I’ve been a regular blogger since 2007. I have to admit, I’m kind of addicted.
Everything, to me, is a potential idea for a blog post. Articles I read, conversations I have, observations I make. Everything.
I love blogging. Now, in the 19th day of NaBloPoMo, I realize how much I really do love blogging. And how much I get out of it.
When I work with business clients in my Writing Lab, I give the typical reasons for blogging:
- To show your expertise
- To educate, advocate or inform
- To promote or build brand awareness
- To drive people to your website (i.e., good search engine optimization, or SEO)
But blogging is more than that to most bloggers. I think true bloggers really just love to write and share their ideas with people. I know I do.
It’s tough to start a blog and keep at it. I always tell people that the hardest part is setting it up and figuring out what you’re going to say. However, once you get it going, you start to get on a roll. You begin to develop a voice. You even attract some readers along the way.
It can take a while to establish a blog. And even when you have readers, you have to stay on your game and provide good content to keep them. It’s an ongoing process. But the process is the fun part, in my opinion.
There are a lot of intangible benefits I get from blogs. I get to:
- Publish my thoughts, ideas and opinions (and get them out of my fast thinking brain)
- Receive feedback from readers
- Connect with some really cool people that I would have never met otherwise, online and offline
- Further develop my writing
Blogging is like therapy at times. It allows me to get things off my chest and shows me that I’m not alone in my thinking. It also gives me access to other people’s perspectives on topics that are important to me and exposes me to topics I may not have otherwise known about.
Are you a blogger? What do you get out of blogging?
Photo Credit: Kristina B via Flickr
