On Friday I had a prospective client ask me this question, “What do you get from your blog?”
My answer was quick and certain…”I get a website that’s alive.” And that’s exactly what I think I’ve gained from blogging – a website that’s alive.
Static websites are just that – static. Most often for small businesses static translates to stagnant. Stagnant websites are rarely engaging to read, they don’t offer your prospects a way to interact with you, and they seldom truly display the type of service your clients get from you. Worse yet, the content is usually out-of-date because they’re often not easy to update.
So, in essence, static websites are often (but not always) dead. Even if they’re drawing business.
But blogs are alive. Like vegetables growing in the garden, they need sunlight, water and nourishment to grow and thrive. And when they do, they provide an endless potential to feed new clients into your business.
How is your blog alive…or, what do you get from your blog?Â
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My name is Dawud Miracle and I'm a 
16 responses so far ↓
I get a challenge to my thinking, a place for learning, people who make laugh, who interact, who inspire, and conspire, and aspire right alongside me.
Community.
Liz,
Thanks Liz. I always love your insights. I’m finding similar qualities from my readers/commenters as well.
Any thoughts on how you’ve grown you community?
Dawud,
That seems to be the question of the day. A high-trust encironment where no answer is ever silly or wrong. Lots of room for everyone to be the expert.
Liz,
Yeah, I know. I can’t resist. Your blog gets lots of ‘play.’ I know that they way to build community is first great, engaging content. That’s the foundation of it all, is it not?
I like the garden metaphor. And it is alive. I have a real relationship with my blog. And like a gardener, I need to know more than just sticking a seed in the ground. I need to know planting schedules (4-5 posts a week for me right now), the right soil composition (2 personal post, 1 reference or review, 1 carnival post and 1 interview = a good mix).
And I need to cross pollinate (comments and links) and preserve heirlooms (keep refining my original voice).
How’s that for milking a metaphor for all it’s worth!!
Another thought – I think my blog has brought life to the static website it lives with. So it is a critical element in the website.
Dave,
Yes, and yes. Bringing life to your static content is exactly one thing I think a blog can do. I also know that blogging helps clients engage their audience, which can breathe life into their entire business.
Dave and Dawud,
I like the part where it breathe life into the blogger.
Liz and Dawud – you’re right! It does breathe life into the blogger. The more I write, the more I connect with my audience, the more I develop my voice. From me to them to me and back. There is this loop isn’t there?
Liz,
Thanks. This is simply the way I see blogs – as breathing life into a rather stagnant website experience.
Dave,
You got it man! I have the same experience. And it just keeps being refined – and more fun.
I get a bowl of spaghetti (see my comment on: http://middlezonemusings.com/a-light-in-the-darkness/)
But don’t really agree with the fact that a static website (our own company’s one for instance) is stagnant, I’m afraid. Depends (again) on lay-out, logic and ‘calls for action’ from/to the visitor.
Even a blog that doesn’t entice to ‘communicate’ with becomes stagnant even though a post is posted every day.
Karin H.,
I’m not saying all static websites are stagnant. There are a number of static websites I’ve designed that certainly are quite active (read: alive). This is usually because the site/business owners have actively engaged in the growth and development of their site and their business.
Yet, the tendency with many small business owners don’t use their websites effectively to grow their business. That’s what I mean by a ‘stagnant static site.’
I stand (as ‘active and website developing’ business and website owner) corrected
Karin H.,
Oh, not corrected. I’ve just had the good fortune of redirecting a number of my clients to really ‘using’ their websites as opposed to just letting them ‘sit there’ and expect results.
Sorry Dawud, I’m sure everyone will get used one day to my ‘double Dutch’ English (I hope so
)
What I really meant was: I agree with you on your statement that ‘static’ business websites don’t have to be stagnant when the business owner gets involved with the site.
(Like I did and that turned into a – profitable – hobby)
Karin H.,
‘Double Dutch English…,’ thanks for the good chuckle.
Yeah, static websites serve a purpose that I’m still not convinced social media is ready to replace. And, as we’ve talked about, it’s important to treat your static site as a part of your business that needs nurturing.