Steve Matthews believes there will be a big increase soon in the use of blog software to build websites.

Agreed. I’ve already said a lot about the benefits of blogging for networking and raising profile. You may not be convinced; you may not see yourself as a “thought leader”; you may not want to hang out with us in the blawgosphere. But look simply at what the technology can do for you – for free, out of the box:

• Content management – a CMS which enables you easily to create and update a website without any technical knowledge
• Syndication – your content automatically syndicated via RSS so that others can tap into your news and expertise
• Search engine optimisation – your content devoured by the search engines almost immediately and vaulted up the rankings
• Conversation – dialogues with your clients and contacts facilitated by the comments feature
• Networking – automatic notification when others link to you or comment

That’s an awful lot of bangs for zero direct cost. If you’re a sole practitioner or small firm without a website or with a stale brochure site that achieves little, look no further than a blog to serve as your website or to integrate with your website. Sure, you will need a helping hand to massage your blog into shape initially and get the best out of it, but here again a lot of good advice will be given for free by fellow bloggers, and if you need more, there are those like Steve and me who are keener on helping you pimp your ride and drive rather than building you a car.