why blog?

So...today is it: October 1st. A brilliant, fresh new month perfect for setting new goals.

What sort of goals have you set for the month?

In my last post I mentioned that I'm taking on the Ultimate Blog Challenge. This is where participants post 31 times in 31 days...preferably once each day, but it's been noted that if we fall behind it's ok to toss a couple of posts out on a "late" day to catch up. (Whew!)


Anyway, I figure this is a great way to invigorate this blog, and I'm really looking forward to the challenge.

How about you? Are you up for a challenge, too? You can blog about anything you want: family, work, gardening, social media, golf, furbabies, politics...the topics are endless! Why not join in the fun?

If you're already a blogger, that's awesome! But if you haven't yet tested the blogging waters, now's a great time to start. First, however, ask yourself why you want to have a blog. That's sort of an important question, especially if you are writing for a business.

Are you looking to get noticed?

Want to extend your web presence beyond your website?

Do you have valuable information to share?

Want to boost your credibility? (Via that valuable info mentioned above.)

These are all great reasons to jump on board the blogging train. But before you start spewing information, keep a few things in mind:

1. Don't just type your post and hit publish.
After writing, leave your post for at least a day in a draft folder, then come back and re-read. You may decide your point wasn't as clear as you thought, or you may discover typos. You want your message (and your grammar!) to be as perfect as possible if you want your readers to take you seriously.
 
2. Provide great content.
Always make sure the information you are providing is useful for your target audience. (I.e., the readers you hope to attract--and keep!) There are so many ways to keep your content fresh--and don't feel like you have to stick to the same format all the time, either. Consider posting interviews, case studies, how-to lists, instructional information, etc. As long as you offer valuable information, you are providing a service to your readers. They'll appreciate that.

3. Create clever titles.
Maybe I should have said "don't forget to title your posts." (Because sometimes I get so excited to have worked a post up to meet my publishable criteria that I hit "publish" and forget to add a title. Am I the only one who does this?!) But really, a stellar title will help your post get noticed. Here are some tips on how to do that.

Whether you're on board with the Ultimate Blog Challenge or not, best of luck to you as you begin--or continue--your blogging efforts!