We often preach the powers of blogging for business in these pages. We’ve seen dozens of clients transform their digital marketing by diving head first into blog creation and blog marketing. So we know that blogging can be good for your brand. But could it also be good for your soul? A new study says blogging could help eliminate stress, anxiety and depression — especially in teenagers.

According to the New York Times, a study published in Psychological Services, a mental health industry journal, finds that teenagers who blogged found comfort in the online community aspect of the platform and preferred it over the traditional venting in a journal or diary.

“To track teenagers’ experiences with blogging, the researchers randomly surveyed high school students in Israel and selected 161 of them (124 girls and 37 boys, a significant gender skew) who exhibited some level of social anxiety or stress,” Pamela Paul of the Times writes. “The teenagers, who averaged 15 years old, said they had difficult making new friends or relating to their existing friends.”

The teens were then split up into six groups.

“The first two groups were asked to blog about their social difficulties, with one group asked to open their posts to comments. The second two groups were asked to blog about whatever struck their adolescent fancy; again, with one group allowing comments. All four groups were told to write in their blogs at least twice a week. As a control, two more groups were told to keep either an old-fashioned print diary or to do nothing at all,” Paul reports.

Psychologists then combed over the blogs and responses and conducted interviews with the teen bloggers themselves.

“In all the groups, the greatest improvement in mood occurred among those bloggers who wrote about their problems and allowed commenters to respond,” Paul notes.

In short, talking about their problems and receiving comments back helped teens actually feel less tortured and more happy.

So can blog writing for your company make you, Mister or Miss Marketer Pants, feel better? Probably. Blogging about our company and the news stories that affect our industry is hopefully something we’re passionate about. Therefore, sharing our passions with others and engaging in the comments section about said passions can’t help but make us feel better. And for another thing, the increased visibility that blogging brings our brand is sure to put a smile on our faces. Lastly, knowing that our blogs are being read and starting discussions is certainly a recipe for happiness.

Perhaps you’re just dipping your toes into the blog creation and blog marketing pool. It might appear as though by blogging for your business, your blog probably wont be seen by very many people beyond your devoted group of followers. Maybe. But maybe not. Thanks to the easy practice of Twitter marketing, your blog could develop a long and far-reaching life — one that could even lead to big-time book deals.

Okay, so we can’t promise that people will want to buy your book based on your blog about shoe repair, but hey, crazier things have happened, right? In fact, we’ve seen dozens of writers and small brands catapult their blogs into big deals just by diligently using Twitter. Twitter, with its limited characters and lightening-fast results, takes well-read blogs and gives them the instant satisfaction treatment. Lots of super-popular blogging stars — like The Bloggess, for example — use Twitter to continue the conversations started on their blogs while chatting about new things that come up while live on Twitter. The Bloggess, thanks to her one-woman PR juggernaut on Twitter, has a hotly-anticipated memoir coming out this spring.

This pattern of blog to Twitter to book has become somewhat of a blueprint for new authors and wannabe Internet stars. So why couldn’t the brilliantly, witty thoughts you have on Twitter translate into a bestseller? But let’s say you don’t want to be the next David Sedaris; you just want people to find your blog and your company. Twitter can still totally help with that. Recently, I worked on a project with a staffing agency who wanted to use their blog to give job searching tips. I thought it was a great idea, but knew in order for the blog to get real traction, Twitter would have to be utilized. After some convincing, they now use Twitter to post new jobs, start conversations about career changes and direct folks back to their informative blog.

In the end, your company blog, even if it is about shoe repair, deserves to be read — and Twitter is a fantastic way to bring readers to you. And who knows… if you tweet with finesse, you could end up on the best seller list.

Stuck in a slump with your blog creation? Need some ideas before you embark on a blog marketing bonanza? Well, this blogtacular edition of our 5 Things You Might Have Missed is sure to inspire and entertain!

1.) Front & Main by West Elm: This blog is a great read. It’s filled with decorating and furniture ideas, proving your branded blog can sell your wares without being boring. Note the magazine-style look of Front & Main and the snappy copy, and then go infuse your own blog with the same effortless combo of style and information.

2.) Richard Branson’s Blog: Virgin’s rowdy and opinionated CEO blogs about company goings-on as well as his thoughts on hot global news stories. Branson is in love with social media and we love how his blog serves as a hub for keeping up with the busy billionaire online. Borrow some of Branson’s brashness to make your business blog stand out for having a personality.

3.) Standard Culture: Splashy and in your face, this blog looks more like an ad campaign for Italian jeans than a blog for a hotel chain. But since the hotel chain in question is The Standard, this blog fits its hipster-friendly brand like a glove. Standard Culture is a great reminder to make sure our blogs truly reflect our brand’s image.

4.) Lidia’s Italy Blog: Everybody’s surrogate Italian mama and one of NYC’s most prolific restaurateurs, Lidia Bastianich doesn’t overly update her blog. Some might argue that this is a problem (we tend to agree; of course, we update blogs for a living). But what is noteworthy about Bastianich’s blog and website in general is that the tone is informational and warm, just like the cooking goddess herself. Take away from this blog an aspiration to present the informational parts of your company in a more engaging way.

5.) Marc by Marc Jacobs: Minimal and sparse, you could call fashion guru Marc Jacobs’ blog pretentious… and you wouldn’t be wrong. But what’s great about it is the sleek and striking format that lets Jacobs and his brand messaging really shine. A teaspoon of Marc Jacobs’ minimalist style infused into our blogs would go a long way to inspire us to keep our blogs clean and easy to use.

We know how you roll: You tinker away 5 days a week at your blog creation. You come up with witty, wise and wonderful posts. You tweet and Facebook your blog on a regular basis. You feel like you’ve got this whole blogging-for-business thing wired shut. Yet there’s still something you don’t know: Who is your blog’s audience? And does it even matter?

Who your readers are does matter… mainly because you want to make sure the right people are reading your blog. By “the right people,” we mean audiences who share your same passions and rely on your expertise and hopefully want to buy whatever it is you are selling. Using your analytics tools that most blogging platforms offer is a good way to see who’s dropped by your blog and how many people a week lay their eyes on the darn thing. But to really get to know your readers, you have to talk to them. This is especially fantastic if your readers are other bloggers. Other bloggers know that commenting on your blog will get you to visit their blog and before you know it we’re all in the middle of a big blogger-to-blogger love-fest.

But beyond bloggers, who are your readers? Who do you write this for? If you write a blog about cooking to promote your line of baking accessories, for example, you would hope other foodie types are reading your blog. If those wannabe chefs aren’t dropping by your blog, however, you’d best go out and get them. Visit similar blogs, interact and invite audiences to come chat with you. Good blog marketing via social media and your own website will hopefully bring the audience of your dreams to you.

Taking some time to find out who your readers are will also help you develop topics they want to read and talk about. So on that note, readers, what’s on your mind? Tell us what tips you have for building and getting to know your blog’s audience. Sound off below!

In blog writing, there’s a teeny tiny line between engaging and inflammatory. On one hand, blogs written with the intention of starting a fight are a surefire way to get a reaction. Readers flock to strong opinions and love to leave their own in the comments section. A fiery exchange between bloggers and readers can put a blogger and his or her blog on the map. And while this is all well and good for sports fans, television junkies and armchair politicos, knock-down drag-out battles of words simply don’t work when blogging for business. But does that mean company bloggers have to be boring drones with no opinions? Heck no!

“Engage not enrage” is a good motto to blog by. Your business and brand has opinions, so don’t be afraid to express them. Just stay out of shark-infested waters: Be wary of topics that are known for boiling the blood of blog readers. These topics include politics, harsh opinions of a beloved celebrity and religious beliefs (which, P.S., have no place on a business blog unless you’re in the religion business).

Other times, we blog writers can be surprised by the response a seemingly benign post elicits. For example, I recently read an interesting blog about environmentally-friendly products that don’t hurt the ozone layer. Tame and informational, it looked like the last thing that would tick people off. Nevertheless, readers battled back and forth over the legitimacy of the underlying presupposition of the existence of a human-caused climate crisis. Those kinds of things you have no control over, and at least that writer had hundreds of comments on their blog, so it was still at least a partial success.

That said, as long as you’re respectful and it actually has something to do with your blog, debate your little heart out. The ability to interact calmly and politely with readers is a good one to hone. Plus by standing your ground on a cause that is close to your company’s heart, you show readers that your brand has conviction and an identity.

So to recap: Smack talking for the sake of talking smack = bad. Informed and respectful, lively debates = good! Now go out there give your readers a piece of your mind!

Forrester Research conducted a survey a while back about company blogs. Bad news first: Apparently readers don’t love them. In fact, participants in the survey said they don’t trust corporate blogs. The study, which looked at 90 blogs from Fortune 500 companies, described company blogs as dull, drab and unstimulating.

Ouch. We would take offense to such a gross over-generalization since we happen to be blogging for business experts… Except the sentiment is sort of true. Company-generated blogs are usually drably written and full of hooey about how great business is. I mean, boring, full of crap and untrustworthy are qualities we wouldn’t tolerate from friends — why should we expect readers to stick around for blogs that behave in the same manner?

Being trustworthy online is a big deal. In the sea of ads promising bigger paychecks, bigger social media followings and bigger body parts, brands that are real and tell it like it is stand out. Patagonia, Whole Foods and Starbucks are frequent faces on lists of the best corporate blogs. These brands take their information seriously while lightening up with their image. Mainly they come off knowledgeable and trustworthy. There isn’t a lot of posturing or posing from these brands. They are what they are, and they speak to followers of their blogs like their friends. Again, this goes a long, long way, especially considering our perception of corporate-generated blogs is not so pretty.

Other brands like Caterpillar use their blogs to reach out with knowledge about their products along with safety tips and updates. While even more beloved brands like Southwest Airlines and YouTube use their blogs to give an insight as to what happens at their companies, removing the shroud of secrecy and mystery between companies and followers.

Whatever approach businesses take, achieving trustworthy blog status really boils down to telling the truth, being reliable and being yourself.

When you’re blogging for business, comments on that blog are highly coveted. Comments help a blog’s search engine ranking and help bring people back to your site to continue a conversation. Sure, there’s a lot of spam you have to sift through, but in the end, bloggers want readers to respond to what they’ve written. Bloggers are writers and writers are egomaniacs and they want people to react to what they’ve written. I can say all this because I’ll freely admit to my own egotism as quick as I’ll tell you I’m a professional writer. But what’s the secret to getting comments?

SEO gurus and self-proclaimed social media marketing know-it-alls would like you to believe there is a precise formula for getting comments. Don’t believe them for a second. Those of us who work in the blogging trenches day after day know that the secret to blog comments is good content and interaction. The easiest thing you can do to get more comments on your blog is go read similar blogs in your field and make comments. Sounds simple, I know… but finding the right blogs to comments on takes time and research. After you’ve located your blogging comrades, open your mouth and give them feedback. Again, easy — but the results are amazing. Bloggers, especially longtime bloggers, know that the platform is a social one and by commenting back on your blog, they’ll be increasing their chances for new readers, too.

The added bonus of reading blogs by folks in your same industry? You might actually learn something while you’re meeting people who have the same career as you. It’s like a non-stop networking event, all without having to get dressed up and choke down bad appetizers. Establishing a healthy and informed back and forth with other bloggers also lets your non-blogging readers know that your blog has an opinion and you’re not too high and mighty to talk to readers. Comments are also a great place to answer questions about your company and what you do.

Yet the greatest weapon you have to get more comments is you. Your bad self, that fountain of personality in the mirror who sprinkles his or her genius on every blog is what will make readers comment. So share the love — put “you” in your content and in your comments and just sit back and watch the readers weigh in!

Shoulda. Woulda. Coulda. That’s how many of us feel at the end of a year. And nothing in online marketing brings out regret like blogging for business. We wish would have posted more. We wish our blog marketing strategy was better. We wish we had any kind of blog strategy, period. Well, that was then and this is now; in 2012 there are a few simple things you can do to lift your blog up to brilliant and regret-free heights.

If you want your company blog to be read, forwarded and liked, the first thing you have to do is write the damn thing. In order for a blog campaign to be a success, there has to be an actual blog for people to read. (I know… This is a groundbreaking idea!) Yet seriously, it is that simple and that hard. Blogs take creativity and inspiration and time. But mostly they need to be written — so your first blogging resolution is to write your blog (or get someone to write it for you). This is a resolution you should make and keep at least five days a week. After a few months of this schedule, you’ll notice your hard work paying off.

The second resolution is an easy one that you can practice all year long. Get people to read the darn thing. “But how?” you ask. Shamelessly promote your company blog with social media marketing. This solves two problems: fresh content for your social media pages and traffic for your blog. Link your blog in emails. Guest blog on other sites relevant to your industry. And have your co-workers and employees forward and post your brilliant blog, too. Blogs should get people talking about you and your brand and get them to your website. So the best way to grab readers is to blog about events, topics and people that folks want to read about.

If you’re new to blogging for business, there’s never a better time to start than right now. You won’t be a blogging sensation overnight, so take your time, have fun and blog fearlessly without regret.

As blogging-for-business experts, we see first hand the positive changes that can occur when a blog is introduced into a company’s online marketing strategy. Beyond the SEO shot in the arm and increased web presence a blog almost immediately gives when introduced, companies are given the confidence and opportunity to have a conversation with the people who buy their products and/or use their services. Now a new book suggest that blogging might also make you happier, too.

Blogging for Happiness: A Guide To Improving Positive Mental Health (And Wealth) From Your Blog by Ellen Arnison is the latest tome to preach the power of blogging. In an interview with STV.Tv, Arnison says she started her blog five years ago as an outlet to talk about her daily trials and tribulations of being a wife, mother and freelance writer. She says she turned to blogging as a source of comfort during challenging emotional times.

“Blogging for Happiness is a book that is about doing just that; writing online to make you feel better about what is going on around you,” she says. “I suffered a series of bereavements very close together and found myself drowning in a sea of emotions I could not contain. Writing them down and finding others who understood was fantastic therapy. I didn’t realize at first how much it was helping me break free from my depression but as the blog grew so did my confidence.”

The book also talks about the business side of blogging.

“It also explains the best way to try and make some money from your writing,” she adds. “Blogging is one of the fastest growing markets out there and there is plenty of room for more people to join in and tell the world about their lives.”

We think Arnison is on to something here. Blogging informative, well-written content isn’t only great for readers but has the potential to put a smile on our faces knowing that we’ve done our part to make the blogosphere a happier place.

I was fortunate enough to run off to New York City last week and take in some of the holiday sights and sounds from the city that never sleeps — and never stops marketing. NYC during the holidays is a great place to track the effectiveness of online branding, social media marketing and digital engagement. This mecca of consumerism and flashing lights long has relied upon good, old-fashioned marketing techniques for hundreds of years… and still does. From holiday windows to parades and old-timey outdoor holiday markets, the Big Apple has its feet firmly planted in Christmas Past. But, as I found, the holiday season in New York City in 2011 is also the most digital time of the year.

The windows of the world, according to Burt Bacharach, are covered in rain. But according to Bergdorf Goodman, the windows of the world are covered in sparkling, over-the-top decorations. As retailers die across the country, the concept of snazzy holiday windows seems out of touch. Yet in New York, the windows are a must-see tradition. Bergdorf’s is the premiere stop on the holiday window tour and this year’s display is no exception. With a nod to animal themes, the display designers used unusual materials to create an eye-popping winter fantasy.

But what does this have to do with digital marketing, you ask? Relax, I’m getting there. The store invited bloggers and fashion writers down to get a peek in late November, and by the time we arrived in NYC, buzz around the windows was at a fever pitch. Clearly, the 112-year-old retailer knows that if you want people to talk, alert the bloggers. And according to early numbers, the windows are paying off. Bergdorf’s has also been teasing Twitter followers with exclusive pictures of the stunning creations since they were unveiled.

Less successful were the Lady Gaga windows for Barney’s. The pop diva partnered with her visual collaborator Nicola Formichetti to create “Gaga’s Workshop,” a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory type of store within the department store. Turns out the $95 dollar chocolate shoes, Gaga magnet sets and saggy, sad, unfestive window creations didn’t inspire, but the use of Twitter certainly has. #GagaWish is the hashtag used in the final window where shoppers and Gaga fans alike are asked to tweet their holiday wishes. The wishes then appear on a huge space-age type of screen for all of NYC to see. It’s the fun “name in lights” kind of experience that fame-hungry Gaga lovers and tourists are eating up with a glitter-covered spoon.

Finally, the future of big brand holiday marketing can be seen at Saks Fifth Avenue. Last year, the company unveiled a one-of-a-kind digital mapping projection window that made headlines around the world. And this year, the giant snowflakes and bubbles are back and bigger than ever. It’s impossible not to feel the childlike magic of the holidays as you watch snowflakes fall from the side of Saks Fifth Avenue with the tree at Rockefeller Center in the background. Over the top and totally New York, the display uses technology that others across the globe are starting to copy.

All of these blasting and beautiful displays are proof that New York is still the center of creativity when it comes to marketing the holidays. And although most no one can spend millions on holiday displays, nearly everybody can take a bite out of the Big Apple’s digital marketing techniques.