Why Blog? [please forgive my language]

Not so long ago we were all being told that we can all blog! Yeah you can blog! Do it, even if you are the guy or gal who can't be bothered to write your own shopping list. "Get online and join in on the OUTRAGEOUS fun!"

We are now being told that if we are businesses and professionals looking for a personal branding make over, that we should be blogging too. "You have a voice, use it for business sake!" Start a blog dammit!

The benefits which being sold to us are;

1. Being able to reach out to your customers / future employers.
2. Build a following.
3. Get more hits?
4. MORE HITS PEOPLE!

Sound good don't they? [sarcasm level set to kill]

But it begs the question. Why are so many blogs *%$& then? 

I mean, why have I got to read through a tonne of detritus, and self promotional material before I reach that useful and important message? Can't I just have the message? Please?

Apparently not. You are made to suffer the whole post right up and until you are ready to give up, and then we tease you with a glimpse of what you are here to learn. 

The morsel of knowledge, if cleverly delivered, will give you a boost towards the end of your week. It might even make you smile [your smiling now, and not because I spelt you're wrong either]. 

You may even be considering sharing the message you learned with some colleagues. But you don't want to look stupid or uncool - so you probably won't do that. You are still waiting for the message.

So what's my message this week?

Just recently I read a blog post which asked the question: Is blogging the new career boost? [click here] It's a good post actually. 

In true blogging style, the original question was answered in the first few paragraphs, and then glossed over in lieu of a more self promotional line of inquiry.

"What can I tell you about what I know, without sounding too preachy". I'm doing it right now. 

The blog post writer believed there to be three distinct reasons, or 'blog styles' which you may need to consider before embarking upon your litery career. They are:

1. Knowledge Advancement. The blogger suggests that by researching subjects in which you intend to present to your readership, that you the blogger, go on a journey. This journey increases your knowledge of the chosen subject. I tend to agree. It's called learning. It happens all the time in university, and in consultancies the world over. You don't need to blog to do this though. So you probably will want to do something else, won't you?
2. Relationship Building. If you are able to flash a glimpse of your real character to a highly fickle and time stricken audience through your writing style, then great job - you will make loads of friends. If your writing skills are not yet developed enough to demonstrate to your readership that you are genuinely trying to help them - or have a real opinion which has got to be shared; then be prepared for a few years of trial and error. Relationships are two-way connections. Therefore you will be looking for some feedback. If you're writing self promotional posts which do not generate a reaction or a comment - then stop and think. Can you really afford to write for hours a week, every week for a year or two? My point is that if you do not quite yet possess the necessary writing skills to share, and to build relationships, then you might want to think again. 
3. Demonstration of Skill. Look here, I know something that you don't, and I'm about to ram it down your throat for 10 minutes. Afterwards, you may not agree with me and probably never read another one of my posts again... or... you are about to learn something cool. My thoughts are this. If I need to understand anything new or refresh my memory on a particular area of engineering, I will automatically reach for official documents, design standards, and best practice guides which have been tested and pier reviewed. I'm not going to be designing structures on the basis that the technical content of a blog post I read somewhere seemed genuine enough. Nor do I think that you should. This is neither a good reason or a sustainable reason to begin writing a blog. 

So I don't agree with the above reasons for writing blogs. What do you think?

The MESSAGE:

[Here it comes. This is the big pay-off. So far you have been in a zombie like trance, just waiting for the punch line. Your dedication is admirable] 

Why do we Blog? Because some of us love to write, some of us fancy reading it.

Blogging was going on long before monetizing was an option. Simply posting messages into a big black void, was akin to writing a secret diary in the early days. Blogging communities were not enticed by notoriety [but it did happen]. It was [and still is] a simple way to express ourselves.

So when did blogging ever become an effective form of marketing for companies? I believe that it never has... 

Blogging still is what it always meant to be. A channel for creative writers, and experts who enjoy sharing cool stuff in their lives and industry factoids.

Use blogging solely as a marketing strategy [personal or otherwise] at your peril. Readers will see right through it. 


It would be fun to see you on our new LinkedIn Group called - Blogging for Engineers. 

Engine[er]