The Value of Blogging
March 1st, 2009My employer at GoKidsGo discovered my blog last week, and yesterday he joked that I obviously have too much time on my hands. A notion I’d easily go along with, but, it did trigger me thinking about why I choose to take the time to blog. For me it seems to come down to three main reasons, any one of which is good enough on its own.
1) Writing regularly improves our ability to think and communicate well. The written word is increasingly becoming a part of every day life. We email, tweet, text, instant message, comment, write proposals and reports, and blog now, more than ever. Learning to write well is a skill well worth taking the time to pursue.
the words we use to write with are the same words we use to think with, learning to write well has ramifications that go beyond the merely technical. As we improve our writing ability, we improve our ability to think – to build an argument, to frame issues in compelling ways, to weave apparently unrelated facts into a coherent whole. – Dustin Wax
2) Taking the time to think about things on a deeper level, helps define who you are. In addition, culminating your thoughts into coherent conclusions leaves your mind free, and better able to focus on other tasks. I find it’s worth the effort, and results in better efficiency and productivity in other areas of my life that require attention.
3) Online identity and personal brand. Blogging is the corner stone of your online identity, and is a great way to make the world more aware of who you are and what you do.
People google people now more than ever before, and will do so even more tomorrow. It makes sense, and is completely morally sound. If I might be working with someone, it’s worth taking the time to get to know them, as best I can before taking the plunge.
It’s extremely likely that google will have results on me, so its worth taking control of those results to better define who you are and why your valuable. Your name is essentially a brand that gets associated with the skills and qualities you have to offer the world.
What other reasons do you think its worth (or perhaps not worth) blogging? If you already blog tell us why you choose to do so. Or if you don’t, what’s held you back? Share you’re thoughts in the comments below.
