Practice What You Preach

I am always preaching about the importance of blogging, and writing for my company, but have yet to set aside the time to start blogging for myself. Writing is something that has always come fairly easy to me, but it's also extremely personal. I'm not someone who likes to write content for the sake of it- there has to be meaning and purpose behind my words. 

In order to convince myself, and you, that blogging really *IS* important, I have compiled a list of the top 5 reasons why you should take my cue and start blogging for your business, or even for yourself. 

1. Become a Thought Leader. You're good at what you do. You know what you're talking about. Why not share your expertise with the world? Blogging is a great way to help you establish your voice and grow a following. Once you start posting, and posting often, others will be able to learn from your experiences and knowledge.
   
   
2. Boost your SEO. This is common knowledge at this point, but it is worth repeating. Blogging will help you perform better in search engine results. Blogging regularly helps to keep your website up-to-date. The more you write, the more content you have. This content will help your site perform better with long-tail keywords. So start blogging today, and don't forget to include keywords and important industry terms within your content. 
   
   
3. Establish a Community. While there are countless blogs out there, you still have the opportunity to build a community with your blog. Allowing comments, and responding to those comments, are great ways to build a community with your readers. Ask thoughtful questions at the end of your blogs. While blogging is the perfect channel to get your thoughts and opinions out in the world, the comments section is a great place to have conversations. 
   
   
4. Become a Better Writer. The best way to get better at something, of course is to practice. The more you write, the more comfortable you will get. It can be daunting when you first start. Staring at a blank page and wondering "where do I even start?" If you don't have a topic picked out yet, HubSpot has a great topic generator tool. If you already have a topic, collect your ideas and just start writing. It's sometimes easier to start with the meat, and then go back and add your intro and conclusion. 
   
   
5. Create New Opportunities. Blogging can be used as a sales tactic to help you promote your products and services, or it can even help you land a new job. Either way, your blog as a networking tool. This venue can open up new possibilities for you, your career, or your business. 

Regardless of your reasons behind blogging, if you stick with it, you will see the benefits. Stop making excuses (like I have for far too long) and start writing. You'll find your groove, and wonder why you didn't start blogging sooner. 

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