Why do you Blog?

[Tim Brownson]

I often get asked that question and it's one I struggle to answer easily because there are a number of reasons but here are the main ones.

Obviously, it helps drive my Google page ranking and that is fairly important to my business.

I also like to feel that I am adding some value back to my readers. I do give away a lot of the best work I do with clients and never hold stuff back for fear of people then not hiring me as their coach.

It's good fun. Often (like today’s) I start off with absolutely no idea where I am going. I just start typing and see what comes out. I seldom re-write blogs and other than a quick spell check and look for glaring mistakes I hit publish and move on.

It clarifies my thoughts. Some of my better ideas have come from posts that were just a jumble of thought before I started typing. I guess it's like the difference between written goals and ones that float around your head.

It makes me laugh. I can put stuff in my Blog that I could never say to clients or put in my newsletter. My humor is VERY British and I love just rambling off on tangents about nothing. I often think some people must stumble on my blog read one post and leave shaking their head in disbelief.

I'd love to hear why some of you good people Blog and what is the personal payback.

[Steve Pavlina]

My answer would essentially be this:
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/200...about-writing/

[Jeanne]

Hi...

My reasons are similar to Tims...

In addition, it's a great way to reach people that you wouldn't normally come across in your life... Internet has made the world so tiny!

My bricks and mortar work is fairly specific... so blogging provides me another form of creative expression. And I really enjoy having dialogue with my readers in different countries on different journeys.

Blogging was suggested as an integral extension of a Website -- and I'm so glad I acted on the suggestion. It is very rewarding!

Jeanne

[Peter S C]

There are a number of reasons why I blog! It is creative, it allows me to share my message of change, I make money from it, it is cheaper than therapy.....

You may enjoy an article I wrote on this topic:


Why You Should Blog

[radeldudel]

Thats easy: I'm writing blog-style internet pages for, what, 8 years now? I'm not sure about the number, but I started writing an internet log when I had the technical possibility to create my first web page.
In my first few sites I wrote about where I went eating, what cinema films I visited, what books I read, not very personal stuff, it got more and more personal over the years. I used to wipe the stuff every few years to restart since converting the old stuff to a new design was too much work, now I got a database-like site so I kept the last years.

Nowadays I call my website blog, last year I even added adsense and earned a few hundred bucks by it. But still I write because I just have to write, I love writing, and my blog is just the perfect way to do this.

Love,
Sam

[Meg]

I blog because I love to write. It's more of a hobby for me though, I don't think I could make it as a print journalist professionally. My current blog's topic is really about personal finances, working, money, and college, and they are all interlinked topics that I'm currently handling with my new found independency. And if I happen to make a few cents from it, yippie - it goes towards my cruise fund.

[evelynlim]

I blog because I like to share my thoughts and insights. I also find that I learn more about a topic when I put it down in writing.

[Tim Brownson]

Originally Posted by Meg

I blog because I love to write. It's more of a hobby for me though, I don't think I could make it as a print journalist professionally. My current blog's topic is really about personal finances, working, money, and college, and they are all interlinked topics that I'm currently handling with my new found independency. And if I happen to make a few cents from it, yippie - it goes towards my cruise fund.

I went on a cruise earlier this year with the in-laws. We'd been on quite a few before and I usually just like to just chill, read and have the odd beer. What I didn't know was that it was Spring break. Man that changed the tempo somewhat!!! It was an excellent week.

Meg, if you want to make it as a print journalist you can It's down to you. Having said that, I have a client who is a senior reporter for a big newspaper and I'm not sure why anybody would want to get into that field now. The Net is killing print journalism and its moving online which is what you are in effect doing. So there you have it, you are already doing what you don't think your good enough to do

[Meg]

I didn't mean it as I don't think I could do it as in being able to do it; I did a lot of journalism in high school, print and broadcast. But having people tell me what to write, how to write, and when to write - that just drives me bonkers! I'd go nuts in that profession. The best thing about writing for a hobby is that I do it on my own time. Don't get me wrong, I love people critiquing my writing and offering ways to improve, but having to answer to an editor (haha, I was the chief editor for our high school paper when we moved it online) - that's not my style.

[cultivategreatness]

i blog therefore, i am.

[TheStrongerSelf]

I have 2 blogs at the moment

1 is basically sharing of news for a software project of mine. More like a news site i guess, but im abusing the trendword "blog" here =)

and the other is a personal development journal of myself for myself first and others second. That means it is mainly there to put my challenges into the public so i cant procrastinate on them as easily =)

[Tobias Zimpel]

There are several reasons why I blog.

First, it allows me to share my thoughts and spread my vision of a better world with people from all over the world.

Then, it is of course a creative outlet for me, what Steve calls creative self-expression.

I blog for only a few weeks, and although I didn't put too much effort into it, it already changed my life for the better, and I know that at the end of this year, my life will be completely different than it is now! So blogging is for sure a great tool for personal growth, and one that I really enjoy!

And last but not least, it soon will earn me a few bucks - or a few more, for that matter. I'm not blogging for money first, but it is an important part of my goals that it will be able to support me.

[4Mind4Life]

Why do I blog?

For several reasons:

To share my thoughts with others

To offer helpful advice to others

I enjoy it

To make money

[GoalSettingCollege]

I started off with the money in sight. But that slowly changed as I begin to understand the true motivations of blogging.

Cheers,
Ellesse

[rebelwithacause]

I agree with a lot of the postings here...

From a business standpoint, a good blog helps brand yourself...and help you build trust and a relationships from your visitors and subscribers...

The highest use is to always provide good quality and useful content...basically adding value to people's lives who are seeking to learn or even be entertained...

I make a lot of money off of having blogs and content sites that drive tremendous traffic and is the catalyst that drives my home business ...With the right keywords, you can get a lot of good love from google...

And on the other side of the coin I totally agree about having an outlet for good old creative self expression.


You can add your personality and flavor to whatever you do...I think that's what truly makes you unique, and you should be able to put that out there fully, not matter what you are talking about or promoting for business...

I really believe in allowing people to get their own unique voice out into the world...

and of course there are always two schools of thought...are you doing it for fun and creativity, or do you want to have a business and make money at the same time...

Actually I think that is possible to do both...if you are authentic that there are so many great ways to create income and express yourself...

Just like Steve does...he adds great quality content, and has huge traffic because of all that...and he has several ways to monetize it with the business model...

So it's all good, and it all works...it's just a matter of deciding what your reasons are...

I think blogging is just such a great way to get your voice out...and you can add all kinds of great topis and humor...the internet is such a great place now...

All the best,

[jlogic]

Reasons I blog

1. To share lessons learned with others
2. To remind myself of my own lessons learned
3. To share tips tricks and tools that I find time savers or better ways of doing things. (I have gained so much from others, and it just feels good to give back.)
4. As an outlet for frustration
5. To practice writing and organizing thoughts.

[eblight]

I blog on my website because I know how meditation has helped me so much and I want to inspire and encourage others to learn meditation so that they have a skill that brings about health on all levels; emotional, physical, mental and spiritual.

[ScottJMurray]

My blog right now is highly specialized. My eventual goal is to take down the entire medical establishment and build a new paradigm in its ashes, so I guess I'm just taking it one step at a time. It's fulfilling to me because I'm helping to spread the word about Tension Myositis Syndrome, which afflicts nearly all humans at some point in their lives. My life has changed greatly since I came across this knowledge, so I'm passing it on to others. Hopefully I can at least put a huge dent in the medical community, which is currently totally criminal in the way it operates.

I like writing a whole bunch too. Not necessarily editing, but writing. Always have, probably always will.

[Samuel Bryson]

I Personally Blog because I feel I have something of value to say. I enjoy helping people and sharing knowledge as well as the work behind preparing a post, such as researching. I don't do it for money. If money were to come my way thats all well and good, but its more about gaining a sense of purpose through writting about what you believe in and spreading what you see as good values and so on. I'd like to think i'm doing my little bit to better mankind!

My blog i suppose is quite new, but in many ways this might explain why I enjoy it so much, its still novelty value. Only time will tell if it remains so :P

If you would like to see it simply click here: Total Wellbeing

[teatree]

Well I have several blogs. One is a money blog and the other is an aesthetic blog (both are in my signature) and one is a political/economics blog (not in my signature).

The political blog is a pure labour of love and is not monetised at all. The money blog is simply a list of things I've done to make money online - I tend to use it as a sort of directory, so that I blog anything I think is interesting and then I can always find the URL when I want to take it further simply by searching the blog.

Why do I blog - am addicted to writing. If not blogging I write in a diary or write my half-finished novel. I never get bored writing, and would rather do that than anything else.

The idea is to try to earn some money from my money blog with the ultimate aim is to be able to support myself writing. Whether I achieve this is another matter :-)