Are Blogs Personal, Business or Both?

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Comment by Serina Kelly on October 14, 2009 at 8:28am

Thanks Robby for the comment - enjoyed reading your blog. I always learn something interesting!

Comment by Robby Slaughter on October 10, 2009 at 12:50pm

It's no surprise to hear Serina Kelly (a former mental health professional) offer a subtle reminder that compartmentalization is probably not too healthy. There's no such thing as a "personal" or "business" blog--- people write about what matters to them.

It's of course possible to censor yourself, and Bill's recommendation to avoid religion and politics is generally wise. But then again, the Groucho Marx Principle applies. Would you really want to do business with someone who would judge you for having different political, social or religious opinions? By sharing your personal beliefs, you give people the opportunity to disqualify themselves. That might be the greatest benefit of blogging overall.

I wrote about this topic in "Truth in Unplanned Advertising" a year ago on my personal blog:
http://www.robbyslaughter.com/blog/?2008-09-26

Comment by Serina Kelly on October 9, 2009 at 7:41pm

Thanks Bill for the comments! I find when someone writes on such volatile topics, such as politics, I think many times they want reaction from others to stir the pot - thinking any publicity and attention is better than none at all, but I know personally if it is too far on one side, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. This would keep me from getting to know them better and seeing how I can help them grow their business.

Thanks again for the comments!

Comment by Bill Bean on October 9, 2009 at 7:29am

Everyone's situation is a little different so one of the best things someone can do before they start blogging is get some advice from a few others (your advice here is great).

I do think it's safe to say that most small business owners who decide to weave in some of the personal side should avoid volatile topics and arguments on their business sites about things like religion and politics. Nothing good can come from that, unless you only want to do business with customers on one side of an issue.

Two main things I like to keep in mind: be helpful and be strategic.