And Then, I Decided NOT to Blog...
I am a bit of a radical at times. I believe in making decisions based on what works for me, and after weighing solid information.
I confess, blogging has its allures. I love to write. The thought of being able to spill out wit and whimsy at my leisure is very beguiling. I have a lot of websites. The ability to promote those in another way also holds its own attractions. But not enough to make me dive in without a bit of thought and planning.
I am a busy woman. I operate upwards of 20 websites, plus I have clients needs to attend to. I have a son with cancer, and I am not done having children. My last pregnancy involved over 2 months of bedrest due to problems with the baby. She did not live, but she taught me the need for keeping my life flexible. When you have a child with cancer, and potential health issues of your own, you never know when you'll end up in the ER overnight, or in the hospital with a sick kid for days. Cultivating a business that requires that you be there on the schedule of other people just isn't wise.
I have published a newsletter also. I know myself well, from past experience. I have a very hard time keeping to a publishing schedule. It goes well at first, but it fades rapidly as the shiny wears off. I like starting things. I like maintaining them less than I like starting them, and soon they become drudgery.
I know enough about Blogging to know that it would require things that I am not sure I am able to give on a consistent basis - partly due to my own nature, partly due to the unpredictability of my life. Consider the following:
1. A Blog is not the easy thing it is made out to be. It takes some time to learn how to use it properly. Technically it has a lower learning curve than building a regular website, but it would still take me (even with my vast experience) some time to learn. I don't feel I have that time right now.
2. It would require regular updates. Fun for the first two or three days when the list of ideas is still long and fresh. Harder later when the well of creativity begins to dry up.
3. You have to check in on it regularly to review the posts. If you don't, it gets taken over by spammers, banned from the search engines, and all the benefits evaporate into the ether.
4. It requires marketing of its own. No matter what they tell you, listing it in the Blog directories is not enough.
5. They are often described as a quick way to get attention, but the blog universe is now quite saturated in virtually every niche, so having a blog no longer gives you any advantage over having a website in many ways.
After careful review of the situation - mine and the realities of blogging, I made a radical choice. I decided NOT to blog. I decided that for my business, it could not offer an advantage, and would in fact complicate my life more than it helped it. I chose, instead, to rely on other methods of accomplishing my business goals.
I market with articles to get viral and syndicated exposure.
I update my sites regularly to keep the indexing current.
I get inbound links through articles and directory links.
I cross link my sites to leverage the power of multiple site ownership.
For now, blogging is somewhere I do not need to go. And I may never choose to do it. If you reach the same conclusion, take heart! It does not mean you are backward, lacking in understanding of the true power, or any of the other negative stereotypes people would like to cast you in. It may in fact mean that you are fully aware of what it would take, and self-aware enough to know that for you, it is not the wise, nor the necessary choice.
Written by Laura Wheeler
Owner of BadMarketingIdeas.com - http://www.badmarketingideas.com/ – Laura writes instructional materials, produces infosites, and builds affordable websites for her business startup clients. Her varied experience allows her to give exceptional service, and to produce instructions on a surprising range of topics. Laura is a busy mom of eight, homeschooler, and home business owner.