I’ve heard people dismiss blogs as a fad, not worth all the effort, and discount their power because of “everyone on Myspace has a blog.”

Since creating this blog I have learned first hand just how useful blogs can be.

First, blogs are easy to get links to. If you are still bulk mailing the generic old link-exchange requests then I recommend you download and install Wordpress today.

Second, if your blog deals with a market that is filled with products be prepared to get free stuff. Right now innovative internet companies understand how important blogs are for free PR and buzz marketing. If you have an expensive hobby having a blog might not make you a millionaire, but it can be a gateway to trying out cool new stuff.

The biggest reason you should have a blog right now is because many blog markets are still very young. I have noticed that even in certain markets saturated by blogs (100+) there are virtually no high quality blogs.

As a publisher you can treat your blog like a business. Daily updates combined with existing content sites can give you a big edge on your competition.

Yes, there is a lot of hype about blogs — but that doesn’t mean you should ignore them.