I’m curious! What’s your motivation for blogging?
I’m writing some of my own thoughts and what motivates me, which I’ll share later, but wouldn’t it be interesting to know what motivates other bloggers?
We all love to know what other people are thinking, right?
Some possibilities… for you is blogging…
- a marketing strategy for your business
- to showcase your expertise
- to get more traffic to your website
- to promote your products/services
- your main business online (meaning you make your money from your blog itself – affiliate promotions, etc – and not through coaching/consulting/another business)
- a way to express yourself
- to share your passion or “cause”
- because you love writing
- fun hobby
- way to stay in touch with family and friends
- a way to share your knowledge with more people
- one of the ways you serve the world around you
- other reasons?
- more than one of the above?
My suspicion is that when we get right down to it, those of us who are entrepreneurs blog because we want to help others and we believe that somehow we can make a difference in our own little corner of the world. What do you think? Too rosy a perspective?
There’s no shame in blogging because it’s your business or a marketing tactic for your business–it’s one of the best tools out there for promotion. But I think we’ve got deeper motivations.
And deeper motivations for our entire businesses, too… beyond blogging, did you go into business for yourself to serve a bigger purpose? To change something for the better? To help others?
I think so. We’re entrepreneurs. It’s what we do.
P.S. Please do share your thoughts in the comments. I’d love to learn more about you and have a conversation about motivations. And don’t forget to link back to your blog!
Photo Credit: darrenhester at morguefile.
I have a few different blogs. Each where started for a different reason. I think my main reason right now for blogging is because i have a strong desire to want to help other. I have a story to tell and if i can help people along the way then that is great.
Melissa (www.byebyefatgirl.net)
I started blogging for all of those reasons. I wanted a way to help market Faerie Made and its developed int o a creative outlet. I’ve recently learned I have an audience who avidly follows it! The pressure is on! So I’m trying to balance it with a mix of personal ( food/ pets/ my life etc) and biz…..
Hey Michelle! I would definately say, I initially was looking for a way to brand myself and market my business. It’s really evolved though and become a way to connect with so many other amazing entrepreneurs and I don’t just blog for promotional purposes :) I love giving back and sharing what I’ve learned!
Dani
I blog for many of the reasons you listed: as a marketing strategy for my business, to showcase my expertise, to promote my products and services, to share my passions, to express myself, because I love writing, to share my knowledge with more people and mostly to serve the world around me.
I love what I do in my business . . . it’s my mission and purpose in life. My blog is part of that. Through it I share things that I believe can change people’s lives. Like helping them see their worth. Like showing them how to come to know themselves, create their vision, and implement steps to get there. Like putting steps in place to create their businesses online based on their passions so they can stay home with their kids . . . which is what they so desperately want. Like making improvements to their blog or to their online activities that moves their business forward. Like doing better with organization or time management.
I love the idea of “success together” and I can do that so much on my blogs and through my blogs. It’s the biggest high to promote others, run cool things like our WAHM Solution January blog event, get to know others, build relationships and provide resources to help others. I can do all of that on my blog – – it’s so much more than just posts.
So, is your view too rosy? I don’t think so!
So glad you asked!
1) I blog because it’s liberating.
2) I blog because my blog is my stage – my presentations can be informational, funny, serious, promotional, cranky – and everything in between.
3) I blog because blogging is my top pick of all the social media marketing platforms.
4) I blog because it’s the perfect medium for outreach – it’s the vehicle that helps me to reach out to my target audience, to fellow bloggers, to other entrepreneurs.
5) I blog because I can.
I think everyone here should collaborate, Michelle, and produce an e-booklet with all the “whys”. And let’s title it “Bloghonesty” (Blog On!-esty) – The Real Motivations Behind Blogging (or something to that effect – I’ll work on it). :)
So, this question has been asked before. And, it was done by requesting each of us to make believe we had to provide the response via twitter- 140 characters or less! Talk about honing your vision and mission.
I had two.
Tough to show you how much I know and do- so I compose my blog to prove it to you…
From medicine to tax, with biz and hi tech, we keep you and your business from becoming a wreck.
Yes, I believe in honing one’s message to make it clear and concise!
Missed part of my post. Sorry. Last blog:
http://www.adjuvancy.com/wordpress/?p=2576
Gimme some of that old time religion!
Hi Michelle, Great post.
I started blogging to try and get back into my writing via a routine, and to also get feedback to see if I was actually any good – or if it was something I should give up on. I’m pleased to say that it has helped me so much, and I now have so many ideas, but not enough time to write (when combined with my day job and life). As a bonus, I’m also now using it to help people through sharing my experiences and also blogging on certain topics such as leadership, mentoring and blogging development.
I blog for many of those same reasons as well. It’s been fun for me because I’m a transplanted Southerner – now in New England. It’s been hard for me to make friends here and this has been a great way for me to make friends and develop relationships in the comfort of my own home. Still 10 inches of snow on the ground and COLD! Love your blog and look forward to visiting again soon. Hope to join ur blog challenge. Sincerely, Cindy Eckhart
I began writing when I had left work for a while. Then “no one” else gave me work. In fact my first post talks about my state then!
But basically I started writing to get back to my love for it and found out how good am I…and then I really liked the idea and it stayed on :)
The main reason that I started to blog was an attempt to connect a reader to my art (products) and to give “behind the scene” insights to the creative process involved in what I do. It’s about sharing the process and the product- a total package.
I DO blog for myself, in a way. I love writing and see it as a form of self-expression. But if that alone was my reason, I’d keep a private journal, not a public blog. I DO think that I can somehow make a difference in other people’s lives by sharing my own story. At least that’s what I hope my blog accomplishes.
What a great question.
I blog for many different reasons:
1) private blog for therapy
2) another private blog to talk more about things I can’t say on private blog number 1 because some people who know me in real life read 1)
3) Organising Queen -I started without thinking 5 years ago and found I actually love writing and connecting with people all over the world, when they comment. Also my organising streak is not weird, I’m now helping people. I honestly haven’t found it to lead to much, if any, business at all but I do believe it helps showcase me as an expert