profiles, blogging has become vital in the social media mix. Smart

bloggers constantly show thought leadership, share expertise and

insights and effectively strike up conversations, and they understand

how to roll with punches of public scrutiny. The rewards of open two-way

communication with staff and customers far outweigh the risks, they

say. Conversely, bad bloggers are fearful, sporadic and hype themselves

or their products in a medium keenly sensitised to blog-flog. Newcomers

to the blogosphere must know the rules, because the next question is:

Can you afford not to blog?