Blog readers really are an amazing group. They provide constructive criticism, detailed feedback, pats on the back – all great things to help you and your blog improve. But, you know what? You can write a highly successful blog without having a single reader today, tomorrow, or for the next year. Don’t believe me? Here are three “secret” reasons that I guarantee will change your mind.
1. Writing a blog forces you to constantly research your given niche.
Until I started writing a blog on the subject, personal branding was just a thought stuck in the back of my mind that would only occasionally pop to the front. Now, the game has changed entirely. I constantly seek relevant articles, search Twitter, and think out loud about what my next blog post might be.
For you current bloggers out there, I am certain the same is true. Whatever your given subject, you will approach it with more focus and passion if you dedicate a few hours every week to write about it.
Now consider a situation in which you don’t know, or more importantly don’t care, how many readers you have (if any). Simply out of the necessity and passion to write, your day-to-day interest on your subject would still be amplified. Constant research and knowledge building will surely help you in your endeavors, even if a set of eyes never reads the words you’ve written.
2. Writing a blog provides an unparalleled outlet to hone your writing skills.
Past Technorati data estimated the total number of bloggers worldwide at 184 million. That may seem like a big number, but given that there are 6.7 billion people out there, bloggers represent only a small fraction of the population. If you’re among them, you are one of the few people that actually practices writing on a regular basis.
The ability to write well is a skill that is dying out quickly. This next generation will think 141 characters is far too long to write on any one subject. By writing a blog, you exercise a muscle that most never use (past the moment that college diploma hits their fingertips). Like anything else, writing takes practice, practice, and more practice – something a blog provides, readers or no readers.
3. A blog can be used down the road as proof of authority.
Imagine a situation in which you regularly write kick-ass blog posts for an entire year without ever attaining a single reader. You see a listing for your dream job, and the role just so happens to mesh perfectly with your blog’s subject. You submit your resume with a link to your blog, the hiring manager reads it, and she is blown away by your brilliance – you get the job with ease. Did she care that you never amassed a following? No. Did she even know? Probably not.
It is funny that blogs are so closely tied to readership figures. When I read the newspaper, or a book, I care not how many other folks have read the same piece – I only care about the words on the paper.
Use your blog first as a tool to grow, refine, and exude your authority. Yes, the more readers the better. Yes, blog readers may potentially turn into long-lasting connections. But, I hope I’ve proven that your blog can be a huge success no matter how many site visitors you happen to attain.
Ryan Rancatore can also be found on his own website, Personal Branding 101, discussing the tools and tactics that will help you build a killer personal brand in 2010 and beyond.
Ryan would love nothing more than to connect with you on Twitter at @RyanRancatore, or on Linkedin, Facebook, or Brazen Careerist.
