I’ve been doing a lot of research on blogging and online media for my public relations clients. One great PR strategy, if you or your firm has a blog, is to ask other bloggers in your target markets to blogroll you. Then offer to blogroll them back.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with this term, it’s basically a link from your blog to theirs and vice versa. The power of Web 2.0 is the ease of creating these links so that you have more arrows pointing to your blog and firm website. The blogroll is not just a widget. It’s a powerful endorsement: you like what these bloggers have to say and you think that your viewers should check them out. You are sharing more great content with your readers. You are building social media connections.

On the flip side, bloggers who blogroll you are improving your credibility and ability for more people to find you. If your firm or personal blog doesn’t offer a very large blogroll yet, I encourage you to start building this powerful social media network. Connecting with other bloggers can lead to great public relations as well as business referrals. If you link to them, make sure that they link to you.

Introduce this idea at your next team meeting and offer to do some research on great blogs for your blogroll. It will build your visibility as a thoughtful young professional.

In this spirit, please check out our recommended blogroll listed in the right hand column under Recommended Blogs. Visit these blogs and let them know that you heard about them through the PUB! Btw, we love Rita Keller, Kevin Mead, Michelle Golden, Bruce Allen and Edward Williams!

Question: How are you using blogs for publicity and business development?

Recently, I spoke to two organizations — the Association of Women in Metals and the Turnaround Management Association’s Young Professionals. Both asked for the topic called “Power and Influence.” This session covers your appearance and how it can have an impact on your position and your power in an organization. More and more firms/companies are going to back to professional dress. Because of today’s economy, many people feel that if you dress casually, you might be taking your business casually.

That might not be true, but unfortunately people make judgments about a person within seconds of meeting/seeing them. Especially someone who works in the financial sectors – do you want your money handled by a woman with hipsters and a tattoo on her back? Would you trust her? Probably not…which is why first impressions mean everything.

Think about how you are dressing and what you can change. Do you look professional, trustworthy and in style? You should honor your dress code but also keep in mind your age, personality and the industry you are in. Think about the perception you are making at work now and the one you want to or should make.

Question: In the last few months, have your clothing selections changed at all?