What is a blog? You’re reading one right now! A blog (short for the term “web log”) is a type of website where someone posts news, photos, videos, or other content on a regular basis. The newest posts are displayed at the top, so that visitors will see what’s new when they first visit. Posts can be filed into different categories, and visitors can browse through previous content, which is automatically archived as new posts are added.

If you have enough to write about, a blog alone can be an entire website for an individual or a business! It can also be used as a supplement (as this blog is) to add fresh content to the site, keep customers updated, and bring in new traffic.

Blogs are not “just for kids” to use like public diaries for their friends to read. Many businesses are taking advantages of blogging software to promote their products and services, announce specials, and answer questions for new and potential customers.

How can a blog help your business? Keep reading!

A blog can keep your website up to date.

Sure, your website has a lot of valuable information about your business. But your clients (and search engines) have already seen it. So why come back to visit?

Adding new content to your website not only gives your clients a reason to come back – it shows them that your business is still succeeding. It provides assurance for existing (and potential) customers that you’re still doing your job, you’re still accepting business, and your doors are open for them.

A blog lets you add content yourself!

That’s right – no need to call your website designer when you want to update your blog! You can add text, photos, videos, even upload mp3 music files directly to your blog through an easy-to-use admin control panel.

Add formatting:

• bold font
• italicized content
• custom font colors and sizes
• and bulleted lists

to your blog posts with just the click of a mouse. It’s very similar to using Microsoft Word. If you can type and use your mouse, you can keep your blog updated whenever you want, from any computer with an Internet connection. You can even update your blog using your cell phone!

Plus, every time you add a new post you will be generating more content for Search Engines to scan through. Keywords and instant search engine optimization you can do yourself. File your blog posts into categories, add links to other pages on your website (or to other websites), and be seen!

A hosted blog brings more traffic to your website.

Hosting a blog on another domain is one of the biggest mistakes a business can make. Sure, you can set up a free blog at Blogspot, Wordpress, or elsewhere – but doing so will be sending your visitors away from your website, and they will be more likely to wander off and never return. Plus, you’ll be sending the search engines there as well.

The purpose of blogging for your business is to promote your products, your services, your company … your website. Put your blog where it belongs: at Your-Website-Dot-Com.

If you already have a blog and would like to transfer it to your domain, Iceberg can help you export the content from your existing blog and set it up on your new hosted blog. You can even redirect your old blog’s address to send current followers to your own website.

A blog encourages customers to be part of your business.

When your clients are actively engaged in your business, they will be more likely to turn to you than to one of your competitors. Remind your customers of new products or services, promote sales, and offer customer discounts via your blog. Ask for feedback or comments – what do they want from your business? What new products or services have they seen that you could offer?

What are you waiting for?

Existing Iceberg clients: For a limited time, we are offering an incredible special on custom blog setup. For just $90 we will set up a blog on your domain with a custom design (matching your current website design). Start blogging in just 24 hours – guaranteed! Click here for complete details.

Not an Iceberg client? We can still work with you to set up a blog on your own domain. Contact Iceberg for details on setting up a new domain for your blog. We have pre-designed templates that we can work with, or we can create a custom blog design just for your business. Contact Iceberg for a quote on your new Blog project!

This project features custom website design, a dynamic slideshow on the home page, and quick links to featured products. We also provided a matching design for their Blogger account – you can visit that site at http://dotandlil.blogspot.com.

This E-Commerce website is powered by Iceberg’s custom installation of osCommerce, which is open source online shopping cart software. Our custom installation includes many of the most popular osCommerce contributions, and a completely redesigned Admin area which enhances the user experience and makes adding products and managing page content a snap for our clients.

Please take a few minutes and visit the new Dot & Lil website at www.DotAndLil.com – you may just find something to pamper yourself with, or that perfect Valentine’s Day gift.

If you are interested in selling your products or services online, contact Iceberg to see how we can help make your website work for YOU! We have a fully functional demo site including an admin area that you can test. Just contact us for the link and login credentials!

We rolled out a new design for Sentinel Products this week. The site showcases products in a scrolling box on their home page, and features a dynamic menu in their product listing section that displays links based on what category you are browsing.

You can visit their new website at http://www.senpro.com.

The Iceberg Penguin is all dressed up for the holidays this year, and is anxiously waiting to unwrap those presents!

Our office will be closed December 24th-27th, and New Year’s Day.

Thank you for your business and support in 2009! We send warm wishes for a wonderful holiday season to everyone, and we are looking forward to working with our current website clients and on new website projects in 2010.

Last week we set up a new photography blog for a client in Scotland: Fig & Pen. The blog name is inspired by her Nissan Figaro car and Olympus Pen camera: she enjoys traveling around Scotland in her Fig, taking pictures with her Pen – and now she has a blog where she can share her photos online.

The blog is very clean and simple, with a few little plays on the title. The clean layout draws attention to the photos – exactly the way it should.

Blog design is one of our favorite projects – there are so many neat widgets and features that can be displayed on a blog, and it is exciting to see site transform as the client adds content and makes it their own. Check out the new Fig & Pen photoblog at www.FigandPen.com. If you are interested in setting up a blog for yourself, drop us a line! We’d love to help you with the project!

Beli Elements is a home-based business located in Southeast Wisconsin. They sell candles, lotion, and creams and now have their products online using a customized installation of Iceberg’s E-Commerce software.

The website design originally started as a purchased template, though we made quite a few modifications. The original template had three columns, and we re-worked the design and stylesheet to allow more space for product listings and photographs. We also changed some of the graphics, added their logo, and jazzed up the product listing and navigation a bit.

The website features a discount coupon system, real time USPS shipping quotes, and an easy-to-navigate admin area for the store owner to quickly manage her products and inventory. You can visit them online at www.BeliElements.com.

Visit our e-commerce solutions page to see how we can help expand your sales market with an online shopping cart!

Iceberg launched a new E-Commerce website at the beginning of this week: Off We Go Rocketry!

This is the first in a series of three e-commerce websites Iceberg has set to launch – er, go live – in December. Our e-commerce websites are powered by osCommerce, an open source shopping cart system. We have been working with osCommerce for more than five years, and we now have a highly-customized, custom installation that makes it a breeze for our clients to take advantage of some of the most popular osCommerce features.

The Off We Go Rocketry website is set up in a way that allows the business owner to keep his website pages, content, products, and prices updated from the comfort of his own computer – without needing to know any HTML code or PHP scripting. The site also features a discount coupon feature – contact Off We Go for a coupon code to take advantage of their 15% Grand Opening Sale!

Are you thinking about selling your products online? Click here to see some of the e-commerce websites we have set up for our clients. We even have a working demo – contact us for the demo link and Admin login access!

Historic downtown Anoka is a premiere shopping destination with some of the most progressive and unique shops that the Twin Cities metro area has to offer. Rediscover Anoka is a merchant group dedicated to promoting businesses in the City of Anoka, Minnesota.

Their website features a fresh new design, an online photo gallery, and a news blog. The site is powered with a content management system, which allows members of the organization to add content and keep the site updated easily.

You can visit the new Rediscover Anoka website at www.RediscoverAnoka.com.

And, you’ve probably already noticed … we decided to dress up the website as well. We’ve added a few new features and pages, including an area for clients to pay your invoice.

We think the new design is refreshing, and easy on the eyes. Mostly though, we just felt it was time for something new. Web design is our passion, and by giving our own website a new look from time to time, we hope to inspire you to do the same.

Contact us today, or click here to receive a free quote if you are interested in a refreshing new website design or simply changing the color scheme on your current site. Or… maybe your logo would like a witch hat or some turkey feathers next month!