Blogging: Is it worth it?
To blog or not to blog; that is not really the question.
If you want to blog, you can blog. There is no barrier to entry as it were. You can do it for free, you can do it anonymously, and you don’t even have to be good at it. All it requires is some time and effort. Hell, even if the only person who ever reads it is your grandmother, you are still blogging. Welcome to the community, we’re glad to have you.
But it seems to me that the real question should be: Is blogging worth it?
“Worth what?” you might ask. Is it worth the time, effort, impact on your career, and even the impact on your personal life. Now, I’m not trying to scare you. I’ve seen and experienced both the positives and negatives of blogging. And everyone’s experience is different.
As I see it, here are some positives and negatives of blogging:
Positive
– It’s an outlet for your creativity and it can be fun
– It allows you to network, learn, and form connections/friendships with some great people, across the world
– It can help you build awareness of yourself and your business in your community/industry
– It can lead to a new job, career, or clients
– It can earn you income
– It can help you grow as a professional
Negative
– It can hinder your ability to find a job
– Your employer may not approve of it or see value in you doing it
– You can experience harassment from people online, not everyone is nice
– It can bring you negative attention from the community/industry if they don’t agree with something you write
– You may never get noticed at all, despite all your efforts
– It takes time away from other pursuits and responsibilities
Personally, I fall firmly on the side of it being worth it and don’t see that changing anytime soon. But that’s just me. The value I place on blogging comes entirely from my own circumstances and experiences, which admittedly, have been more positive than negative. But I know plenty of people who have tried blogging, found it wasn’t for them or that it wasn’t worth it, and walked away. They did what was right for them and really, that is what matters.
So blog if you want to and if it is worth it for you to do so. The more you know about what you want to get out of blogging, what you are willing to give up for it, and how far you are willing to take it, the better the experience will be. Both personally and professionally.
