One definition of public relations is “the management of relationships between an organization and the publics that can affect its success” and one definition of marketing is “the process of researching, creating, refining, and promoting a product or service and distributing that product or service to targeted consumers”. In regards to these definitions, I would say blogs could be both PR tools and marketing tools.

Aaron Wall gives seven reasons why blogs are effective:

1. easy to set up and maintain
2. many feedback mechanisms
3. easy to track how ideas spread
4. easy to join the conversation
5. many different ways for ideas to spread
6. blogs have proven value
7. when people read a blog, it does not feel like they are reading an advertisement

A blog could help an organization suit their PR needs by maintaining a positive relationship with their publics. By establishing a positive blog which is subscribed to by other people and/or organizations that public likes, the organization will be seen in a positive light.

A blog can be used as a marketing tool for an organization, specifically in the research aspect of marketing. When Aaron Wall mentions feedback mechanisms, he is saying it is easy to look back at a blog and see why something succeeded or failed; comments let you see whether or not people like what you are doing. This is a perfect way for representatives in marketing to learn what methods were effective and which ones were ineffective.

There are many ways I could use my blog as a personal marketing tool. As Aaron Wall discussed, I could subscribe to other blogs and websites that are relevant to me. This could help me get into the interactive nature of blogs, and also help spread my message. If people see that I am subscribed to another website they like, they may see me as more credible.