As a small business owner you might be asking yourself, “If I have a website, do I need a blog too?”

I’ve put a lot of thought into this and in short, yes!

There are a countless number of benefits to having a blog but most of them can be lumped up into two categories: SEO* (search engine optimization) and Sales.

What are the SEO benefits of having a blog for a small business?

- Increase in traffic to your site

- Increase in incoming links to your site

- Increase in search engine visibility

How can a blog increase my small business sales?

The most important thing that a blog can do for your small business is build your credibility.

By providing your blog readers with useful tips, information or inspiration you are letting them know that you are trying to genuinely help them out, not just trying to sell them a product or service.

I hope you found this small article informative. Keep an eye out for more articles on small business blogs.

* If you’re in search of a book to learn more SEO and how you can apply it to your site or blog, we recommend Search Engine Optimization: An Hour a Day.

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WOW!

I think the Carolina Pad giveaway has been our most successful giveaway to date.

189 entries in less than 48 hours!

But who can blame you? Carolina Pad’s new Studio C collections are sooo fun and functional!

And the winner is…

Stacey from Tree, Root and Twig!

Thank you all for entering! And remember that you can purchase Carolina Pad’s new Studio C collections at at stores nationwide like Wal-Mart, Target, Staples, Office Max, Michaels, CVS and more!

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Martha Stewart has teamed up with Deluxe for Business and together they are hosting a sweepstakes for small business owners.

You could win:

- A logo created by Martha Stewart Designers and Deluxe

- The opportunity to debut your logo in Notebook- Martha Stewart Living’s promotional page.

- Free website design and hosting for 1 year

- Free SEO

- One-year subscription to EasyContact by Deluxe email marketing

- $500 in promotional products/apparel with your new logo

So what are you waiting for? Enter now!

Carolina Pad sent us tons of products from their new line Studio C for review and they are drop dead gorgeous! I would have loved to have these when I was in school. Lucky for me, Sophia doesn’t go to school yet so I am keeping these for myself and using them for my at-home business.

Studio C collections are available in stores nationwide for back-to-school and can be purchased at Wal-Mart, Target, Staples, Office Max, Michaels, CVS and more!

There collections include:
Hot Chocolate
Techno
Royal Twist
Zensational
Sasquatch
Dreamsicle

Enter to win:

• 1-subject notebook
• 2-pkt folder
• 1” Binder
• Composition book
• Ideal Book
• Journal

How to Enter:

Mandatory entry: Follow The {Wannabe} WAHM publicly on GFC or Subscribe via RSS to The {Wannabe} WAHM and leave a comment letting us know that you do.

Extra entries:

- ‘Like’ Carolina Pad on Facebook (1 entry)

- ‘Like’ Studio C by Carolina Pad on Facebook (1 entry)

- Follow Carolina Pad on Twitter (1 entry)

- ‘Like’ The {Wannabe} WAHM on Facebook (1 entry)

- ‘Like’ The {Wannabe} WAHM on Twitter (1 entry)

- Tweet about this giveaway. (You can tweet as many times as you want but tweets must be at least 1 hour apart)

Who loves @carolinapad? WE DO! Enter to #win tons of products from the new Studio C collections. ENDS TOMORROW! http://bit.ly/bmJ2Vv

- If you complete all of the extra entries you get a bonus of 5 additional entries! Please leave 5 additional comments on this post indicating that you have completed all of the additional entries.

* Please note this giveaway is for US and Canada residents only. Individuals who have won a prize package from Carolina Pad in the last 90 days are not eligible. Winner will be selected using random.org.

In keeping with the changes that are/will be taking place here at The {Wannabe} WAHM, I would like to start featuring women-owned businesses on this site.

Starting next week, I will feature one woman-owned business EVERY Wednesday.

If you would like to feature your business, please leave a comment on this post with your email address and I will email you the details.

I think it’s time we start supporting each other!!!

The purpose of featuring a woman-owned business each week is to create an online brain storming session of sorts. Sometimes I feel stuck when it comes to my business but the ideas just seem to flow when someone asks me my opinion about theirs!

So why don’t we all put our heads together every Wednesday and offer ideas, constructive criticism and PRAISE to like-minded women who are in the process of getting their businesses off the ground?!

I’m excited!

Are you?

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