As of August 6, 2021, there were 1.88 BILLION websites on the internet. Given this, starting a blog sounds like a losing proposition going into 2022. After all, there are other more exciting venues – TikTok anyone?
So why start a blog in 2022?
If you listen to all the blogging coaches on the internet, blogging isn’t going anywhere. Of course you’re skeptical, they have a service to sell. But hea me out. Blogs are still valid in 2022. Trust me (I just started this blog, I have nothing to sell).
Blogging is a Creative Outlet
Like me, you may have the need to express yourself and put yourself out there. But you may not be particularly talented to be able to play a musical instrument in public, or paint a picture. Or you may have a passion that you want to share with like-minded people. If you can string together intelligent sentences, you can write a blog.
Blogging is a Low-Cost Endeavour
My current cost for creating this blog is relatively low, possibly around $20.00 a month. If you wanted, you could even start a blog for absolutely free. Even free, you can create a beautful, successful blog that gets tonnes of engagement. You just may not be able to monetize it.
Did you know that it can take up to 7 hours to create every 1-5 minutes of video? That’s a lot of time many of us are not willing to devote. On the other hand, depending on how comfortable you are writing and how well-versed you are in the topic, you can probably bang out a decent post in 1-2 hours.
Blogging is a Great Way to Document your Journey
Like, I am doing right now, if you’re learning a new skill, or creating something, blogging is a great way to share your journey with other like-minded people. Ask Austin Kleon of Show Your Work fame. As you research your topic and try out new things, why not journal your findings and vent your frustrations and celebrate your wins with the whole world.
Many people would rather do this privately. I. on the other hand, find a private journal pointless. And even though it is unknown if anyone will even stumble upon my blog, I find blogging more enjoyable and somehow more productive. And ultimately you have a public record of your accomplishments (or your failures) for all to see.
Your Blog is your Own
Most content-sharing sites will restrict your content in some way, for example – word length, type of content. etc. With your blog, the world is your oyster. You can create your blog any way you want and post however you like.
You own your blog (as long as you self-host). It’s not owned by Youtube or Facebook or Amazon or some other company that could basically disable your account if they wanted to. And you’re not at the mercy of their ever changing terms of service that could restrict your creativity even more.
Blogging can be Anonymous
If you’re not ready to step into the spotlight, you can still have a very successful blog while still remaining anonymous. There’re many reasons you may not want to blog publicly – professional conflicts, safety concerns, or you just want to be private, both from your audience and from people who know you. Blogging lets you indulge in the creative side of you that your friends and family may not understand. I’ve read many bloggers who remained anoymous while having successful professional careers and happy families without anyone knowing. If privacy is a concern for you, blogging may be the best avenue to express yourself.
You can Monetize your Blog
While you may be able to market yourself and make people aware of your services through other avendues, you can’t directly monetize your social media preferences. (You can make money on Youtube, but with their ever changing terms of service, it’s not guaranteed). If you own your blog, you can make your blog work for you and make you some money.
You’ve probably seen a number of “income reports” from pro-bloggers humble bragging about hte thousands of dollars of “passive” income they are making from their blog. While I’m skeptical about how much of their monthly income is actually “passive”, (the subject of a future post), you can still make some decent money through ads and affiliate marketing once you’ve done the hardwork of actually setting and maintaining a thriving blog.
So there you have it. Six reasons on why you should start a blog over using other media. In the face of all that is shiny and new, blogging has stood the test of time and remains a powerful way to get your message out to an audience.