Now though, things are changing. The more that businesses have taken to the online arena, the more that each company ? whether a small home-based business, a slightly larger small business or even a major corporation ? needs to do in order to set itself apart from the competition.

A company blog is an effective tool for doing just that: and that's the first reason why you should have a company blog. A company blog enables you to reach out to current and prospective clients, to add content to your website on a daily basis and to open up a dialog with your customers.

This dialog allows you to be genuine, to just talk with your current and prospective clients about what your company does, what it has to offer and why your products or services would benefit them. In a company blog, you're able to show your personality, interact with those people who will use your products or services.

With your company blog, you'll be able to establish a trust based relationship ? and that's the second reason why you should have a company blog. By explaining the benefits of a product or service ? real benefits that customers can see for themselves by reading your posts ? you won't just be selling. Instead, you'll be able to offer them something that they need.

When they recognize this need within their lives ? either business or personal lives ? your company blog will have served its third purpose: establishing credibility. When you are able to use your company blog to explain the benefits of a product or service, and your readers recognize that they can count on your information. If they can count on your information, they'll know that they can count on your business, your products and the services that you offer.

Once your customers have read your company blog and know that they can count on you, you'll come to the fourth reason why you should have a company blog: it enables your clients or customers to provide feedback. Every business can benefit from unsolicited testimonials.

When you've made a company blog post about a product and service that delivers even more than you promise, you'll find that your regular readers and customers will comment on your blog. Others who are reading your blog, then, will be able to find even more details, more information and more reasons to purchase your products and services.

This sense of community is the fifth reason why your company ought to have a blog. All over the world, online communities form around products and services. You'll find sites dedicated to particular sports cars, computer brands, antiques, hobbies or vacation spots: shouldn't your company be able to benefit from this type of community?

With a well-written blog to support your company, your products and your services, you'll find that you have an effective marketing tool: community support. Your company blog will enable you to communicate, to connect and to inform and your customers will have a place where they can interact, ask questions, get answers and find additional products or services to meet their needs.