As technology has grown over the recent years, we have seen so many changes in how information is shared, presented, distributed and consumed. This is nothing new, it have gone on for generations, from pictures being drawn on cave walls, to scrolls, to the town crier, to newspapers, radio, television, websites, digital media, podcasts and blogs ( or vlogs).
Throughout time, people have found ways to get the word out and that is the one constant. There has always been and always be a medium for the share of information. The biggest change in recent times is the speed at which information can now reached a significantly broader audience. The internet and social media platforms can take any piece of information and readily make it accessible across the globe. The growing digital age and the rapid expansion of social media platforms has also increased the sources of information with pretty much anyone having the capacity to set up websites, blogs, and podcasts for example. I have previously posted about the growth of podcasts as well as my personal reasons for attempting to blog, you can access those posts via these links the-growth-of-the-podcast-industry-and-its-popularity.html writing-for-personal-benefit-and-growth.html However today I wanted more to cover the topic about blogs in general, what they are, why people blog and what purpose they serve. When blogging started, the first blogs were really glorified online journals, and in all likelihood, becoming a professional blogger and making money online wasn’t the goal. Since then, the blogosphere has evolved, and now people blog for many different reasons. There are even distinctions among types of blogs - business, lifestyle, fashion, food, and entertainment blogs, among others. While the blogging scene has developed over the last decade, the benefits of blogging are still plentiful. For some it is simply an avenue for self expression or relaxation ( much like I share via my past post on writing), for others it can be a venue for personal or professional development. The landscape has changed, but there are still countless blogs that serve as a platform for people to voice their ideas, thoughts, and feelings. Whether your passion is sports, business, personal finance, cooking, politics, photography, or marketing, blogging gives you the opportunity to connect and network with like minded individuals who share the same passions. Beyond simply sharing about oneself, blogging can also be seen by some as a path to trying to affect change. Some people’s passions lean toward supporting a cause. Whether it’s a political, environmental or social cause, a blog is a great way to build awareness and garner support. Many people have something to say. Take my passion for coaching. I have been fortunate to have had a platform to share about my experiences, thoughts and give advice on coaching and working with athletes via presentations, conferences, being a coaching certification instructor and the simple act of interacting with other coaches and athletes. Writing a blog is simply another medium to share. If you’re someone who loves to teach, starting a blog can provide the opportunity to educate others interested in your field of expertise. The best part is that, as you build resources on your blog to teach others, you may realize there is a chance to monetize your blog by creating educational products or services online The more you write, the better you become at it. Most professional bloggers write on a regular basis and therefore analyze and proofread their writing constantly. You may even get feedback from readers to help you become a better writer. However, being a good writer is not a prerequisite for a successful blog. Many very high profile bloggers are self-proclaimed terrible writers, and part of their success could be attributed to their message of “If I can do it, so can you”. For me personally, blogging is often really a stream of thought exercise. I am thinking about a topic I want to write about or something comes to me because of an everyday occurrence and then I simply start writing. I find myself literally transferring my thoughts into words on a screen. Of course I try and pay attention to grammar and syntax but often times it really is just transcribing the thoughts as they present in my imagination. Once done, I post and publish with the excitement of getting it out there. I have often proof read or reread something I wrote a few days later only to discover errors or even some shared thoughts that make no sense. Plus also get feedback from my mother, who will say, I can't comment on the content but..... she was a teacher for 20+ years so once a teacher always a teacher. Blogging is a community-based endeavor, and networking is one reason people engage in it. Whether you are an individual with a passion and desire to share or someone who starts blogging to market a business idea, building relationships facilitates a blog’s growth. Like writing of any type, of course it is about content, about having something to share that will interest others, having a way to present it that captures attention and stimulates the imagination, however blogging is also about find a way to direct traffic and readership to a blog site. Often times, blogs are tied into social media platforms like facebook or twitter ( that is how I do it) or attached to a website that can generate hits. There is of course a commercial reason for blogging. More and more business from start ups to small to larger companies, use blogging as a marketing and promotional tool. Businesses create blogs primarily to expand their online presence, connect with potential customers, promote their brand in a positive conversation, and even generate online revenue. Beyond the immediate results, businesses use content marketing to rank their posts in search engines, thereby generating residual leads and revenue. A blog can be utilized as a platform to showcase knowledge and expertise. Publishing blog posts that are accurate, timely, relevant, and informative will eventually get the attention of liked minded individuals, trendsetters, decisions makers and in the case of companies, even industry insiders all of which can earn visibility and recognition as an authoritative source and thought-leader. Blogging is a great way for aspiring authors, freelance writers, designers, artists and other creative types to build up an online portfolio. By showcasing their writing skills on large platforms with expansive reach, freelancers can grow their exposure and sign new clients. As the internet and technology become more ingrained in our day-to-day lives, the benefits of blogging or building a website become impossible to ignore. However, unlike in the early days, bloggers don’t need to have computer science degrees or HTML knowledge. Software such as WordPress.org and “how to start a blog” guides have made it simple and easy to set up a website and blog in 15 minutes. If you’re unsure of whether blogging is right for you, use a free blogging platform for a few months before transitioning to a self-hosted solution. While the free website hosting site I use ( just an FYI, there is a premium pay for use version with the ability to register a domain name and get improved functionality ) does have a simple statistics display that shows how many distinct site and page visits occur daily, there is no way for me to really know how many people actually fully read my posts or if they do, how many might find then enjoyable and relevant. All I can do is keep writing, keep posting and enjoying myself.
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AuthorAfter many years of coaching at various levels and with different teams, I thought I would share some of my experiences and thoughts about coaching. Archives
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