Benefits of Blogging

How Blogging can help your business

As SEO experts, we know that the benefits of blogging outweigh the disadvantages. Having a blog is an essential page for most websites. Also, have you ever had that feeling of your brain being overwhelmed with information?  How about you have a perfect idea but have never been able to make your opinion heard?  Well, look no further. You can do this without the need for a website developer!  Blogging is where it can happen. Blogging not only has its benefits of reaching out to people or followers. But it also could make you some money.  I mean, who doesn’t love MONEY?  Below are some helpful insights we have gathered to give you, the reader, some ideas about the benefits of blogging.

Become a better content writer

The best way to become a better writer is to read and write. The more you get your thoughts on paper (or keyboard), the more experience you get in writing.  If somebody wrote each day for an entire year, I am sure they would learn a lot about their writing style, concepts, and focus.  With blogging, anyone can follow your journey and watch your progress.  This is one way to showcase your writing knowledge and possibly get helpful information from other bloggers.

Build your resume

People don’t always think about it when looking for employment because future employers often search their names on the internet before deciding.  In an article by Shea Bennett on Adweek.com, she writes, “nine in ten companies look at online profiles before hiring, and almost half say that they find higher-quality candidates this way.” Hence, potential employers finding your quality work online would be one step towards being hired.

With this in mind, bloggers must know that employers will search for them online and that a blog could act as an extended resume.  Similarly, blogging could hurt your chances for employment. Hence, be cautious about where you apply and know what the company might look for in a future employee. Likewise, be careful about what you choose to blog about, as whatever you post on the internet will be publicly linked to your name.

Benefits of Blogging for a business

Blogging typically starts as a hobby.  People log into their blogs to write down ideas or thoughts that they want to share.  But what about the idea of turning your blog into a business?  Pat Flynn became a blogger after he was laid off from his architecture firm. In an interview written by Michael Dunlop, Pat said, ” I decided after I was let go from my firm to take a go at doing business online. His story is an excellent example of what it is like to start a blog for fun and turn it into a career.

So naturally, I added some AdSense to my blog and immediately saw results” (Dunlop).  The article displays ways Pat used his blog to generate revenue by selling advertisements and even compiling an eBook of the material he was sharing on his blog.  Such benefits of blogging can transform into a career. Countless others have made a living from blogging. For example, the benefits of blogging have generated money from writing about family experiences, tips about housework, and organization, to name a few.

Besides generating a career out of blogging, it can also serve as an effective online marketing vehicle for existing businesses. For example, getting more information on services and products will get your online presence noted. Thus, resulting in more sales and website traffic.

Critical Thinking

In an article by Lou Martin about the Educational Benefits of Blogging, he writes, “a blog provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate critical thinking skills and to employ language and writing principles that demonstrate analytical thought and comprehension. Creating a blog allows the blogger to think outside the box. Analytical and critical thinking participate in polishing your blog before publishing it on the internet. 

They also give a platform from which creative risks can be taken”.This statement indeed pushes students to try new things in different ways.  Without critical thinking, the writing would be plain and have no substance. This definitely plays a factor in the benefits of blogging because it is a key to improving writing skills and your ability to produce great blogs.

Learn more about people and their responses

Bloggers put their ideas and insights on a public platform for others to view daily.  This allows the viewers to respond and share knowledge back to the blogger about things the viewer would like to know or possible new ways of presenting material through the blog itself.  As a blogger, you need to know your audience and give the material in a user-friendly space, so you can build your following and have an audience that is left wanting more.

Bloggers must rely on their feedback and make decisions to use the advice and suggestions from their followers or risk losing those readers. Bloggers also must know that there will be negative comments from readers who disagree with the opinions and perspectives being discussed and not take that personally, as there will always be differing opinions.

Instant feedback

Benefits of Blogging

Listening to the feedback provided by readers is critical to the success of a blogger. To an extent, any feedback is good feedback.  Feedback ultimately fuels a blog to continue, in my opinion, with the viewers captivated by what you are blogging about. Bloggers get the luxury of clicking and being instantly able to receive feedback. If you look at someone who writes a book, they might have to wait months or years to hear feedback on their material. As much as this can be helpful to the blogger developing their writing, it can also be difficult to receive feedback from others. It is up to the blogger to take the advice or not.

Creating a personal timeline

Many young bloggers begin their journey when they decide to gather their experience from a new phase in their lives. They might be traveling abroad and wanting to share the photos and stories of their adventures with family and friends. Some are starting a new career and use the space to connect with coworkers new to the field. In addition, others may be starting a family and are looking for a platform to share their day-to-day experiences. Blogging can be an excellent way to write about personal endeavors.

Build yourself a network

Blogs are not only an excellent place to showcase one’s ideas, but it is also a great place to network and meet new people. With every blog someone publishes, they will have viewers’ comments to look at for guidance or assistance.  Navigating through a blog is critical to present their opinion with helpful advice. This could only help a blogger strengthen their writing skills and possibly help the needs of some of their viewers.  Who knows, maybe someone who reads your blog could be your next employee, employer, friend, or business partner.

Stay up to date on information in your field.

Blogging reviews is an effective way of getting the information out to the shopper. In today’s world, most people shop online versus traditional in-store shopping.  With this relatively new way of shopping, the need for product reviews is enormous.  Blogging reviews of such products can not only be beneficial to others looking for product information. But there is also money to be made from advertising certain company products. Amazon, for example, provides affiliate links for bloggers to use. This is yet another way blogging could benefit anyone.

Become proficient in a new language

Blogging does not only benefit your writing development. But you could also polish up on a new language if you write a blog in something other than your native language.  In an article on 15 Real Benefits of Blogging, Marco Mijatovic says, “if you want to learn a new language, blogging is the way to go.  Those of you who are blogging in a nonmother tongue will become more proficient in that language”(Mijatovic).  I can see the benefits of this learning style, with instant feedback from blog viewers regarding grammar and sentence usage.

Pick a topic you are passionate about

A topic you genuinely believe in is what you should be writing about. With broad internet and social media access, readers might spark an interest in something they didn’t know they were passionate about.  This will keep you focused on writing good material and give people the need to return.  In an article about the many benefits of starting a blog, Lori Wilson said, “your enthusiasm and knowledge will shine through and make a bigger impact on your readers than you think” (Wilson).

Many people browse the internet or social media, finding links to suggested material related to other sources they follow or have read before. Although writing about sad, painful, or emotional topics can be challenging, many can relate to and connect to what you write in their personal lives. Readers can feel when an author has a passion and an emotional connection to their topic.

Be yourself

Blogs don’t always have to be a business idea or “how-to” steps to complete a task.  Bloggers could use this platform just to be themselves.  One could use this blog to display their favorite ice cream, puppies they can’t live without, or even what type of soda pop they prefer over the other brands.  Blogs give people the freedom to write virtually anything that they desire.  Now, if that material is not that informative, interesting, or well-written, one might not have any followers. But then again, that might not be their intent for that blog.

You may be a dentist or doctor that could write about dental procedures and practices. Or an investment firm providing options as to how to be financially sound. Maybe, an attorney practicing at a law firm that just won the big case. How about hairstylists try a new method at their hair salons? The list is endless. In fact, at Visualwebz, we’ve written blogs on a range of topics. For example, website design, web developers, Bing and Yahoo, online ads and animation, best hosting, and digital marketing, to name a few.

Have fun blogging!