Twice a week I get to address anyone that is willing to listen, er read, via this blog. We started the Revenue blog back in November 2004 for a variety of different reasons. It’s a great way to interact more with our growing readership and potential subscribers. It lets me spew some hopefully insightful (or at least mildly entertaining) information. And let’s not kid each other; it helps promote our brand – Revenue.

We are certainly not alone in taking this tact. Business Week recently ran a cover story on how “Blogs Will Change Your Business,” and other mainstream publications such as The New York Times are also very closely following the trend of companies attempting to use blogging as a way to establish and maintain strong, mutually beneficial relationships with customers, partners, employees and other key audiences.

While many industry watchers pondered the effect blog had on the presidential election in 2004, the rise of blogs at business was flying under the radar. Until now. You can’t swing a dead cat without running across a research group or an analyst that isn’t predicting an explosive growth for blogging and especially business blogging.

Savvy affiliates have already gotten on the blogging bandwagon and know that the cost of blogging is lower than that of other marketing media. Affiliates also know blogs are a great way to experiment, to test new ideas, or to reach narrow niche markets.

Affiliates seem to have caught on to what others have missed – blogs are a new medium and they should not be compared with traditional journalism or big media. There is plenty of room for both to exist.

I’m working on an article for our Fall Issue about affiliates and blogging. It’s been one of the most fascinating topics that I’ve researched and reported in a long time. I’d love to hear your stories about blogging. lisap@revenuetoday.com