Even lemonade stands are blogging these days...

These days everybody's doing it... or so it seems. Blogging for business. Meaning blogging to *get* business. Cute comic from yesterday's Family Circus.

[via Sarah Lewis]

P.S. I probably shouldn't use the image because I don't have copyright. But hey, it's summer. The rain has finally stopped here in D.C. and this is a non-commercial use. Now don't go running off to purchase one of my blogging reports. Heh heh (as Scoble says).

So... can you sell through a blog?

That's a big question and I've only got time for a little answer right now. Here it is: YES, if you're discrete, contextual and not too pushy about it. For example, see post below where I riff on my new Beginner's Guide to Blogging. I've inserted tracking links behind the phrases that say visit the WordBiz store to get your complimentary copy. (Yes, you have to purchase something to get it. But it can be a minimal purchase.) And those tell me two things. 1. How many click-throughs I'm getting. 2. How many of those clicks turn into purchases. I've got the same kind of tracking links inserted behind the products displayed on debbie's blog. Proverbial wisdom (if that' s possible in the nascent blogosphere) says you can't...