Business blogs: believe the hype?

More retailers and media companies are starting to use blogs as marketing tools. And Gartner highlights corporate blogging as one of the key trends to track in its Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies. Nearly one-third of Web surfers read blogs, and 41 percent of the blog savvy earn more than $75,000--a dream demographic for advertisers, says ComScore Networks. Check out some free blogging services here. But to make blogs more meaningful than mere newsletters, companies will have to make them interactive, truly putting customers first.

What other tech does Gartner say your business should watch? VoIP calling, RSS newsfeeds, wikis, desktop search, podcasting, GPS, and RFID. Rafe Needleman has more suggestions about emerging tech your small business shouldn't ignore.