The internet has shaken up our world in many ways. Not least in how it’s given everyone who can get online the opportunity to put themselves out there. One of the earliest ways to do this was by via a blog. Before the high-speed internet the web ran on words and you, me and Uncle Bob could claim a tiny piece of it armed only with a keyboard.
As internet speeds increased, people added pictures, animations, sound, and video. Today, it may seem like YouTube and Instagram dominate, but there’s still room for a good old-fashioned blog. And things like ‘Blogger’, ‘WordPress’, and ‘Tumblr’ make it simple to set one up too. Here are six reasons why you might want to start a blog.
1 – To help with sales
If you want to sell something, you’re going to have a website to do so. Adding a blog to it lets you write fresh, frequent content to help attract search traffic and potential customers. Focus on writing about the area you work in or what you do in a day. And never focus solely on sales. Blogs let people learn more about you as a person and build trust in your expertise.
2 – To grow your audience
If you have an audience (or want to get one), then a blog is a great way to build one. It can be directly connected to what you do, but you can post about anything you choose. I write so I post articles about writing, but I also post about interesting places I visit. The key is to make sure it’s a reflection of the real you – and as with number 1, never focus purely on “selling”.
3 – To be part of a community
There are people out there who love what you love! And some of them blog about it. You may well read these blogs already, but by starting your own blog you can really immerse yourself into the community, and meet like-minded individuals.
4 – To promote and share your group
If you’re part of a group, blogging about what you do can be a good way to promote it and attract new members. There are lots of blogs out there that feature posts from a variety of authors so the whole group can get involved and bring their own individual style to the blog.
5 – As an outlet for thoughts and emotions
Originally blogs were basically online diaries. Today you may feel uncomfortable opening up too much online. But for some it’s one, if not the only place, they can be themselves and find support. Personally, if it helps anyone emotional and mentally, I’m all for it. It’s possible to post anonymously, but you should always be careful about what you reveal.
6 – An online portfolio
Many jobs these days involve digital skills. Blogging helps you learn these skills like online writing and editing images and video. And your blog itself can act as a ready-made portfolio of your work to include on your CV and show off these skills to potential employers.
Why did you start a blog? What advice would you give potential bloggers? Let me know in the comments!
15/07/2019 at 5:28 PM
I love this! Blogging can be about so many different things and I think you do a good job at letting people know that it’s not just about writing for the sake of writing. Thanks for sharing!
15/07/2019 at 5:19 PM
Thanks! I really like having my blog, although it’s hard work sometimes. There are so many things you can do with one.
15/07/2019 at 8:14 PM
Excellent article. I still recommend to new writers they should get a blog for these reasons and get it started before they even finish their novel
16/07/2019 at 5:03 PM
Thanks! That’s an excellent point, the sooner you get started the better.