I have been doing some research on some of the things that will increase business to your site. One of the things that is highly recommended is to start a blog on your business site to increase traffic and business.

Has anyone successfully done this with their SCCP site? And what software did you use to do it?

I have looked at CC Flash Blogger but I don't think that I want flash for obvious reasons.

I haven't used SCCP to do this but adding a blog to your site will indeed increase the amount of hits that it receives. It's one of the best and easiest ways to increase your search engine ranking too. Just make sure to keep the contact relatively fresh.

Too early to comment on whether it has influenced sales yet, but I created a pro powered shop at the beginning of the year where I have separate 'landing pages' to bring folks into the shop, i.e. the shop is just one part of the site. I found that the easiest way to incorporate a blog, was by having a separate html page for it.

I also have other pages on my site to draw in the search engines. Everything is about content and bringing your site up in the results when people hit the right keyword. It is also about getting the right balance between informing your customers and boring them senseless, which is what many blogs unwittingly end up doing.

That is what I am afraid of doing.

Will, what software did you use to do your blog??

I use Serif for building my sites Steven, as it's what I feel comfortable using.

I used to create sites with Dreamweaver because of its tight integration with php, but I now use a Zend development environment for creating active page content with.

Some open source carts use a sidebox for incorporating a blog usually through Wordpress or similar and likewise some folks use Wordpress to build a site where the cart forms just one part of the site.

A lot depends on what you are selling, how often you introduce new products and if you have a presence at trade shows etc as to whether a blog will prove of interest to potential customers. Artists and craftspeople often use blogs successfully to tell folks what they are experimenting with and plans for future projects, but some business ventures seem intent on sending their customers to sleep.

Thanks Will.
So far what I have been able to research sends me toward Wordpress. Mainly because it is what my host server suggests that I use. Now I just need to do a lot of thinking and considering the impact it will have on my customers; is it what they want and will it help my business? Or hurt it, as you say.

I would really like to hear what others have to say about their blogs. Are they useful? Do you maintain them regularly or have you deleted them for some reason??

I've been through a lot of these things you're supposed to do to generate traffic. I created a blog using WordPress, a forum using phpBB, a photo gallery, and eventually a monthly newsletter. I published the newsletter for four years. It worked to a degree but would take me a week to put together. Considering what little income I did make through advertisements and product sales, it simply wasn't worth a week of my time.

I have learned that most people search the web looking for something in particular and will spend less than 3 minutes on a site. People already have their favorite blogs they follow and their favorite forums they participate in. It is difficult to start up a new blog and attract visitors that result in more sales. I'm not saying it can't be done, and it certainly would be worth trying, but just keep in mind it requires a lot of work and time.

I just recently finished reading a book called "Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability." Although it's focus is usability design and not blogging, I learned many things from it and recommend reading it.