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Although most bloggers try to avoid the issue and appear as purists, the act of blogging is generally driven by a desire for visibility or share of voice in a given industry or topic. Some blogs are focused on a personality, like Guy Kawasaki’s How to Change the World, while others, like Ad Rants, keep their primary bloggers, in this case Steve Hall, behind the curtain. It’s a decision every blog and blogger needs to make eventually. Is your content the primary value of your blog or do you want to be Internet famous?
The embedded Gary Vaynerchuk video explores this topic a little deeper. Maybe you have no real interest in being the Run DMC of your particular industry but it’s important to know that there is a tremendous opportunity for personal brands in the current Web 2.0 blogosphere. Yes, Jonathan Schwartz would be an industry leader regardless of whether or not he blogs but when you type his name into Google you get his blog and relevant industry insights as opposed to some historical bio. Which of those would you want to shape your reputation?
I think that people who have been immersed in this industry since the dot-com boom sometimes forget how young it is and how much share of voice is still very much up for grabs. Sure, nine times out of ten the domain name for that idea you had has already been taken but chances are it’s still sitting there empty. There’s plenty of room for new ideas and many of the people that will shape the future of online media are just getting started right now.
Sure, a blog can help your client’s brand index better on Google and sell more products but it can also turn that quiet CEO of yours into LL Cool J. Well, sort of.
