Have a friend who blogs? Have you tried blogging yourself? Are you really even sure what blogging is? We’ve been exposed to this wonderful way of sharing ideas, thoughts, and life-changing expressions for some time now. Yes, we’re talking internet time so it’s only been a few years, but that’s a long time in internet-space.
The power, control, freedom, and ability to influence and interact with other people is just so powerful I don’t understand why anyone would not want to blog about something they’re interested in. I hope this article will help inspire you to do a bit more in your own life.
In this article, a gracious reader and champion for life-change was kind enough to do a little question and answer interview survey with me. I don’t claim to be the best interviewer in the world, but I do promise some good, raw, and honest answers from normal people like you and me. I do my best to NOT filter these answers, except for the bad words and hateful speech (which of course doesn’t happen often).
With that little blurb out of the way, let’s dive right into the content!
Today’s Topic: Blogging (Round 2)
‘R’ = Richard N. Stephenson (me!)
‘I’ = Interviewee (anonymous by request unless otherwise noted)
[This interview is inspired and fueled by research done for my book: Quick Content Formula.]
R: Describe what blogging means to you.
I: I feel blogging is an ego based behavior. I also feel blogging is overdone because of advertising dollars spent on blogger websites. I think we’d see about a 50% decrease in blog sites if bloggers weren’t gaining revenue from site traffic.
R: Describe how blogging would be useful to people looking to change their lives/careers.
I: Blogging can help people looking to change their lives or careers by serving as a vehicle for someone to demonstrate their subject matter expertise to a wider audience. Some bloggers are so successful that their blog, which originally was a hobby, has become their full-time job. It can also serve as a free, readily available portfolio for prospective employers, and are often referenced in an individual’s job application.
R: Give an example of blogging being used that has inspired you (from either internet/mainstream media examples or personal examples).
I: My sister in law has a blog in which she talks about spiritual issues. It has inspired me to try new meditation techniques and apply some of her knowledge to my present circumstances. I like that in a blog, you are almost ‘talking’ to another person and feel the intimacy of a connection.
R: How do you think a better understanding of blogging would help other people in their personal or professional life?
I: A better understanding of blogging would help because they would know that it is just another word for writing an online article. The only difference is that the article is written in a conversational tone as if talking to someone in person. Talking to someone online is what blogging is all about and with that understanding there should be more sharing of ideas and comments.
R: Give an example of how blogging has helped you professionally or personally.
I: I do not personally blog but I read many blogs on many different topics. They have helped me gain insight when traveling. I’ve also found blogs that introduce me to new products and ways of life. Particularly I’ve enjoyed reading blogs done by sailing families as I am getting in to off shore sailing.
R: Describe at least one way you think blogging could cause trouble or hurt someone in their personal or professional life.
I: If the blogger one day, or frequently, is unable to put their thoughts through a polite filter, they may offend someone. That someone could have influence over the blogger’s professional life, causing them to lose out on a new business venture or a new business contact.
R: Give an example of how blogging has hurt you or caused you trouble in the past.
I: Blogging has hurt me in the past due to the amount of people on the internet that want to attack you for nothing. Even posting a reasonable comment on a topic draws negative responses. I feel blogging is really a drain on most people who take it seriously.
R: How do you think blogging could help you in a professional setting? Why is that?
I: Blogging could help in a professional setting because it provides a forum for the company to interact with its customer with the reading of online articles. Many companies are having employees who like to write to contribute to the company’s forum to gather reviews of their customer service and to invite membership to the online blog. Blogging in the professional setting is a customer service addition to advertising that allows the company to actively interact with the customers on an online writing forum.
R: Give an example of how blogging could be useful at work. Why do you think this?
I: Blogging, in general, can be useful because it causes a person to become more observant to their surroundings. I am not sure that blogging at work is useful, unless it is work-related. If it is work-related then it would be useful because the employee is being peer-reviewed, in a manner of speaking, and might be more thoughtful in their communication.
R: How do you think blogging could help you at home? Why is that?
I: I do not really think that blogging could help me at home. However, I can understand how for someone in a different line of work it would be helpful. If your job involved other people visiting your website, or the website that you wish, then blogging could be very important to get the necessary clicks where they have to be. But in my personal life blogging has no part.
R: Give an example of how blogging could be useful at home or in family life. Why do you think this?
I: Blogging can help in family or home life by bringing in outside perspectives from directions you would never think of yourself. If you present a problem you are having to your blog readers, they may come up with solutions you had never thought of. If you’re having a disagreement with a family member and can’t seem to resolve it, you can use your blog to (respectfully and carefully) explore the issue and find new answers.
R: How do you think blogging could help you in a personal relationship? Why is that?
I: It is hard to hide your feelings if you are blogging about something on a regular basis, especially a relationship. The blogger is forced to “live out loud” and can’t really express opinions in their blog that they contradict in life with the person. It is an open form of communication that is usually helpful.
R: Give an example of how blogging could be useful in a personal relationship. Why do you think this?
I: I think a couple maintaining a blog together could help both people in the relationship to better understand each other through the writing, discussing, and time spent on the blog. I also feel a well ran couples blog could benefit the couple financially. It could also be used as a way to record important events of the relationship eternally on the internet.
R: Describe at least one thing you would like to learn more about blogging.
I: I would really like to learn more about how to make money from a blog. I’ve read a few different books, and set up a blog based on some of the ideas from those books, but I’m not getting any real traffic. So, information that will actually help my blog generate revenue would be very useful to me.
R: Give your number one piece of advice for someone looking to learn more about blogging.
I: First, look at some of the top blogs on the web to get a sense of the different style that bloggers use. Try to see what works the best for different content areas. Then explore blogs in your topic areas to see which ones resonate best with your constituents.
~~~~~
That’s it for now! I hope you enjoyed this interview conversation and found at least one useful bit of information you can immediately begin to apply in your life.
Also, if you’d like to figure out how to make a lot of great content for your own blog, website, school work, or email newsletters, then you might enjoy the Quick Content Formula. This is my own personal (and favorite!) method of creating highly engaging, fun, and useful information at a very quick pace. It’s a great way to beat that blinking cursor and write more awesome stuff. Click here to check it out.
Please share your thoughts, experiences, or your own interview answers and let’s share some real life wisdom, okay?