7 Reasons Why I Blog and Why You Shouldn't
By Macky Outlaw
Humans are suckers for good storytelling. A blog tells a story and attracts readers. Blog subjects are vast, and the top 10 blogs of 2017 range from tech and politics to celebrity gossip. Some of the names are familiar to you: Huffington Post, Engadget, Moz, Perez Hilton, and Copyblogger.
What do these sites have in common? They earn $500,000 per month or more through blogging. Some of the blog sites in the top 10 started with less than $1,000. All these blogs inform, entertain, and engage emotions. They earn money through advertising and from subscriptions for premium memberships.
Why should you blog?
Blogging takes up precious time, so topics of your posts need to be sustainable. In other words, when the blog turns to work, like plugging out a 1,000 word post at 3 A.M., you need a real reason to keep going.
Content Marketing king, Joe Pulizzi, calls content creation (aka blogging) a "war of attrition." To win a war of attrition, one army's "why" has to be bigger than the other army's. If you start blogging to bring attention to your product or service and your only motivator is money, the blog will not last.
Check out these phrases: freedom from a corporation, to impact other people's lives in a major way, and to give my children the freedom to do what they want, when they want. Those are huge "whys". For your blog to last and eventually turn a profit, you must have a gigantic why.
Here are the 7 reasons why I blog:
- I am looking for freedom from my current job. Blogging allows me to showcase my skills while keeping my current job. I can build an audience and engage with them, without having to get a business loan or lose my home while changing careers.
- Provides a platform to advertise products. I tell stories. My blog sits right next to books I will be selling. Attracting people to my books is one way I monetize my site.
- Advertise services. A few buttons down from my blog is a services button. Guess what my service is? I write blogs for other people. Not all people have time to punch out 3,000 words per week. I write fast and people say I tell an exceptional story. So there.
- Allows me to practice my craft. I tell stories. The only way to maintain this ability and to get better at it is to write. Posting 2-3 articles per week forces me to practice.
- Instant feedback. If you read my blog from its inception, you will see posts ranging from fiction samples to entrepreneurship. Fiction and blogging is not much different. You tell a story, create interest, and keep people reading. Some posts are better than others. How do I know? By the number of clicks and shares; also known as instant feedback.
- Broaden my audience. A lot of "marketing experts" tell small business owners to "go narrow" with audience and customer base. I think this is horrible advice. When starting out, you are unknown, and you need to broadcast your message to anyone who will listen. My blog averages 60 daily views. Not bad for only two months of work. Could I speak to 60 prospects everyday without blogging and social media? Not likely.
- I enjoy writing about anything. Whether it's part of one of my fiction novels, or telling a story such as this post, I really do enjoy it. Some say my gift is writing, so I figure I should share with everyone.
If you don't like coming up with ideas and typing them into 1,000 word articles, then blogging isn't for you. Don't worry, there are other alternatives such as "video blogs" or "vlogs." Try another medium to get your message out. Another reason people don't blog is fear of ridicule. The web can be ugly, and if you are afraid of what others think, don't blog (at least publicly).
Don't worry if you are not a good writer. There are plenty of people out there to help you type up your ideas into a compelling story. Try me, I don't charge my friends (much).
Blogging takes time and is work. If you don't think it is sustainable, then look for other subjects or alternative platforms. If you can't get your idea out of your head and can come up with 50-75 titles, then go for it. Blogging takes time away from family and friends, but overall, it can make you wealthy.
Remember: War of Attrition.
Do you have ideas you would like to blog about? Let's talk about them in the comments.
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