There are now estimated to be over 100,000,000 active blogs worldwide on platforms such as WordPress, Blogger and Tumblr. On WordPress alone, users produce 500,000 new posts and 400,000 new comments on an average day and over 322 million people view more than 2.5 billion pages each month.
Until the late 1990s the concept of blogging was non-existent. Today however, many consider writing a blog to be a professional necessity. But what exactly are the benefits of blogging?
Dedicating a little time each day to creating and maintaining a professional blog has the potential to enhance your career considerably. In today’s competitive job market, a well written blog can make you stand out from the crowd to clients, colleagues and potential employers. Your blog is a springboard from which to showcase your talents and as such, carefully crafted postings will go some way to positioning you as an expert in your field. And a great blog has the potential to open doors to career options you never imagined possible.
Most blog platforms are technically quite easy to use. The most challenging part of the conception stage is deciding what your subject matter should be. This will vary depending on your area of expertise but you should consider who your target audience is and what information will interest them. People react to passion so write about something which interests you and endeavor to publish original content to encourage audience retention.
Before you publish any posts make sure you have a good understanding of the software and have filled in the ‘About’ and ‘Contact’ sections. Nothing looks more unprofessional than empty tabs. Where possible add a ‘Follow this blog’ button to boost subscriptions and readership long-term. Next write a bank of articles that you have available to post in quick succession. An active blog ranks higher in Google and readers are more likely to return if they expect fresh content – ideally you should aim to post every day wherever possible.
Posts should encourage participation from the blogging community, so ask questions and aim to spark discussions. Search other blogs with themes similar to your own and get involved by commenting on interesting articles. Networking in the blogosphere is essential to raising your online profile.
Publisising your blog efficiently will demonstrate your technical proficiency and understanding of the social environment. It will also boost your unique users and therefore the profile of your site. Integrate your blog with other social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and your LinkedIn profile. Embed a Twitter button on your blog homepage to appear below each post. This will make it easier for readers to share interesting articles. Remember to hyperlink other sites, companies and sources you mention – not only is this good etiquette, but also a well linked site is more SEO friendly.
Once you have established an informative, professional page and one with a relevant regular user base, you can use the site as a platform to push your career.
By connecting with your professional community you will establish yourself as a go-to source of knowledge in the area. If done correctly this should raise your profile amongst your colleagues as well as attract interest from others in the field, whatever your level of experience.
If you are just starting out in your career, a blog is essential for building your reputation. And if you are looking for promotion, or searching for a new position elseware, a highly-visible blog will set you apart from the competition. It will show that you have technical ability, are willing to work on you own initiative and most importantly – that you know your industry.
If you are self-employed, or work in the creative industries, a blog should be at the center of your online presence. By failing to have an adequate internet ubiquity you are essentially hiding from possible opportunities. A multifaceted blog can act as a catalogue of your work as well as including contact information and a portal to other social media networks.
Likewise, for experienced professionals planning on changing direction in their careers, a blog can raise you profile and place you as advisor in your field.
Remember, your blog is your own personal advertisement and a well-executed page speaks volumes about your professional capabilities. It not only demonstrates that you have a working understanding of the digital age in which we live, but it also shows you are driven and passionate about your industry – which inspires confidence in those who may want to invest in you. Good luck!
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