This information includes a look at the opponents. This blog is great for anyone that is an MLS fanatic because it’s very easy to navigate through and you can go to any MLS team that you love.
2. Daily Italy Travel News and Deals Blog-I would love to go to Italy someday and this blog seems like a perfect one to follow because it provides news about Italy and deals on traveling in Italy. It also gives information about what new tourists attractions are coming up in Italy. It is also very organized and colorful.
3. For The Love of Baking-This bog is perfect for those who love to bake or just love desserts in general. I love to bake, or at least try to, and I love desserts. This blog gives you new and interesting recipes to try out in your own kitchen.
4. Disney World Orlando-I love Disneyland and would love to go the Disney World in Orlando, Florida. This blog provides information about what is coming up in the park and what new attractions are being created for the park. This is the perfect blog for the kid in all of us.
5. Chocablog-Since I’m a girl and girls just love chocolate this blog is another given. I love chocolate, but sadly I can’t eat it that much. This blog gives the chocolate addict information on phenomenal chocolates he/she can find and try for themselves. It is essentially a review of chocolates.
6. globalEDGE-This is an international business blog. I’m an international business major and this is a great blog to get news about what is happening in the global business. It gives great information about brands and industries that are thriving in the global economy.
7. Salt Lake Real Estate Blog-I want to move to Salt Lake when I graduate and of course it means finding a place to live. The housing market is not doing that well throughout the nation and I wanted to find information about the housing market in Utah. This is blog is great because it gives information about the federal programs that are going into effect. This blog has great graphics.
8. Mad About Madrid-This travel blog is great for anyone wanting to visit Madrid, Spain like I do. It provides information about hotels, restaurants, and the top tours one can take while in Madrid. This colorful and easy to navigate blog is great for the ambitious traveler.
9. Mayan Ruins Explored-The Mayan civilization has long been gone, but its great architecture is far from it. The Mayan people left behind their marvelous and mind boggling ruins. This blog is excellent for anyone who wishes to explore the Mayan ruins without ever leaving their home. It provides photos and detailed information about the Mayan ruins in Mexico and Central America.
10. Real Time Economics-This is a blog from the Wall Street Journal that provides great analysis of the economic situation right now. It is very easy to navigate through.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Ten Well-Created Corporate Blogs
Corporate blogs are becoming an important part of business and every day there are new blogs being created. Here is a list of ten well-created corporate blog sites.
1. Dell-Dell’s blog site is very clean and easy to navigate through. It not only has blogs for customers to communicate with the company, it also shows consumers what is going on the computer industry and what the consumers can expect from Dell in the future. http://en.community.dell.com/blogs/insideit/default.aspx
2. GM-This blog site’s home page is simple and easy to navigate. It has seven blogs that are separated by interests. Each blog has information for any person is looking for information about the future and about GM products. http://www.gmblogs.com/
3. Google-Google’s blog is basic, but easy to understand. Google’s blogs are very important because of Google’s internet presence. A lot of people use Google to do their internet searches and read its blogs. The blog site has a lot of information about news and new Google products. http://googleblog.blogspot.com/
4. McDonald’s-This blog is unique because it focuses on the corporation’s responsibility and sustainability. McDonald’s is the largest fast food restaurant chain in the world and its blog is very helpful for those who are looking for information on the values of McDonald’s. http://www.crmcdonalds.com/publish/csr/home/_blog.html
5. Amazon-Amazon’s blog is very useful to its consumers because it gives product information and allows the consumers to leave private comments to writers. It also gives information about the company and its future. http://www.amazon.com/gp/daily
6. Wal-Mart-This blog is very well laid out and easy to navigate. It has different categories that include: family, gadgets, gaming, sustainability, movies, and music. Wal-Mart’s blog gives information about what is new in the company and what is being released in Wal-Mart stores. http://www.checkoutblog.com/
7. Southwest Airlines-This blog is very well organized and colorful. It has a lot of information about the company and the current events that are going on. It also has a lot of news about Southwest’s lower fees. http://www.blogsouthwest.com/
8. Coca-Cola-This blog is very fun and colorful. It has a lot of information about the company and its products. The recipes topic in the blog was fun and creative. http://www.coca-colaconversations.com/
9. Cisco-Cisco’s blog site is very neat, organized, and easy to navigate. This blog site can help you be aware of the financial and product news involving networking and security technology. http://blogs.cisco.com/
10. Apple-Apple’s blog is very useful for its consumers because it has a lot of information about its products. If you go to the site, the first thing you see is information about the iPhone and about the top Apps that were downloaded for the week. This is very useful to people who want to know what Apps are being used right now. http://theappleblog.com/
1. Dell-Dell’s blog site is very clean and easy to navigate through. It not only has blogs for customers to communicate with the company, it also shows consumers what is going on the computer industry and what the consumers can expect from Dell in the future. http://en.community.dell.com/blogs/insideit/default.aspx
2. GM-This blog site’s home page is simple and easy to navigate. It has seven blogs that are separated by interests. Each blog has information for any person is looking for information about the future and about GM products. http://www.gmblogs.com/
3. Google-Google’s blog is basic, but easy to understand. Google’s blogs are very important because of Google’s internet presence. A lot of people use Google to do their internet searches and read its blogs. The blog site has a lot of information about news and new Google products. http://googleblog.blogspot.com/
4. McDonald’s-This blog is unique because it focuses on the corporation’s responsibility and sustainability. McDonald’s is the largest fast food restaurant chain in the world and its blog is very helpful for those who are looking for information on the values of McDonald’s. http://www.crmcdonalds.com/publish/csr/home/_blog.html
5. Amazon-Amazon’s blog is very useful to its consumers because it gives product information and allows the consumers to leave private comments to writers. It also gives information about the company and its future. http://www.amazon.com/gp/daily
6. Wal-Mart-This blog is very well laid out and easy to navigate. It has different categories that include: family, gadgets, gaming, sustainability, movies, and music. Wal-Mart’s blog gives information about what is new in the company and what is being released in Wal-Mart stores. http://www.checkoutblog.com/
7. Southwest Airlines-This blog is very well organized and colorful. It has a lot of information about the company and the current events that are going on. It also has a lot of news about Southwest’s lower fees. http://www.blogsouthwest.com/
8. Coca-Cola-This blog is very fun and colorful. It has a lot of information about the company and its products. The recipes topic in the blog was fun and creative. http://www.coca-colaconversations.com/
9. Cisco-Cisco’s blog site is very neat, organized, and easy to navigate. This blog site can help you be aware of the financial and product news involving networking and security technology. http://blogs.cisco.com/
10. Apple-Apple’s blog is very useful for its consumers because it has a lot of information about its products. If you go to the site, the first thing you see is information about the iPhone and about the top Apps that were downloaded for the week. This is very useful to people who want to know what Apps are being used right now. http://theappleblog.com/
Friday, October 2, 2009
Blogging Evolution Follows Website Evolution
Blogs are evolving as website are evolving because blogging has become very popular among businesses, they are cost effective, and there are more and more applications and software for blogs. According to CNET news, there are a reported 175,000 new blogs created every day (1). According to Business Blog Consulting, in a survey done asking what three marketing tactics and channels will be emphasized in 2009 34 percent said that blogging will be used (5). Business need to take advantage of this to reach more consumers, suppliers, and potential business partners. Blogs are very cost effective because they require less time and resources to update your information (2).
When websites first came to existence, they were plain and with little color. For example, Yahoo’s home page in 1996 just had its name is color and a lot of links (3). Now, Yahoo’s home page has a lot more color, pictures, and links with graphics, gadgets, and e-mail (3). Blogs are following the same path as website did. Blogs are now being updated with graphics, videos, different software, and gadgets from Google (4). Blogging is evolving everyday with the increase of technological advances or at least until technology comes up with another way to communicate.
(1) http://news.cnet.com/2100-1025_3-6102935.html
(2) http://www.pajamamarket.com/pajama_market_small_busin/2009/05/business-blogs-fad.html
(3) http://www.etiole.com/2008/10/see-how-google-yahoo-msn-facebook-orkut-and-other-websites-looked-in-the-past-the-90s/
(4) http://www.masternewmedia.org/news/2006/12/06/business_blogs_and_the_business.htm
(5) http://www.businessblogconsulting.com/
When websites first came to existence, they were plain and with little color. For example, Yahoo’s home page in 1996 just had its name is color and a lot of links (3). Now, Yahoo’s home page has a lot more color, pictures, and links with graphics, gadgets, and e-mail (3). Blogs are following the same path as website did. Blogs are now being updated with graphics, videos, different software, and gadgets from Google (4). Blogging is evolving everyday with the increase of technological advances or at least until technology comes up with another way to communicate.
(1) http://news.cnet.com/2100-1025_3-6102935.html
(2) http://www.pajamamarket.com/pajama_market_small_busin/2009/05/business-blogs-fad.html
(3) http://www.etiole.com/2008/10/see-how-google-yahoo-msn-facebook-orkut-and-other-websites-looked-in-the-past-the-90s/
(4) http://www.masternewmedia.org/news/2006/12/06/business_blogs_and_the_business.htm
(5) http://www.businessblogconsulting.com/
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Blogging Policies
Companies using blogs to communicate with their customers and using blogs to communicate within the company need to implement a blogging policy in order to protect the company’s image (1). If a customer feels or thinks negative things about a company then the customer won’t buy products from the company. After looking at several blog policies such as GM and IBM, I have comprised a list of several blogging policies that every business should have.
1. Follow the company’s rules of conduct (2)
2. You are personally responsible for what you blog about (2,4)
3. Tell the truth (3)
4. Link to online references (3,4)
5. Disagree with opinions respectfully (3)
6. Respect copyright (2,4)
7. Follow the law (4)
8. Be respectful to others (4)
9. Add value by having worthwhile information (2,4)
10. Add a disclaimer if topic related to work (2)
11. Keep corporate secrets (2,4)
With these simple rules, corporations can protect their image in their corporate blogs. Professional blogs can be helpful, but they also can put the company in a predicament. When a good blogging policy is implemented, a company can be assured that its blog will be of benefit to the consumer and to the company.
(1) http://blawgit.com/2008/03/27/your-corporate-blogging-policy/
(2) http://www.ibm.com/blogs/zz/en/guidelines.html
(3) http://fastlane.gmblogs.com/about.html
(4) http://www.corporateblogging.info/2005/06/policies-compared-todays-corporate.asp
1. Follow the company’s rules of conduct (2)
2. You are personally responsible for what you blog about (2,4)
3. Tell the truth (3)
4. Link to online references (3,4)
5. Disagree with opinions respectfully (3)
6. Respect copyright (2,4)
7. Follow the law (4)
8. Be respectful to others (4)
9. Add value by having worthwhile information (2,4)
10. Add a disclaimer if topic related to work (2)
11. Keep corporate secrets (2,4)
With these simple rules, corporations can protect their image in their corporate blogs. Professional blogs can be helpful, but they also can put the company in a predicament. When a good blogging policy is implemented, a company can be assured that its blog will be of benefit to the consumer and to the company.
(1) http://blawgit.com/2008/03/27/your-corporate-blogging-policy/
(2) http://www.ibm.com/blogs/zz/en/guidelines.html
(3) http://fastlane.gmblogs.com/about.html
(4) http://www.corporateblogging.info/2005/06/policies-compared-todays-corporate.asp
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Professional Blogs
Professional blogs are very popular among small businesses and large corporations. Professional blogs can be an alternative for expensive websites. This is an excellent alternative for small businesses because they may not have the money to hire a web designer. Updating a blog is much easier and faster than updating a website because companies don’t have to tell their web designers the updates which save companies time and money. (1)
Blogs can help a company with its promotion and marketing by having information about its current and new products. Customers can also leave their thoughts about the new products that the company is developing. This can help the company decide whether or not to produce the product. The company can also have a news section in its blog that has news pertaining to the industry that the company is in. Another way that blogs can help a company is by having a section for frequently asked questions so that its main web account is less crowded. (2)
(1) Darrell Zahorsky, . "What a Business Blog Can Do For Your Small Business." About.com. Web. 15 Sep 2009. http://sbinformation.about.com/cs/ecommerce/a/bblogs.htm.
(2) Jennifer Kyrnin, . "How to Use a Blog for Non-Diarists." About.com. Web. 165 Sep 2009. http://webdesign.about.com/cs/weblogs/a/aa061603a.htm.
Blogs can help a company with its promotion and marketing by having information about its current and new products. Customers can also leave their thoughts about the new products that the company is developing. This can help the company decide whether or not to produce the product. The company can also have a news section in its blog that has news pertaining to the industry that the company is in. Another way that blogs can help a company is by having a section for frequently asked questions so that its main web account is less crowded. (2)
(1) Darrell Zahorsky, . "What a Business Blog Can Do For Your Small Business." About.com. Web. 15 Sep 2009. http://sbinformation.about.com/cs/ecommerce/a/bblogs.htm.
(2) Jennifer Kyrnin, . "How to Use a Blog for Non-Diarists." About.com. Web. 165 Sep 2009. http://webdesign.about.com/cs/weblogs/a/aa061603a.htm.
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