by Michael Martin

There are loads of articles online about why blogs are great for businesses and communication with customers. And that’s true. But businesses certainly aren’t the only ones who can benefit from having a great blog.

Blogging started out as a way for individuals to share their knowledge. The whole reason it’s become such a big deal is because those individuals were so successful with their blogs. And I said “individuals” there for a reason, it took companies a long time to catch on to what they were missing out on.

So, why should you, as a member of the tech/web industry and passionate about your work, but still as an individual, have a blog?

Well, let’s see!

Great for Employment

I thought I’d start off with the most important reason first. Blogging has a bit of a notion attached to it that it’s for people who want to go off on their own and start their own ventures. That’s definitely a possibility (See point 2!), but it’s not the only possibility.

Back in November, some of the top names (No exaggeration there, seriously) in the web design industry came to Build in Belfast. Out of 6 presentations from the elite of the web world, 2 of them said this exact same thing:

“If you’re looking to hire someone, look for the person who can write. It’s the sign of an organized mind.”

How’s that for encouragement to blog?

And that’s not the only reason it helps with employability.

• Shows that you keep up to date with your industry.

• Shows that you’re passionate about your industry.

• Shows off any skills and specialties you’ve built up that you may not get to use every day in your current job.

Great for a Side-Job

I know I said above that blogs a great thing for your CV, but they can also be incredible platforms for yourself. You don’t have to quit the day job and head out for the long haul on your own, but you can definitely add some extra cash to your monthly bank balance with a popular blog.

Here are some examples of how a blog can lend itself to additional money from your free time:

• Selling your knowledge. That could be done through eBooks, or even consultancy services.

• Explore similar but not identical fields. Blogging has to be something that you enjoy. Whilst a lot of people will write about the same area that they work in, it can be really refreshing to write on something different to the norm (Why do you think I’m writing here about why-to-blog instead of blog design advice like I normally write? Because the change is enjoyable, without being totally alien to what I normally do!)

• Advertising. I’m leaving this one to the end because it can take a fair sized following before ads makes much money for you, but it’s definitely one route worth exploring further down the road.

And of course, because you still have your main job, there is absolutely no pressure on you this way. If earning some cash isn’t going as smoothly as you like, at least your bills are covered from your full-time work.

And better yet, you only do the types of work you want to do. E.g. If you love to write, then you can forget any kind of client work and focus on blogging and even signing a book deal if you’re lucky!

Great for Fun

And last of all, blogging is good fun. A lot of people say they enjoy their work, but there are some who really love their work.

If that’s true for you, you’ll most likely find that you enjoy writing for your site! And the best tip I can give you for ensuring that you do enjoy it is simple; forget all the “rules” and worrying about what you “should” do. Just build something you’re proud of and the rest will sort itself out for you.

And that’s all from me. If I’ve convinced you and you’re wondering what the next step is, try installing WordPress and then reading the ultimate guide to setting up WordPress after an install. If you get stuck, tweet me and I’ll help out!

Hi, I’m Michael Martin, a freelance web developer based in Belfast. I run a popular design blog with around 10,000 subscribers called Pro Blog Design, where we also offer top class web design services. You can also find me on Twitter!