Ok, so I’m a content writer, so it’s predictable that I’d be telling businesses that they need a blog. But, why should you bother spending the time writing one? And does this just apply to businesses?
If you Google search “reasons to write a blog”, you’ll find a load of good things around increasing engagement. Raising your profile. Driving traffic. The list continues. Incidentally, those are all very good things. But will that inspire you to take time from your work schedule next time you know, deep in your weary bones, that you need to update your content? Perhaps not.
So, here are five feel-good reasons for writing a blog. With (barely) a mention on audiences and engagement.
1. To keep your passion burning.
Why do you do what you do? Have you ever wondered? If you’re lucky, you’re absolutely in the right line of work, and this thought has barely crossed your mind. For others, this rather unsettling sensation may rear its head every so often.
The process of thinking about blog topics can help with this. Often, it’s a creative snowball effect. You might struggle at first. Go online, see what takes your fancy. See what articles you like to read. Then apply it to your business. Once you start thinking of spins on subjects, you may find that the flood gates have opened, and you’re jotting down potential topics on scraps of paper, the kid’s blackboard (which is bad when they rub it off), and your phone.
While all this is going on, you’re being reminded just how exciting your industry and company is. Yippee!
2. To remind yourself why you’re useful.
This can apply to any kind of profession, and bloggers too. It can be lonely if you’re out there doing your thing without recalling the reason for it. It’s sometimes good to remember what you’re offering the world. By sharing ideas, experiences, and info, you’re essentially helping others.
Curating ideas for blog posts and thinking about how they relate to your business is one step. But then really delve into why you’re great at it. Connect emotionally with what you’re doing, how it benefits people, why you wanted to do it in the first place. Thinking about the feel-good aspect of your business and how you want to delight your customers and readers is the best way to tap into that whole reason-for-being sensation.
3. To give you an excuse to connect with your customers.
Step. Away. From. The. Analytics! Just for a moment anyway. This is all about listening to your customers.
Fairly recently, I started an Instagram account for my business. Ok, I know, how late to the party can you be? But I wondered how to use the channel as a content writer. Ultimately, I wanted to do it right or not do it at all. What I’ve learned so far, is that it’s a great way of getting creative with mini blog-style posts. It also allows me to write a blog, for fun, and promote it with a new audience.
I created my Trips with Tots blog, where I talk about travelling with my family, and stuck it up on Instagram. By cross-promoting it to parents there, I can connect with people I never would have otherwise. So, this isn’t about bringing to £££’s in. (I warned you.) It’s about exploring my own passion for writing and connecting with people. And the result is that I also get some interesting feedback. Again, it’s not about robust figures. It about that human connection.
4. To inspire you to try new things.
What’s the point of writing a blog if no one reads it? This takes us back to the old Instagram story above. Sometimes it’s just good to put yourself out there and try something. It’ll make you feel bold and give you a chance to broaden your horizons.
I’ve seen people do this brilliantly in a whole range of ways. Instagram is one. LinkedIn another. I’ve even got involved with Skillshare after an invite from one of their team. For someone who’s naturally adverse to even a selfie, let alone talking on camera, filming a lesson and broadcasting it online was close to excruciating. But all these kinds of things allow you to up the bravery stakes and try new things. And there’s nothing wrong with feeling brave.
5. It helps your self-development.
Writing anything, whether it’s a journal or a social post can help you reflect. But it can also be a perfect chance to learn something new along the way. Often, you’ll need to do a bit of research to complete a blog. So, if you feel like the investment in your self-development has taken a spiral lately, this is one easy way to work towards rectifying that. The interesting thing is that I put a shorter version of this blog on Insta recently. (As I’m clearly all-about-Insta these days.) The people who commented agreed that the research part of blogging, whether they were creating video diaries or a traditional blog, was their favourite bit. We are by nature inquisitive types. So, get researching, learn something new, and share it with the world. And why not!