One, blogs build rapport with your audience. A blog is a social site people visit expecting to engage in conversation with the blogger. Other sites speak to or at readers, but bloggers speak with and for them.

So don't try to sound academic or corporate with your posts. Such matter-of-fact or emotionless writing separates you from your audience. It gives the impression that you are different from them, but you want to show you are just like them.

To show you are like them and help develop that important connection, write with passion. Be a real person with real feelings who enjoys engaging in conversation with likeminded people. This creates relationships and attracts people to you.

Two, blogs show your personality. With a blog, you have the opportunity to write the way you talk. If you're funny, be funny. If you're sarcastic, be sarcastic. In other words, just be yourself. You still get to be the expert in your niche, but a blog gives you the chance to be the expert with a little personality.

You also have a bio section to showcase your personality. Include fun, quirky, real stuff about you here to show you're just like your audience. When they can relate to you as a person and not just as an expert, they're more likely to want to buy from you.

Three, blogs allow interaction with your target market. Not only can you converse with people, you can post questions that readers can respond to in an instant. By asking what problems and frustrations your readers are facing, you can determine what they want.

When you know what your target audiences wants, you can go out and get it for them or create it yourself. Then you can watch your sales skyrocket as you give them exactly what they asked for. And if you are able to fulfill their desires, they'll keep coming back to you for more.

Four, blogs are rich in content. Search engines love content. They also love sites that are updated regularly. So the more you post, the better chances you have of getting a higher ranking in the search engines.

Five, blogs are easy to Digg. If a Digg user likes your post and thinks others should read it as well, he'll Digg it. When he submits your post, a summary of it along with a link to your blog will appear on the Digg website.

This is a great place to be considering Digg attracts millions of people each day. And if some of those people also like your story, they'll Digg it. The more Diggs you get, the higher ranking you get. As your ranking increases, so does the traffic to your blog.

Six, blogs give you a position of power among the press. Thanks to blogging, you no longer have to be an anchor on CNN, CBS, ABC, FOX or NBC to have your voice heard. You also don't have to write for the NY Times or operate with a huge advertising budget to spread your ideas.

You can create a platform for yourself just by writing and regularly posting to your blog. When you're a blogger, you become part of the press. As long as you post great content, your ideas have a great chance of spreading.

Seven, blogs enhance your credibility. Credibility is a key selling point in any field. When people believe in a product, they buy it. But when they believe in the person, they become loyal customers for life.

Your blog gives them the opportunity to believe in you, the person behind the product. This is perhaps the single most important factor in growing your business and increasing traffic. Because when you have loyal customers, you have a successful business.

Eight, blogs attract JV partners. The best way to attract great JV partners is to BE a great JV partner. And you can use your blog to help you become a great JV partner.

Some things you can do include posting reviews of affiliate products, posting interviews with possible partners or exchanging links with other sites. Remember, blogs are relationship-building tools. Use yours to build relationships with JV partners as well as your target audience.

Nine, blogs are easy to update. Complex code and fancy web designs are nothing you have to deal with when updating your blog. All you have to do is type and click. Sharing your thoughts with the world couldn't be any simpler than doing so with a blog.

And ten, blogs are fun! If blogging was boring and useless, millions upon millions of people wouldn't be using them to communicate every day. So get in on the fun and get others talking about your blog.

When others are talking, your ideas are making a positive difference in people's lives. And helping people is really what blogs are all about.