Webs@Work

Blogging is fast becoming a business and jobs have emerged around blogs. Advertiser-supported mini media empires like Gawker and Weblogs are being built on the backs of bloggers. Some are reader supported, asking for donations and a link users can follow to make payments using PayPal and major credit cards.

This is an emerging area and opportunities aren’t limited to just writing a blog. It’s about how to set up the tech and understand the whole environment. Companies want you if you understand blogs and the software used to support them. The goal is to set up a blog, administrate and run it.

A business blog is a great online marketing tool that saves companies thousands of dollars and provides effective positioning of products in the market. It’s like a setup booth in the biggest trade show on earth everyday.

Blogging as a job has emerged as companies see the Web as an important communications venue. While some companies are hiring full-time bloggers, others are adding blogging duties to existing marketing or Web-editing positions.

Blogs allow firms to communicate with customers rather than the PR speak of static Web pages. Readers are often invited to post comments. As blogs have matured, they have also become a communications tool. As blogs gain in popularity, employees who can blog or have the technical expertise to support them are in demand.

Companies are looking for candidates who can write in a conversational style about timely topics that appeal to customers, clients and potential recruits. The notion of a corporate blog is a bit of a contradiction, with some paid bloggers getting a long leash.

A few Web sites, including ProBlogger and Performancing, cater to bloggers and include job opportunities. The article How Bloggers Make Money from Blogs is an excellent introduction to the concept of monetizing your blog. Another way is writing for other Blogs in Blog Networks, which are networks of bloggers in which bloggers get paid for their postings.