Do I need to have a blog? What would a blog do for my business? How do you find time to blog?
I get these questions – a lot – from my writer friends who don’t blog. Answering the questions takes most of half an hour, sometimes longer. Before I take off on my usual riff, I need to tell you that there are days when I just don’t feel like blogging-at all. Writing can be an imposition. Today it will be 73 degrees, the best weather we’ve had here in six months. So, why I am sitting here inside [okay, I could be at an outdoor wireless cafe] typing? Because I’m . . . a writer.
Reasons to Blog
Presence
It’s a good thing my office has two closets. One stores all my print writing samples I saved to send out to prospects. Because all the work in there represents client’s projects, my own philosophy and style don’t show up. Each piece needs an introduction and a background statement like: here’s the challenge, how we solved it and results. Does anyone ever read everything I send them? Probably not. Has anyone ever read all of the 350 plus articles here? Maybe me . . . When you have a volume of work on the web, you amplify your presence with more content for search engines to sift through.
Differentiation
Do your competitors/colleagues blog? If not, then maybe you don’t need to, either. However, if you want to stand out, your blog will differentiate you as a writer/company with depth and influence in the area you choose. Just make sure that people are searching for your topic and that they’re thirsty for more information. What would you [or do you] write about?
Expertise
If your clients don’t care if you blog, then there’s less of an urgency to get started. This may sound obvious: if you’re a writer who wants to write for blogs, you need to have your own. Getting comfortable with any new writing format takes experience.
Reasons Not to Blog
Under-confident
After presenting a blog workshop in October 2004, it took me almost two years to begin a blog. Why? Writing for other people with no byline guarantees anonymity. Even with a byline, my work was always edited before publication, which conveys the client’s approval or endorsement. It takes guts to write for yourself. And even more guts to step out and then stand back and accept criticism.
Time-Challenged
What’s you life like right now? Do you have room for another project? Make that a long-term commitment to write, communication and care for a community. For many people, their first response is no. If you’re serious about being a blogger, look at what you can cut or trade in terms of time and energy. Blogging can give you a boost that’s worth the extra effort. Besides, you’re a writer, right? How hard can writing be?
Uncertainty
If you don’t know what you want to write about, don’t get started. What do you search for? What are you passionate about?
Add Your Contribution to this Conversation
Where do you fit in – are you a blogger, writer or someone who just stopped by to read? What else do you need to think about before you decide whether or not to blog?
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