Several years ago, I decided to start a blog. Then I asked myself, “What is a blog?”. The answer may surprise you.
On the surface, a blog might just seem like a place for someone to digitally spill their guts. I’ve read a few blogs like this and they are awful. That is not what a blog is, nor is a blog a place to put people down or share get rich quick scams.
Those are all just virtual journals. There is no need to share that with the world. What is a blog then? When I’m asked what is a blog, I often respond like this:
Human Connection – A blog is human. I can read the USA Today if I want the cold hard facts. I’d prefer to consume my thoughts, ideas and emotions with other humans. I have several bloggers that I read blogs from every day. It’s like we’re sharing our knowledge over a cup of coffee but this of course is magnified times ten thousand.
Influence – Blogs are an outlet for influence. You share ideas and thoughts. You share insights and concerns. A blog is a place where dialect happens between you and your reader. You influence them and they influence you.
Flesh out ideas – I never really know a topic completely until I’ve blogged about it. Blogging about a topic helps me to flesh out my feelings and forces me to learn the subject in depth. My posts on Evernote forced me to learn the software inside and out. I’ve learned blogging more about Evernote than I ever did using it.
Learn From Others – What is a blog really if it’s not a place to learn from others? I read numerous blogs every single day through Feedly. Much of what I learn on daily basis is consumed from these blogs. I also share all the best blogs with my twitter followers. Follow me on Twitter at Jason Feltner Twitter.
Community – Blogs provide a sense of community. As I mentioned before, I know and interact with many bloggers even though we’ve never met in real life. These people influence me on a daily basis and vice versa. We share ideas, insights and one another’s wisdom.
Platform – A blog is a great way to build a platform of followers. A blog can be a launching point for a new career. A blog can help you sell a book, an idea, a product or service. A blog gets you out there and in front of your followers. A blog is your home base where all your brand lives.
‘What is a blog’ is sometimes a difficult question to answer. For me, a blog can mean one thing. To someone else, they might find completely different benefits. What stays constant is that a blog is a place to share ideas with the community and ultimately grow a number of followers.
What is a blog for you? Share links to your blog below.
