Over the past several weeks I've been reading everything I can get my mouse on about blogging. There are thousands of blog posts containing lists of  reasons why business owners should have a blog. Most of them mention that blogging about what you know will establish you as an expert in your field. This brings up an important question: Should you write from the point of view of an "expert", or should you write about your experiences as you go through the learning process?

Writing for the Chitika Blog Bash, Wendy Piersall from eMoms At Home writes,

"Many great blogs are ‘learning’ blogs – the author writes about what they are learning rather than what they already know. But whatever you write about, it’s important to have real-life experience behind your posts. Hollow writing makes for a hollow readership."

One of the things I've learned in my reading is that one of the most compelling reasons for a business owner to have a blog is to create a community where real conversations can take place between the business owner and her customers. A blog can bridge the communication gap that often exists with a more traditional static web site alone. If you decide to start a blog to create a more personal relationship with your readers, then (like any relationship) honesty must be foremost on the list of what to bring.

With that in mind, it makes the most sense to me to throw away the mantle of "All Knowing Expert" and don the more comfortable "Guy who is taking the time to learn about web technology and sharing this acquired knowledge with his customers" one. Hopefully by sharing my experiences as I go, I can shed some light for those who are trying to promote their small business web sites.