WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BLOGGING?

Do you read a lot of blog posts and think ‘I would love to blog one day!’ Well with lockdown still in full swing, now is the perfect time to make that day today! Thanks to social distancing, we’ve all ended up with a lot of extra time on our hands, so it’s the perfect time to make your dreams a reality. Blogging is a great choice as not only can you start a blog from your home, which in times like these is essential, but the possibilities are endless, you just need to pick your niche and then you’re all set!

A blog can be anything, from images to stories, whatever way you want to express your creativity is possible with a blog!

Personally, I had been thinking about starting a blog for years before I actually took the leap of faith and now I really don’t understand why I waited so long. So if like me you’re toying with the idea of starting a blog, I’ve listed the benefits of blogging based on my own experience.

Fancy a read? Check out my post, Blogger’s Guide to Happiness

Blogging has many mental health benefits

One of the main draws of blogging for me was the ability to clear my head. I’m an avid overthinker and suffer from anxiety at times so it was really beneficial to outlay my ideas and put my energy into this project. If you’re going through a hard time, blogging can be a great place to escape reality, and maybe jot down some feelings along the way, you never know who will relate to your situation and who you may be helping feel less alone.

As many regular readers of my blog will know, I class myself as ‘lifestyle’ as there is a real mix of content on my blog which basically reflects my mind, there’s a lot swirling around in there! One thing I love to do on my blog is ‘brain dumps’ which is where I pick a topic based on what my thoughts were that week and literally just write and write until I get to some sort of conclusion, which I then post without editing, meaning it’s a real, raw post that I hope some people can find relatable (you can find an example of one of my many brain dumps here) not only is it a great release for me, but I’ve had lots of comments of people saying how much they relate to the posts and it really has helped to build an honest blogging community.

Blogging builds friendships

Ever since I started my blog, I’ve received so many lovely comments, likes and shares on my blog, mostly thanks to SEO and WordPress Reader, but I have also built friendships through Twitter and Pinterest. By having these platforms means that not only do I have a supportive bunch of people when it comes to reading my blogs, but I also have somewhere to turn if things feel a bit too much in my daily life, none of which would have been possible if I didn’t have the blog. Blogging really does build a sense of community.

Blogging can create opportunities

The great thing about blogs is that you never know who’s going to end up reading one of your posts; your blog can actually become your business! Some bloggers have been super successful and are able to blog full time with a steady income from their blog, meaning they don’t need to work and can run their own business which fits around their daily schedule. I don’t want to make promises because to get to that stage takes a lot of time and effort, but it is very possible. However, it is important not to compare yourself to other bloggers, in fact, I’ve written a blog post on just that, so if you want to find out more check it out here. 

Blogging takes time

Normally this may be a negative, but if like many you’ve got a lot of extra time on your hands at the moment, the good news is is that blogging will take up a massive chunk of it, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun; the main reason it’s so time-consuming is because it’s hard to stop. You could be looking for a theme for your blog, trying out a few and seeing what works, and before you know it 4 hours have passed! Your blogging experience is personal to you, you can make it fit around your schedule and you can put as much or as little effort into as you wish, it’s so flexible! Some people post every day and make a real go of it, whereas some people have a blog but post simply when they feel like it, so don’t be fearful of the amount of work you need to put into your blog, it’s entirely up to you!

Blogging builds a sense of accomplishment

Blogging is a very rewarding process. I often visit my site and I still can’t believe that I’ve created it and written all these posts; I actually stuck it out and I own a little section of the internet! I’ve forgotten about some of the posts I’ve written in the past and sometimes read them again as if I wasn’t the writer and I can’t help but feel proud. I’m not a big-headed person, I often brush my achievements under the rug and I hate being in the spotlight, but I am proud to say I am a blogger and that I’ve got this blog to show for it. It may not seem much to other bloggers, but to me, it marks the journey I’ve taken over the last few years.

So there we have it, my top reasons why I love blogging. I hope this post has made you realise some of the benefits of running a blog, and I hope it’s given you that push to start your very own. It really is a new adventure, but one that is so personal and unique to yourself. If you start a blog, please send me a link, I would love to have a read!