Has Blogging Become Another Sales Tool? Almost certainly the first question new Bloggers has is, "what do I Blog about? It's a common dilemma because as popularity increases curiosity also increases. There's a big gap between curiosity and actual application. Blogs are tools for expressional conversation. Even though this could encompass a multitude of subjects people wishing to make money are exploiting as avenues of expression. Grease The Palm It seems that in today's Internet world, every which way you turn someone has their hand out asking for money. The Internet is quickly turning into a commercial cesspool. Deception and outright lies are common place as there is no regulation or anyone to answer to. I grieve for a medium that could have been a great information vault, but alas, will never be anything more than another way to scam innocent people. Even Universities require you to be a alumni or payment for information. Many of these higher learning facilities are partially funded by taxpayer money yet are not open to the public. No more free expressionWhat happened to expression, friendship and connecting with people of like interest? Personal Bloggers realize the subject of their site is sharing personal experiences, so all information they decide to share is at their own discretion. This provides a common ground for people to meet and share important issues that may effect their life. Business Bloggers market productsThe business Blogger on the other hand, directs their subject toward selling the reader on their product or service. Their information is directed toward drawing the receiptant into a sales situation. Establishing creditability solely for the purpose of selling a product is deception in my opinion. Using Blogs for building confidence is nothing short of deception. Blogging has become infomercials. Some would say, "Blogging is a marketing and communication tool rather than a sales tool." I say, "hogwash." When the subject is directed toward a product it's no more than an infomercials and infomercials are sales tools. The whole purpose for informing is to soften the prospect for the sale. Trust me while I have my hand in your pocket.The mindset of a business Blogger is: "If they trust me, they are more willing to accept my word, as an authority, that a product of mine has value and is worth purchasing." That's right, most Blogging is all about the money. Blogging propaganda for salesFor the business Blogger, providing product propaganda is fair game, if presented as updates, news, tips or other types of information. There is no expression, no out-poring of the soul, only more sales hype. Like so many other medias the Internet has turned toward how to extract the most dollars from you. That's why social networks, chat rooms and forms came into being. But alas, even they have come under assault from the money grabbers. Who can you trust?Who can you trust? In today's world, no-one! Trust is a forgotten concept as is loyalty and reliance. Money has reshaped the thinking mind and produced grabbers, merchants of wares and money lures. Blogging has become just another medium that has fallen to the cunningness of merchants. What was sharing experiences has become fair game for the degradation of scruples. Blogging, Social networks, chat rooms and forums. Blogging, Social networking, chat rooms and forums have great potential when kept unpolluted and sincere. People need to exchange ideas and feelings with like people. They need to share experiences and victories as well as sorrows and tragedies with their fellow humans. They need to know that there people who share the same experiences as they do. Even though they may be different in nature, they are the same in purpose. Blogging, social networking and chat rooms are for reaching out to people for solutions to questions unanswered as well as sharing life's knowledge. Be careful of the wolves. There is a great need for knowledge on both personal and business levels but the two should be kept separate. Business should be restricted to business as personal should be limited to personal issues. For those who use the Internet to coerce people into buying a product keep the marketing above board and honest. For those who seek answers to personal questions, be on the watch for unscrupulous, hungry wolves in friendships clothing. Happy Trails