How many blogs to create for multiple businesses?

Q:  I've read several of your articles already and the TurboCharge toolkit. Although my husband & I have had an online Ebay business for 12 yrs, at 41 I'm just starting to learn blogging and making money from it. I'll be tuned into your info like glue.

I have one question to start me off on this road. My husband and I would like to promote 4 interests: our online retail business, our real estate interest (we've been flipping houses on the side and would like to promote and past and present work in this area), our upcoming pet ezine, and our upcoming swap/recycling ezine. So do we 1) create blogs using our personal names, or 2) create blogs using each of the 4 business names?  (And do you think my husband and I should do half & half, or present everything together as a couple?)

I really appreciate your guidance. I know I can learn this with your help.

Krys Bleda in rural New Mexico

A:  Hi Krys–

Many people will create a personal blog under your given name and link your biz blogs to that and it to your biz blogs.  In this you can update customers, friends, family, etc. on what's happening with you personally, if you like.

In terms of the business blogs, you need to have a dedicated blog to each of your business interests.  There doesn't appear to be any overlap in your businesses, so to have 1 blog promoting 4 diverse businesses would be confusing, to say the least, for your visitors.

Pick a keyword rich domain name for each blog, and then use either WordPress.org to download and install the WP software on your hosting account (check to see if your hosting account already has this installed) or use a service-based platform like Typepad (my blogs are hosted here) and pick the $14.95/month package (if you pay up front it's only $149.50/year)that will permit you to create as many blogs as you desire.

I use Typepad because I love that it's user-friendly and doesn't require hiring a blog design expert to install it and customize it for you.  You can easily use one of their many templates out of the package.

With either option, one of you will be the primary writer and the other can be set up as a guest author.  On the Typepad platform (I don't use WP so I can't speak to how it works there), the primary author has full control over the blog, including changing the look of the blog, adding categories, adding and editing pages, etc.  The guest author only has posting privileges.  So, you might want to decide which of you has the most knowledge about these 4 businesses and designate that person as the primary author on those respective blogs.

Good luck in creating your blogs!

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