To blog or not to blog? That is the question you must answer when developing a website.

To win with blogging, says Cara Crosetti, Los Angeles-based account director and web specialist with Wickware Communications Inc. of Toronto, requires planning and a serious commitment.

“A blog is important because it offers fresh content,” Crosetti says. “You’re saying that you’re a stable business. ‘Keep me on your radar and remember me’.”

Crosetti offers the following suggestions to help you promote your business through a blog:

> Make it part of a one-stop shop
The best way to utilize a blog as part of your toolkit is to integrate it within your website. While many separate blogging sites are available online, hosting your blog with your overall URL ensures that all traffic is driven back to your own page.

This strategy will help you consolidate your online presence into one hub and give your site more credit with search engines.

> Originality matters
In the world of blogging, Crosetti says, content is king. You must continually come up with new ideas that are useful year-round a well as timely, seasonal offerings.

Never copy content on your blog from another site — that’s a huge intellectual no-no. Each post should focus on one specific topic, run about 300 words and, if possible, include a photo.

Keep it simple, so as to avoid overwhelming your readers with information.

Consider identifying and using keywords, so people searching online can easily locate your post to help them solve a problem. Befriending the search engine is always a good idea.

> Don’t blog blind
Many web analytical tools are available that can tell you which of your posts is generating the most interest within your audience.

Taking advantage of this technology will help you develop more ideas that will attract more visitors to your site. Think of it as knowing how the sausage is made — but in the case, you actually want to know.

> Don’t give up
Plan to blog frequently, Crosetti says, but at a pace you will be able to maintain without feeling overwhelmed. Note that consistent blogging is better than posting sporadically; set a schedule that works for you.

For example, if you make only one blog post per week, that adds up to 52 posts per year, which is a significant volume.

“Don’t abandon your blog and give up,” Crosetti says. “Consistency is important because it shows that you follow through.”

> Blog frequently
Hubspot, a marketing software company based in Cambridge, Mass. that studies web traffic, says sites that publish two to three times per week acquire 69% of their clients from their blog. That percentage increases to roughly 90% for sites that publish daily.

“Like all things in life, it’s not rocket science,” Crosetti says. “But it requires your valuable time to do it right.”

This is the final article in a four-part series on developing a web strategy.

For more on search engines, visit: http://www.investmentexecutive.com/-/stand-out-in-a-web-search