With social media and the popularity of people who are influencers makes it seem like blogging has reached its peak now. All kinds of people now have blogs, and they’re not just for a few specific things. But, should you start a blog?
For those of you who haven’t yet joined in on the fun, blogging has a lot to offer.
That’s not the whole truth, though. It all comes down to why and what you’re blogging about.
In the same way, there are a lot of reasons why you might not want to start a blog.
Here, let’s look at both sides:
Based on my own experience, blogging has the power to open so many different doors. Some might be a surprise, while others don’t need to be explained at all.
1. For certain audience.
A good feeling comes from being able to write in a way that makes people feel good. Makes you want to do it even more. When people respond to you in a positive way, you have a small amount of power over them.
As a blogger, you can do a lot of things to make people happy.
Imagine if you could use your words to make people want to:
- Their lives will get better.
- Make their days more productive by giving them more time to do what they want.
- Make something that looks good.
- Help other people out.
All of this can be done with the power of your blog if you use it well.
2. To become better at writing
When you start a blog, you’ll be able to write better because it makes you more skilled at it.
Starting out might be awkward and even a little weird at first. But as you get into the groove of writing, you’ll find that it gets a lot easier. The words will move more quickly and you’ll develop a style that’s all your own.
It will also help if you write a lot. Trying this out will help you write more about what people want to read, which will make your writing better. As a result, there will be more people to talk to.
To learn new things
My first blog was just for fun. It was a travel blog about my experience and shenanigans in South Korea. I never thought I’d learn enough to make writing my full-time job.
A lot of new skills and abilities can be learned when you write about them on a blog. Here are some I’ve learned along the way:
- Designing blogs using the WordPress platform
- Writing for different people and companies that need SEO tips
- Making web graphics and setting up email campaigns used to get people to sign up
- Marketing on social media
- Content is management using different CMS
- Hosting a websites and managing Cpanel, Plesky and WHMS
- Setting up unmanaged VPS systems
This skill really saves me money because it allows me to manage my own VPS so I don’t have to pay for an expensive managed one. Once I learned this, I switched from Inmotion hosting to ionos.com because they have some of the most affordable unmanaged VPS on the market. This is just the tip of the iceberg in what you learn running your own blog.
If you need assistance in setting yours up, I have put together a straight forward ebook that helps immensely. And you will always have my support following what’s in the e-book.
Through the process of building and managing a blog, you can learn a lot more than just how to write. The things you write about also help you learn more.
I used to write about cryptocurrency for a small business blog for a few years. In other words, I can now use it in other parts of my work and personal life.
In order to build up your online brand, you must do this.
Writing about a subject makes you more knowledgeable about it, as well as giving you new skills. Online, becoming an expert in your field helps you build your brand and become more well-known in your field.
By giving value to your readers, you’ll soon become well-known in the community.
You’ll become the blogger everyone goes to, and you’ll be the one everyone talks about. The people who come to you will know that your knowledge and advice is worth the time and effort they put into getting it.
When you start to build your brand, your blog can become more than just a place to write.
To face your fears
The way I broke out of my shell was by writing about it. Anxiety can make it hard to put yourself out there and let people hear your thoughts and ideas. But just do it.
For me, blogging gave me a place to speak out from – a way to face my fear of being seen. I also found out that there are people out there who are just like me.
There are a lot of other ways to use blogging to face your fears, and they all work. People who have impostor syndrome and feel like they aren’t good enough can use this to get over it. It can be therapeutic to write about a subject that you’re afraid of, and that can help you work through your feelings.
As it turns out, many people use blogging as a way to help them with their mental health. This shows that a blog doesn’t always have to be a very well thought out project. Sometimes, it can just be a place to think.
To earn money
I think you’re most interested in this. Many people are making money from their blogs.
But even though it’s possible, it’s not easy.
They have been working on their skills for a long time. In that time, they’ve tried and tried things to see what works. This blog has been in the making for 12 years plus but I have a full time job and I travel often. I don’t always like to write about it.
I tend to lag in this department – pushing myself to write. But it takes work to make money with your blog. I know people who live off theirs. I am not one of them yet and it hasn’t been my goal per say but it would be nice.
As time goes on, you’ll have to work a lot.
It’s a good idea to start by picking a profitable subject for your blog, like making money from it. The money you make from some things is easier than the money you make from other things. But, if you want to sell your services through your blog, you need to build a group of people who are most likely to hire you.
You’ll have to work hard and long no matter which path you choose.
To meet different people
As someone who starts a blog, you meet a whole lot of people who you didn’t know before. It’s possible to find a lot of people who write about the same thing in each blogging niche.
You can meet a lot of new people this way. It will be easier for you to make friends because you both like the same things. People in blogging communities are not only friendly but also willing to help new bloggers.
Then there are the events and meetups that happen in different communities as well as facebook groups.
You can be sure that no matter what you do, there will be a group of people ready to welcome you.
To write down your life
There was a time when blogging was new. Let’s go back to that time. To write about your day-to-day life, you kept a blog. I think I might even have an old Tumblr and WordPress.org that was just for that. I think I might even be able to find it somewhere.
You can start a blog even though it’s been out of style for a while.
Blogging about your life is a great way to look back. When we look back, we can learn from both our good times and our bad times to some extent. It can help you see how far you’ve come by having a place to keep your memories.
Use different names and personal information if you’re writing a blog. People who give away too much personal information can be hacked.
The goal is to get your dream job.
During the early stages of starting a blog, your dream job might not even be real at all. But the truth is, blogging can be a great way to get a job that will change your work life.
When I started blogging, I didn’t think I’d end up in content marketing, and Amazon FBA but now I work in this field. But the things I’ve learned about blogging have made that job possible.
What may happen from there?
Why not start a blog?
As I said before, there are also many problems with starting and maintaining a blog. It’s not easy to get to where you want to be. If you aren’t ready for it, it can be more stressful than you might think.
There are some downsides to starting a blog. Keep reading to find out what they are.
1. It’s hard work
A blog isn’t easy to run. It may look easy to be a successful blogger, but we don’t get to see what’s going on behind the scenes very often.
Images and words that look great aren’t the only thing that goes on behind them. There is a lot of stress, hustle, and long work days behind them.
The more hours that you work on your blog, the better it will do. And those hours can often go on into the evenings and on the weekends, when you’d normally be taking a break.
It takes a lot of dedication, patience, and commitment to keep up with blogging. The only way you can get the benefits is if you do that, so do it!
2. It’s not a way to make money quickly.
As many bloggers say, blogging for money is a great way to make money, but you won’t be making any money quickly. If you start a blog because you want to make money quickly, you’re doomed.
Again, it takes a lot of time, planning, and hard work to even think about making money from your blog.
3. There isn’t a set income.
Even if you make money from your blog, things will be hard.
Don’t quit your job just yet, because your blog’s income will change a lot. I keep this blog for example but I still have my full time job. If you work hard some months, you might make a lot of money. If you work hard some months, you might make a lot of money.
People I know who write blogs have made a lot of money over the years, enough to work full time on them. But even though they have months where their income isn’t what they thought it would be.
In the world of blogging, things can be hard, but it’s part of the job. If you’re ready for these changes, it might be best to keep blogging as a side job.
4. Blogging is a lonely job.
In order to get into the work from home market, you might want to start blogging. You’ll be on your own for a while. In most cases, you can only work from home if you rent a co-working space or spend your days at the coffee shop. This can make working from home very lonely.
Hours have passed without me saying anything to anyone but myself; the effects of loneliness are real. You start missing the people you had at your old job and even start to question whether you can keep going.
In times like this, reach out to your friends and family. If you still can’t do the job, it might not be the right one.
5. The blogging landscape changes all the time.
In the blogging world, no amount of reading can make you ready for how quickly things change. A lot of things have to be learned a second time.
When it comes to algorithms, Google is the best. It’s hard to stay the same way because the gate posts are always moving.
It’s not just Google. If your business goals don’t line up with Facebook’s or other social networks’, you may not be able to use them the way they want.
Then there’s GDPR, which made everyone a little crazy.
If you’re really into blogging, make sure you can keep up with all the changes that happen.
It can be bad for your mental health if you use too much social media
When you write a lot and use too much social media, there are risks to your mental health. There are both good and bad things about connecting with your audience through social media. Social anxiety can be relieved, but there are some downsides.
A lot of bloggers, including myself, like to compare ourselves to other bloggers. Often, we can’t help but do it. However, research shows that people who compare themselves and have negative interactions are more likely to be depressed and anxious.
However, comparisons and negative interactions aren’t just found on blogs.
Long hours cut into time with your family.
Remember the hard work I said you had to do to make your blog successful? Do you still do it? But those long hours in the beginning can also cut into the time you usually spend resting and with your family.
Keep in mind that you might have to take your work on vacation, so be ready for that! At a family meal, one eye will always be on your phone. It will keep bothering you and your kids at the park.
You won’t be able to get some rest and time with your family until you figure out how to manage your work.
It’s not easy to start a blog.
People start blogs for many different reasons, and there isn’t a single way that works for everyone.
Whether or not to start a blog, think about both sides of the argument and weigh them against your own personality, lifestyle, and goals. See what works best for you and be honest about what you want from the trip.
You’ll be the one who does the work, but on the other hand, you’ll be the one who gets the reward at the end.
People who blog should keep in mind that it’s a marathon. Not a sprint.
