Unless you've sworn off virtually all forms of communications for the past year or so -- no Internet, radio, TV, newspapers or magazines -- you're no doubt aware that blogs are hot.

I mean, really hot.

From political campaigns and movie reviews, to breaking news and plain old-fashioned gossip, blogs -- short for Weblogs -- are rapidly transforming the way news is delivered, how we learn about products and services, and how opinions are formed on a mass scale.

Why are blogs the darling of the information world? Because, in essence, of their ability to level the online communications playing field for pretty much anyone who has Internet access and something to say.

Blogging:

• gives anyone the ability to publish information to the masses

• lets people be (or at least claim to be) experts on any subject, and appear highly credible to a targeted audience

• allows individuals to champion a cause they hold near and dear to their hearts, without having to wait for someone else to hand them a microphone. A blog, you could say, serves as their very own microphone to the world.

Not surprisingly, the rapidly evolving world of blogging has not escaped the attention of real estate professionals. Across the nation, growing numbers of folks in our industry are creating blogs to market themselves, their listings, or their specialty services.

A great example of this is Claudia Wicks, a 28-year real estate industry veteran as an agent, broker and trainer for brokerages such as John L Scott Real Estate in Seattle. Through her blog, AgentCEO.blogspot.com , Wicks provides a refreshing and timely look at how real estate agents nationwide are using a new business philosophy (i.e., agent as CEO) to increase sales and manage their business more profitably and successfully.

The blog features successful agents and their best practices for running their business like a CEO, as well as news, commentary and tips directly from Wicks.

For example, a posting by Wicks earlier this year was titled, "What does it mean to be an Agent CEO?" and explored why, and how, agents should act as though they are the chief executive officer of a company in their day-to-day real estate activities.

An excerpt from that posting:

"Top agents have an entrepreneurial approach. They treat real estate as their business, not as a job! They think like a CEO and plan like a CEO. Their planning most often includes these 6 Steps to Success:"

• Set Goals

• Create a Business Plan

• Develop a Budget

• Create processes and systematize

• Staff and delegate

• Evaluate for Effectiveness

Other recent posts by Wicks include, "Strategies for a Changing Market;" "The Power of Personalized Service;" "How to Convert For Sale By Owners (FSBOs)," and "Beginner's Guide to Building a Team."

"During my nearly 30 years in this business, I've had the privilege of meeting with thousands of real estate agents and brokers," Wicks said. "But I've got to tell you, blogging is the best thing to come along in many years. My AgentCEO.com blog has made it incredibly easy to share my thoughts and ideas with agents -- and even more important, it's made it easier for them to access and benefit from the information."

Citing the detailed educational and business-building tips available through her blog, SellsiusRealEstate.com recently named Wicks one of the nation's top 10 women real estate bloggers.

In our business, immediate access to information, whether about new products and services, industry news or "how to" tips, is critical. Blogging offers an immediacy and convenience unlike any other online technology, and it's here to stay. And that's a very good thing for all of us.

(For a good explanation of blogs and their history, click here )