Can You Blog Without a Business Blog?

Everyone has heard the term "blogging", though many still don't understand what blogging really is - or can be.

On a blog site, a person (or persons) share an opinion. The blog might be personal, or political, or professional. Sometimes a bit of each.

A blog post may be the beginning or continuation of a topic or opinion.  For the sake of this article, let's say the blog post author is talking.

But the author isn't the only one involved in the discussion. There are others.

These are the readers of the blog. Some are regular readers. Some find the blog post by a search engine result. For now, let's say the readers are listeners.

So now we have a picture in our minds of one person talking, and others listening. Each is an active participant in the conversation.

But what of the business that doesn't blog? Because they don't publish a blog, does that mean they can't be an active participant in the conversation?

With tools such as Technorati, BlogPulse and Google's Blog Search engine, combined with feed aggregators such as GreatNews or Bloglines, every business person should be an active listener.

Get Started Reading Feeds. Understand that Blogging Has Two Roles. If you're not at least listening to what's being said about you, your clients, your competition, your industry - I wonder if you're serious about your business.

Business Blogging is like a conversation. Some talk. Some listen. Talkers and Listeners.

Of course, there are some who ignore. What would we call them?

Taking an active role in business blogging doesn't mean you have to write a blog. But at least scoot up to the table and take a listen.

Photo on Flickr by greekadman