The Purpose of Blogging

Have you noticed the way some folks talk about blog writing? It's as though they don't know what it is. They don't really understand the power of the written word, and how you can add value to a business or career with this very important tool. 

Blogging is one thing that can set you apart from the pack

Not everyone likes to write. Some people simply hate it. Personally, I love writing, so I don't understand why anyone would hate it. Some folks might wonder why in the world I like writing so much. The truth is that I don't really know why. Maybe it's because I don't have to make much effort to write. I'll come up with a title, then sub-titles for the paragraphs, then fill in the body of my post, and I'm done! I think that's a major part of what it takes to be a successful blogger. Love of writing, and having an interesting blog on the web will set you apart from your peers.

There are a couple of other things that will determine your success, though. Commitment to the project, and consistency is also important. Some bloggers don't write for months, and that just won't work. You have to at least post something interesting to your blog once or twice a week, to keep your readers coming back. If you don't, there simply won't be enough traffic to your blog.

Proliferation of Blogging

Not everyone likes to sit down and write for hours. Well, I should say that about people who aren't writers by nature. For some people, it's not enjoyable, and those are the folks who probably also have said that blogging is a dying art. I beg to differ. If blogging was dying, it would probably turn out very much like MySpace, right? With millions upon millions of stagnant accounts in the blogosphere. That's not what's happening, though.

Yes, there are many stagnant blogs out there, but it's not because blogging is becoming obsolete. It's because of a lack of commitment on the part of the person writing the unsuccessful blog. There are MANY successful bloggers on the web, and it's because of their commitment to the work. Yes, MySpace IS dead! There is no doubt about that, and we've known that for some time now. However, blogging is very much alive and thriving. Every day, people open up thousands of new blogs, and the numbers continue to increase around the world. 

It Takes Time

It can take a while to get your blog to the level where you want it to be, but once you're there, it will take on a life of its own. Once you've gotten through the initial bumps in the road, it's a smooth ride. The problem is that most people don't have the extra push to get over the bumps, and that's when their blogs start to stagnate. You have to visit the blogs of your networking buddies, support them in their efforts, and leave back links wherever you can. The more links you leave on the web, the better. 

I promise you, bloggers are some of the most supportive people on the web. They've been through the same things you have, and will do what they can to support you. It's like a snowball rolling down a hill. It picks up momentum with each contact and word of support. Before you know it, you won't have to think about re-tweeting for a friend, commenting on blogs of others, leaving links, or guest blogging. It just becomes second nature, with the bloggers in your network returning your gestures of appreciation.

Many Different Kinds of Blogs

I've seen so many different types of blogs out there. There are some bloggers that just post blogs about food. That's all you'll see on them. Picture after picture of yummy recipes some foodie chose to post to their website to give their readers ideas. Some folks like to write about beauty products, and everything they entail. Some like to post about very personal things going on in their lives, making their blogs like an online diary open to the public. Personally, I am not that bold! But some people are. And there will always be someone out there who'll be interested. 

Blogging for Business

This is the category most people fit into. My blog would fit into this category, as well as most of the blogs I follow. Most of my networking buddies/fellow bloggers fit into this category as well. There are a lot of sales and business people I know who do this type of blogging. I think it's a great supplement to their business, and another way to get their name out there. It is also another great way to connect with like minded individuals, as we also do on social networking sites. Blogging has become an extension of social networking for many business people.

I know the feeling

I've been there. I thought my blog would take off faster than it has, but I'm also really happy with my website. It's been a labor of love, and I'm proud of it. I have come to understand that you have to build one relationship at a time to get things going, and it takes time and commitment.That's the reason why a lot of blogs don't make it. It's not because they're bad blogs. It's because the writers aren't completely committed to making them successful. Just like with anything else, success is not based on luck, but on taking important steps to make a work successful. If you don't work at it, and constantly try to improve it, it can and will fail. 

Understand that blogging has a purpose 

Whatever you choose to write about is welcome in the blogosphere, and there are many people who will probably love to read it. Just remember that once you've started a blog, your work is only beginning. You will have to continue to come up with ideas for making your blog interesting and relevant, and that will take a significant amount of effort on your part. You can and will be able to make your blog a success if you follow these tips, and if you always remember that success is up to the individual writing the blog.

Thanks for stopping by...CC