If you are a regular reader of my blog, you will understand that I am a big proponent of business blogging. Personally, I am not such a big fan of personal blogging, but to each his own.

I believe that business blogging can provide some significant opportunities for sales and marketing that are often not considered. In my post titled “Expose yourself a little” I talked about how business blogging can provide a level of transparency in your business. I recognize that many companies really don’t understand the benefits of being transparent to customers… but I don’t really think that is the reason why companies don’t blog.

One thing that I have noticed about business blogging is that most business blogs that are company sanctioned appear to be very well rehearsed. It is obvious they have taken the time to proof-read (or at least often that is obvious). They will often take the time to make sure that the wording matches their marketing message. Often, it looks like very dry marketing information.

The reason I think that businesses don’t blog on a regular and consistent basis isn’t the tools, isn’t the transparency and isn’t the fact that they think three or four people have to reveiw it before it gets posted.

I think the reason is it is too hard to come up with fresh, new content. It is too hard to simply be disciplined in writing. It is very time consuming.

I understand this. If you look at my blog, you will notice that my blog posts reduced in quantity about two months ago (hopefully not in quality). It wasn’t because I changed my philosophy on blogging. It wasn’t because I have less to say. The reason I have reduced my blog writing is simply because I have run out of time.

Two months ago, I started a new business venture (three actually). I spend so much time with web development, website content writing, business management, strategy meetings, financial planning meetings, client discussions, etc. that I simply don’t have the time I’d like to devote to writing.

The fact is, I see the value in writing my blog (in fact, the majority of my current business can be directly related to the writing of my blog). Because I see the value in the blog, I make time to write… even if I have to stay up a little longer to get something written.

Most businesses don’t see any value in business blogging. They can’t see an immediate return on investment, so they simply don’t want to take the time. When I started blogging about 8 months ago on this particular site, I didn’t see any immediate return on investment, but I do now.

Until business managers are willing to look beyond the way they have always done something and try something new, business blogging won’t be mainstream.

I am seeing more and more businesses start blogs. I am curious to see the form it will take in the next few years. Will businesses blog because it is expected or because they truly have something to say?

We’ll see.

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Corey Smith is a co-founder of Resumango where you can build a better resume for free. 

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