The Benefits of Blogging

So you’re in the middle of your professional career and you want to sharpen your skills, or maybe, you’re a job seeker and you happen to find yourself with some free time. You’ve heard before that embracing social media, learning the ins and outs of popular sites such as LinkedIn, and blogging can help your career, but you’re still not convinced? The Get Busy Living Blog posted a piece on the “10 Reasons To Start a Blog Today.” From networking opportunities to brushing up on your writing proficiency, blogging offers many rewards that are sometimes overlooked.

Here are just a few of the benefits of blogging, straight from a fellow blogger:

“1. You will meet a variety of great people.

Since I’ve started this blog, I’ve gotten to know some awesome people online. Not only do I love what they write and what they’re doing, but I love getting to know them.

When I went to Las Vegas to get married, a blogger I’ve gotten to know, Steve Roy from Ending the Grind was out there at the same time. We set up a time to meet and we literally just walked around the Wynn/Encore casino and talked.

Just last week in Taipei, I met Matthew Hooper, who I met through Twitter one day when I first started and got to know him throughout the year. We just happen to be back visiting Taipei at the same time. Matt, a Canadian, actually lived in Taipei for eight years and met his wife here. Plus he worked with Eleanor at a language school many years ago. Small world!!

I know I’ll meet more in person in the near future.

I’ve read stories of people who’ve attended Blog World or World Domination Summit and finally met long time blogging friends, and made new ones.

You know what I’ve found too? Bloggers are some of the nicest people out there.

If you want to know how to reach out to bloggers, read Adrienne Smith’s post about how to do it.

3. It can lead to publishing a book

It does seem like some bloggers would love to publish a book. With a blog, if you’ve built up a huge audience you, that could help in your book proposal. Even if you don’t go the traditional route, you could self publish on the Kindle, which many are doing today.

Pamela Slim has a book called Escape From Cubicle Nation: From Corporate Prisoner to Thriving Entrepreneur (great book), which started out as a blog by the same name. She didn’t start the blog with the intention of writing a book, but later was approached to write a book on her expertise.

Another blog to book is 1000 Awesome Things, by Neil Patel.

Neil started posting awesome things every weekday, got a book deal, and it turned into a New York Times #1 bestseller.

There is a blog called Stuff White People Like by Christian Lander. He says it’s about “a scientific approach to highlight and explain stuff white people like. They are pretty predictable.”

He got a book deal after three months (wow) and it turned into a New York Times bestseller, aptly called Stuff White People Like and now Whiter Shades of Pale.

Jenny Blake, another blog to book blogger (say that five times fast), wrote a guest post on the pros and cons of it. Great for those interested in publishing.

If you’re looking to publish your first book this year, Chris Guillibeau has a guide to teaches you how to write, sell, and publish your book (aff link).

5. You can make a difference

The first thing that comes to mind is using your blog as a way to raise money for a charity.

Tim Ferris does it often on his blog.

Last year after the Japan earthquake and tsunami, I saw tweets about a fundraiser organized by Lavonne Ellis. A donation gave you a bunch of products donated by bloggers to help your blog and business grow. Plus you were entered in a drawing for some premium products and services.

I just read they raised $5,385 plus got a matching grant to double the amount! It’s really cool that a bunch of bloggers did that.

It doesn’t just have to be amount money. You can bring attention about issues in your community, nation, or the world. You can make a difference in many ways through your blog.

6. It can give you a voice

A blog lets you be heard. The blog is your platform. You can share whatever you want with your readers. You can share your opinion. You can teach. You can inspire. You can inform.

The important thing is it’s coming from you. You have a voice.”

If you’re still not sure if blogging is right for you, click on the link to view all 10 reasons why you should start a blog today. Hesitant about what to write? Here’s the key- the most important thing is the start on something. It doesn’t necessarily have to be entirely professional or technical. Choose a topic that you are interested in and go at it. Learn new things, teach others through your blog and really focus on writing about what you’re passionate about. Just the fact that you are writing can be seen as valuable in and out of the workplace.

Are you a die-hard blogger? What do you write about and how has blogging helped your career?