All the Social Media experts know it, but not too many of them talk about how important it is to have one. What am I talking about? Blogs of course… Anybody can have a Blog . You can grab a free blogger or wordpress Blog, they are readily available and easy to use.  

Its interesting  that most people with Blogs think of the Blog as being  totally different to Social Media Networks such Twitter, Facebook or MySpace. Don’t be fooled, believe it or not blogs are Social Media vehicles and the most important Social Media tool you have.

Recently we were able to talk to Ross Goldberg about Social Media, he told us that your Blog is the cornerstone of your product or business. In fact he said that  every Social Media activity that you use should be linked back to your Blog.

Why are Blogs so important? Why does Ross Goldberg refer to them as the cornerstone or your product and business. To help demystify the importance of your Blog, we would like to share 7 reasons why  your Blog is the most important piece in your Social Media strategy.

1. Content Is King!
   Your Social Media credibility is tied to the amount of content you provide.  To have a significant Social Media presence you must have a certain amount of  content. Blogs are a fantastic tool for creating lots and lots of relevant content. Each time you add a post you increase your Blogs  content creating a  smorgasboard of relevant content that Google and other  search engines love. Generally the more posts you have the  higher  your Blog will rank and the more Social Media  traffic you will get.
2. Desperately Seeking Answers
   Searching for answers is one of  the top 3 main reasons why people use the Internet. People use the search engines to find the answers to their most pressing questions. This is gives you,  the Blog owner a fantastic opportunity, by making sure that your Blog contains the answers to the most searched questions in your content you will attract traffic.  Blogs that have content designed to answer the most pressing questions that  people have in a particular niche can generate massive amounts of traffic for their business. 
3. Blog Stucture,
   The basic structure of a Blog makes it easy for visitors to find what they are looking for.  A Blog organizes your information  effortlessly for the benefit of your visitors. You divide your post topics into categories and subcategories so that your visitors find exactly what they want with minimal effort. They can move easily through the categories, post archives,  move from page to page or simply scroll down the posts.  Social Media is all about developing relationships with your visitors. The structure of a Blog facilitates an enjoyable experience for the visitor who will be likely to return and tell others about the Blog.  
4. Backlinking, Plugins, Pinging, RSS Feed, Comments
   The interactive nature of  Blogs is hard to beat. Plugins, Pinging, Backlinking, RSS Feed capability and the ability of people to add comments all contribute to its interactive nature.  Blogs have some neat  plugins that make SEO optimisation and interacting with other forms of  Social Media effortless. We at Social Traffic Espionage recommend and use the following plugins All in One SEO Pack, Sociable, Twitme. Also don’t forget to have and RSS feed button on your Blog.   
5. Hello World
   Blogs are universal. It’s a fact  that anybody who uses the internet can  access your blog. Social Media networks such as Twitter,  Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn  are accessible only when you join. A Blog allows you to achieve a potentially infinite number of customers for your business.
6. Create Instant and Comprehensive Information
   Posting on a Blog sends instantaneous  and comprehensive information to the web. Social Media networks such as Twitter,  Facebook, LinkedIn send instant information but cannot compete with a Blogs capacity for  comprehensive content.  Blog posts can be as comprehensive as necessary, include links, and  integrate with other Social Media networks.
7. All Roads Should  Lead To Your Blog
   The cornerstone of  your Social Media strategy is your Blog. All of your social media activities should be organised to link back to your blog. Your profiles on Social Media sites  such as  Facebook and Twitter should include a link back to your blog. Articles, YouTube videos, Podcasts should all include a link to your Blog.

By now I am sure you have got the picture, your Blog is the most important part of your Social Media strategy. If you don’t already have a Blog  start one today.  It’s that important.