Why You Need to Blog Even with Social Media Available
If you've got an interest in establishing a recognizable presence online quite simply you need to blog! The question is why would someone need a blog to connect with others when there are so many different social sites freely available? Read more to see 5 ways blogs can benefit both yourself and other people using the internet as a means to connect and discuss interesting topics!
If you've got an interest in establishing a recognizable presence online quite simply you need to blog! There is little argument that people using the internet typically use social media as a way to connect with others! The question is why would someone need a blog to make these connections with so many different social sites freely available? Well the point here is when you use social media even though you can easily connect with others it's quite a challenge to stand out from the masses! Having a blogging platform on the other hand helps minimize or even eliminate this challenge and here are 5 ways it can do so and thus why you need a blog!
It's Your Hub
The ONLY way to really establish an online presence is with your own site that allows you to design it in a way that works best for you! The vast majority of people using the internet do so for 2 primary reasons,
to get information or to use social media sites to stay in tough with others! By blogging you can offer folks fresh content on any subject you choose along with the ability to interact with other visitors!
You're In Control
You are the host and NOT just another 'visiting' member to some extraordinarily large social community therefore there's more focus on you! Of course to capture the interest of people using the internet you'll need to offer something they may find interesting to read! You'll also need to promote both your site and any new content you've published! One very effective way to do this is when you do use social media sites yourself, to leave links there for others to follow back to your blogging platform!
You Create the Environment
One of the biggest reasons you need a blog is so you can create an environment in which visitors are allowed to freely interact with one another! Only you as the administrator can decide whether or not to allow comments which of course in most cases you always should! The tone of the site is set by the tone you use when posting updates which can range from satirical or outright humorous to an atmosphere more conducive to learning! Whatever tone you select is typically one that visitors will come to associate with you thereby helping you build a more distinctive identity! This is something that is NOT easily accomplished when you use social media sites simply because you do NOT make the rules! In addition and most importantly, you are the ONLY source of content so you won't be competing with countless others for the attention of your visitors!
It's More Focused
Blogs as mentioned previously can be considered 'forerunners' to the social communities found online today! The single biggest difference is that blogs are typically more highly focus insofar as the topics that are written about and discussed! When people use social media they typically encounter an assortment of wide ranging topics from which they can choose from to discuss with others, much like any social gathering! These sites are very casual and unfocused which is why their membership is usually so high! On the other hand if you want to keep your topics and discussions more narrowly focused you will need a blog in order to do so!
It Makes You an Authority
By virtue of the fact that people using the internet are attracted to your blog because they find value in what you publish, will over time make you an authority! The key components for you as a blogger to earning such a distinction is to consistently create content that intrigues and informs your readers! Know of what you speak, publish what you know, and your credibility in the long run will simply continue to grow!
For anyone wanting to stand out online be it for personal or business related reasons, you need to blog! The people using the internet today prefer to interact with others and this is why so many use social media! Although these social communities do allow for the interaction most people crave, it can be very difficult to stand out and be notice in the sea of humanity that populates these sites! Blogging on the other hand offers the interaction folks want and the ability for the blogger to stand out which is what you need! Quite simply these platforms were the 'forerunners' to social communities we now see all over the internet but they can and should be individualized to make them most effective! For these reasons and so many more this is why you need a blog if you want to make your mark online!