I once had a lengthy conversation with a mentor who was considering starting a blog for his financial services company. His concerns naturally revolved around whether blogging would pay off in sales and conversions for his firm. It’s always difficult to say what direct and indirect impact a blog may have on someone’s profession or on the amount of business a company gets, because the results of a blog are largely dependent on the amount of time and effort the writer is able to put into it. Additionally, some bloggers don’t do it for the money—sometimes writers just want to establish their personal brand online or promote their book, for example, and they may not have the ability to measure financial conversions directly.

Two things are certain: a blog definitely increases an organization or individual’s “findability” and, if used properly, can also establish the writer as an important authority in his or her field.

Read the rest of this entry »