I think we’re way past the time when blogging was becoming a rage and just about anyone who had any Web savviness to boast of was already on the bandwagon.
In this age of “micro-blogging” a.k.a. 140-character tweets and myriad social networks, what is the relevance of blogging?
Well, here are my top three reasons to blog:
- I have something substantive to share that can’t be encapsulated in 140-character tweets or 500-character Facebook messages.
- I want to be part of an online community of engaged people who want to discuss and debate, ponder and elaborate, read and update…
- It’s my “me” time — in an age when all of us are so time-pressed and cater to multiple demands of family and professional life, it’s very hard to set aside time to think, evaluate, and question…life becomes a steady stream of activities with no time to pause and reflect. Blogging allows me that break.
What to blog about was not an easy decision — there are tons of experts generating unique, useful material online but what is it that I can offer? Where’s my niche? What’s my specialty? What am I passionate about? What interests me?
It boiled down to writing about things I know from my life experiences that others can benefit from, interspersed with commentary on things I’ve read that left an impression on me.
When to blog? For some people, it’s got to be every day (especially those posting newsy items or other timely informational content), for others it’s a weekly post. I decided to remain free of those confines. Not because I don’t like a regimented routine, but because I have to have something meaningful to contribute. Splendid ideas don’t come to me in 24-hour bursts.
So, if you’re new to blogging, or contemplating having an online presence that goes beyond @ prefixes, figure out the why, what and when and then Just Do It!
Also, read the 16 Misconceptions About ‘Serious’ Blogging before you get started.
Update: My blog schedule has changed since I wrote this post. Now I write every day except weekends.
