I was banging my head on the table when I asked myself “Should I start a blog?“

This happened after my account was shut down by a social platform. It hurt.

Truth is, building followers on social is mostly useless. It doesn’t belong to you.

And worse still, you can only speak with followers only when the algorithms show you to them.

This means you have no control.

Which led me to the question. Why start a blog?

Personally, I have reasons to start a blog because it has many attractions.

Here’s why. Blogging is a great way to share your thoughts and ideas with the world.

It can also be a powerful tool for businesses (big and small), helping them connect with customers and build relationships. And it can be for you too.

So let’s dive into both the good and bad reasons to start a blog today.

17 Reasons to Start a Blog

Without question, blogging offers endless opportunities that you can tap into. Some of the reasons to start blogging may come as a big surprise, so here’s why you should start a blog.

1. Blogging Is Not Expensive To Launch.

If you’re serious about blogging, then starting a blog doesn’t have to be expensive.

You can use free blogging platforms like WordPress, or if you want a more professional blog with custom domains and themes, you can opt for a Webhosting service like Bluehost and get a free domain name.

Then, for a more professional blog theme, you can try a paid theme like Elegant Themes to level up.

How much to start a blog?

• Bluehost shared hosting and a free domain name, from $2.95 a month*.
• Elegant Themes for WordPress $89 a year.
• A must-have caching plugin, WP Rocket is $49 a year.

One of the biggest benefits of blogging is that you don’t need to invest any money upfront — you just need to come up with creative content that engages your audience.

Once you do this, blogging becomes one of the most cost-effective and valuable digital marketing tools available.

Whether you plan to attract customers, grow your brand awareness, or get more leads – blogging can do all of this at a fraction of the cost compared to other online marketing tactics.

2. Blogs Are SEO-FRIENDLY

Search engine optimization is essential for any business, and a blog can help with that.

By creating content around keywords related to your business, you can increase your visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). This will help bring more organic traffic to your website, which leads to more customers.

However, your choice of keywords will determine how easily your blog post will rank in the search engines.

A well-researched keyword blog strategy will help you target the right audience and make sure your blog content appears in the top search results.

You can also use blogging to further boost your SEO efforts.

Installing some WordPress blog plugins like Yoast SEO and WP Rocket will give you control over key elements of a blog and help boost its performance.

This way, you can ensure that your blog post is optimized for the right keywords and phrases.

It’s important to note that you should also create content that is interesting, informative, and useful to your readers.

This way, people will be more likely to share it with their friends, increasing your visibility in the search engines.

So if you want to use blogging as an SEO tactic, make sure you have a well-thought-out keyword strategy and blog content strategy, as well as interesting and helpful content.

With some creativity and dedication, blogging can be an important part of building your online presence and gaining visibility in search engines.

3. Make Money Blogging.

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Starting a blog can be a rewarding experience and even a way to make money.

You can make money from affiliate marketing, Ads, sponsor ads, creating online courses, consulting and coaching services, and more.

Take a look at a recent article I wrote about the 15 proven ways bloggers can make money blogging today.

But wait.

As attractive as blogging for money sounds, it’s important to remember that it takes hard work and dedication – those who are successful didn’t get there overnight!

They have spent years experimenting with different blogging techniques, researching their audience, building relationships with potential clients, and honing their skills.

What I’m saying is.

You might not get rich right away, but it’s possible to make a lot of money from a blog over time.

If you want to use blogging as your source of income, start by choosing a profitable niche.

Once you do this, focus on growing an audience who would be most interested in the products or services you can offer.

Wow them with your knowledge and expertise, and don’t forget that blogging is more than just a hobby. It’s a business.

And before I move on to the next point. Here’s an interesting blogging statistic from GrowthBadger:

A staggering 70% of bloggers earning more than $50K annually from their blogs proactively promote or are very active in terms of marketing, whereas only 14% of lower-income bloggers follow the same pattern.

4. Build Your Brand Online.

This is why you should start a blog. Blogging can help you build your personal brand. (That’s right!).

This is true as long as it is helpful for your readers.

So. Before you blog, you need to dial in on who your audience is. Then stand out from other blogs by giving them epic content they want to read.

Here’s why.

When you consistently blog about topics related to your niche, you become an authority on that subject.

This will give you more credibility among potential customers or clients who may be researching certain topics related to their business needs.

Blogging allows you to showcase your expertise and knowledge, which can help to establish yourself as a leader (your brand) in your industry.

Plus, blogging helps you stand out from your competition.

By blogging regularly about topics related to your niche market, you will be positioning yourself as an expert in that field. This makes it easier for potential customers or clients to find and recognize you.

Building your brand is the first step to turning your blog into something more.

Personal branding is not about you. It’s about putting your stamp on the value you deliver to others. – William Arruda

5. Build A Tribe Of Like-Minded People.

Blogging is a great way to connect with people who have similar interests.

When you blog, other people will read your content because you have what they want. That is, you have a solution to their struggles and frustrations.

This can help you build relationships with your audience.

And when you have a tribe of similar-minded people to engage with, you, your blog, and your audience will reap the benefits.

6. You’ll Grow Taller.

I don’t mean height-wise.

What I mean is. Becoming a blogger, you don’t have to be that ‘know it all’ or be the expert to start blogging.

As you research and blog, you’ll grow as a person and pick up valuable lessons.

You will be more confident in your niche.

Here are a few benefits of blogging I would like to highlight.

• Blogging is a journey.
• Blogging can help you learn new things by putting yourself out there.
• Blogging can help you write better, think more clearly, and learn from mistakes.
• Blogging also helps you to develop relationships with like-minded people and learn from others in the process.
• Blogging forces you to explore ideas, research topics, and reflect on your thoughts. It also allows you to become a leader by teaching others what you know.
• You can make money blogging.

As a result, blogging can be a valuable tool for personal and professional growth.

7. You Are In Control.

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I like this one. No social can take your account away. Nor the search engines.

You are in charge of your blog when it comes to all the decision making like deciding on the theme, deciding what to write, when to write it, when to post, and more.

The blog is yours. Not the search engines. Not the Socials.

It is your call when it comes to your blog.

8. It Is Fun.

I want to pause here and say again that you can’t treat blogging as a hobby. It’s a business.

And you will learn more about yourself as you tackle the hurdles that all entrepreneurial bloggers will face.

You learn new skills, and better still, make money blogging. (As long as you have a lot of people reading your blog.)

It’s also a creative outlet and can give you a sense of satisfaction when you see people engaging with your posts.

Lastly, blogging is an opportunity to meet new people and connect with like-minded individuals around the world.

Blogging can be fun if you choose the right business potential topic and stick with it.

It’s all about creating content that helps your readers and crafting a blogging strategy to help share your ideas with the world.

So, blogging can be an enjoyable journey if you are up for it!

9. Pick Up New Skills.

For example, blogging can help you learn how to design for WordPress blog, write for different audiences, understand SEO blog post best practices, design web graphics, social media marketing, and even email marketing.

You can also learn about content management and website hosting.

But that’s not all!

Writing about different things can also help you learn a lot of new information.

Take me for example.

Not long ago, I blogged about home decor for a small niche blog. Because it’s a topic I learned, I can now help my wife spice up our children’s room decor.

10. Your Writing Improves.

It might be a bit uncomfortable at first, but as you get into writing regularly, you’ll quickly notice that the words start to flow more easily.

You’ll discover a style of writing that is all your own as you dedicate time to research, writing, editing, and reading for your bog.

Because when you blog, you are constantly thinking about the needs of your readers.

You are trying to make your points clear and engaging, while also staying on topic. This forces you to keep it simple and efficient with your words.

Along with that comes an understanding of what resonates with readers the most – this encourages creativity and can lead to more followers who appreciate your content.

Blogging is an incredibly effective way of strengthening your writing skills. All it requires is commitment and consistency.

11. Get Good At Marketing.

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As an aspiring blogger, you already know that blogging success requires more than just posting quality content – it takes reader interactions and marketing savvy.

Content marketing, email marketing, social marketing, and a range of other promotional techniques go hand-in-hand with blogging to reach more people and build the blog’s presence.

If you’re ready to launch your blogging career, get ready to roll up your sleeves and become well-versed in these different marketing strategies.

With the right combination of quality content, reader interactions, and good old-fashioned marketing tactics, you can take your blogging to the next level!

Take me again as an example. I made the blogging mistake of thinking that posting content alone was enough to get my blog noticed. Wrong!

Worse still. I did not know squat about how to promote a blog or even SEO.

But, I learned. And I’m glad I did, as it has helped me land consulting gigs with a few clients.

Is blogging worth it? You bet it is.

12. Scale Your Blogging Business.

After blogging for a couple of years and seeing your blogging efforts paying off, it’s time to seriously start considering scaling to the next level.

You can increase your weekly article output and expand the scope of content you produce by hiring a writing team or creating spin-off blogs related to the niche.

The sky is truly the limit at this point!

13. Work From Home.

Picture this.

• No more dealing with crowded buses.
• No more frustrating traffic jams.
• No more boring ass meetings.

Working from home and in your PJs can come true when your blog picks up steam.

14. Flexible Hours.

Blogging is not a 9-to-5 career.

The beauty of starting a blog is it gives you the freedom and flexibility to set your work schedule.

So, if you want to work for half a day, you can.

If you want to take Wednesday off from blogging, you can too.

But just make sure you keep at it and apply the best blogging practices so that you can generate traffic to your blog, grow a responsive email list, and make money.

15. Meet New People.

Don’t shy away from business connections.

Over time you should build relationships with link partners, guest bloggers, brands, and many more who can help you sustain and even build upon your blogging success.

For instance, if you have an epic blog post that you want to spread around with maximum effect, you can turn to business contacts to get it out to their audience swiftly benefiting both parties in the long run.

A blogger’s network can be every bit as useful as real-world power networks — so don’t discount its potential for giving your blog a boost in the rankings.

16. Build An Ever Growing Email List.

Instead of letting it click away, you can offer a free incentive, like a lead magnet to get a reader to give you their email address.

Because building an email list is an effective way to build a relationship with your potential customers.

When done correctly, readers will be responsive to the emails you send out, and you’ll have a responsive email list that can be truly invaluable.

You can use this list to inform readers about new articles, highlight affiliate products, and showcase what’s going on with your blog in general. All for free!

17. Break Out Of Your Shell.

However, blogging gave me the platform to put myself out there and confront my fears.

And when I did, I was surprised at how easy it was to blog away my thoughts.

If you are an introvert, blogging is a fantastic way to voice your ideas, emotions, and stories more openly.

When you do, you may find others just like you.

What’s more.

Blogging can be used for much more than just expressing your thoughts. It can help you challenge difficult feelings such as impostor syndrome and feelings of inadequacy.

Writing about topics you’re fearful of can be emotionally liberating. It can help you gain perspective and compassion for yourself which often leads to greater self-confidence.

With all those solid reasons to start a blog, can you see why you need a blog?

7 Reasons To Not Start A Blog

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However, I want to quickly highlight some negatives of starting and maintaining a blog.

Look, it is not a magic carpet ride when you start blogging.

Because there are no quick wins.

Like any business – which blogging is – you have to be ready for the long haul.

So, if you’re still wondering – should I start a blog?

Then keep reading to learn more about the pitfalls of blogging.

1. You Need To Work At It.

Anyone who thinks blogging is easy and rosy is out of their rockers.

There’s a lot of stress and frustration that goes behind every post. Such as keyword research, content research, writing the darn article, graphic design, and images and then, there’s the off-page SEO stuff.

If you want your blog to succeed, you’ll need to put in more time and effort than what is required of a typical 9-5 job.

Because there’s no magic formula to kickstart your blogging journey.

It all boils down to you, your perseverance, and your blogging strategy.

Seriously, it can be a hard grind.

2. You Hate Writing.

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Let me share another naughty secret. I used to hate writing.

The thought of punching keywords for hours just to create a blog was a turn-off.

Eventually, I got over it because the benefits of blogging were simply too big to ignore.

And for those who think they can’t write.

I want to say that all of us are born to write. It just takes a lot of practice. That’s my 2 cents worth.

But if the thought of writing stresses you out, blogging may not be for you. But, if you have the means to fund a writing team, then this is a viable option.

However. There are still some content-related tasks that will require you to write, plan and schedule such as creating content briefs.

In a way, you’re still writing. Just saying.

3. Marketing Isn’t Your Jam.

A blogging mistake is thinking blogging alone is not enough.

If you want people to read your blog, you have to promote it.

And that means hustling and marketing your blog so you can generate traffic and get your content ranked on the front page of the SERPs (search engine results page).

If that concept doesn’t thrill you, don’t expect to get your blog off the ground.

4. You Won’t Be Making Money Fast.

The thing is. Blogging is hard work, so you can’t expect money to be rolling in instantly.

Be prepared that you will not reap the rewards of your hard work quickly.

Achieving blogging success takes dedication and patience.

You need to set realistic goals and understand that it may take some time before you start seeing positive returns.

5. You Have To Be Dedicated.

You need to dedicate yourself wholeheartedly, especially in the early stages. Because it’s a business.

So, if you can’t see yourself living and breathing your blog, you may want to try something else.

6. It’s A Solo Act.

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Because I’ve gone hours and days without muttering a word to a human or even venting my frustrations.

You start to miss the interactions, the nonsense talk, the venting, and so on.

Worst still. When things don’t go your way, you start to doubt your abilities. Self-doubt is such a bitch.

So be prepared for the silent hours without saying a freaking word.

7. Long Hours.

Did I say you have to put in the time to make blogging work?

So get used to spending long hours writing, editing, and publishing posts, researching topics, interacting with other bloggers and readers, and promoting your blog.

Depending on your blogging goals, blogging can require a significant amount of time — potentially as much as 12-15 hours per day in the early days.

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If you have another job or other commitments, you will need to be strategic with your time and find ways to squeeze blogging into your schedule.

This could include writing content late at night after work or even before work, scheduling posts ahead of time, or using weekends to catch up on blogging tasks.

You may even need to blog on your vacation days!

And yes, I do bring my laptop everywhere with me. Even overseas. I squeeze out as much time as I can to work on my blog.

Ultimately, blogging will take as much time as you are willing to give it.

So if you’re serious about blogging, be prepared to make long hours a regular commitment.

I want to pause right here and say that blogging doesn’t have to take over your life.

As you become more experienced with blogging, you can develop strategies and systems to improve your workflow and free up more time for yourself.

FAQs – Reasons To Start A Blog

What should I blog about?

It is no secret that defining a specific niche for your blog is the first step.

You could blog about marketing strategies, technology, cooking delicious meals, Crossfit exercises for beginners, or even parenting tips and tricks.

There is always something exciting to blog about.

However, to avoid getting your blog lost amongst the competition, choose a sub-category within a topic.

Say, instead of a big topic like weight loss, you could target weight loss shakes for women. Then do your due diligence using a keyword tool and see how competitive the niche is.

If the niche looks good, then you need to ask yourself: How can I monetize my blog with this niche?

Let’s face it – you’re not going to blog just for fun.

It’s only when you see money coming in from the hard work that you’re motivated and passionate to stick to a blogging schedule.

That is, you need to publish consistently to create a thriving blog.

And when you do generate the traffic, you should venture out to other sub-categories within the topic and grab a bigger slice of the pie.

How To Start A Niche Blog?

Thinking of starting a blog? Here’s an outline to start a niche blog:

• Think of a topic you want to blog about and pick a sub-category.
• Use a keyword tool to check how competitive the niche is.
• Ask yourself how you can make money blogging in this niche.
• Start a WordPress Blog.
• Host your blog with Bluehost and get a free domain name.
• Design the blog with a theme like Elegant Themses.
• Install WP Rocket plugin to improve your blog’s loading time.
• Follow the best practices for blogging – On-page SEO.
• Publish content consistently.
• Promote your blog using blogging SEO best practices (guest blogging, etc) to build backlinks.
• Promote your blog using social and other platforms (Quora, Medium, etc).
• Grow your email list using the best email marketing services.
• Create a long-term content management plan.

To kickstart your blog, follow the guidelines below or checkout the blogging checklist here.

What are the three purposes of blogging?

In today’s digital age of social media and highly competitive SEO, blogging is a surefire way to expand your online presence.

A blog is a powerful platform that can help you reach and engage with countless people striving to find the answers your business offers.

Here are the three purposes of blogging.

Purpose #1: By blogging, you can provide valuable and engaging information that your audience is seeking.

Purpose #2: Establish yourself as an expert in your niche by blogging regularly!

Purpose #3: Generating Awareness Through Blogging Generates Revenue.

What are six benefits of blogging?

With over 4 billion people worldwide now online, this era marks the perfect opportunity for businesses (small and big) to add blogging into their marketing plan and passively attract more leads to the business.

Blogging is not only an effective tool for driving website traffic and promoting your products and services, but it also helps you to build trust with those who may become customers.

Here are the six benefits of blogging.

1. It helps generate traffic to the website.
2. You can repurpose and reuse content from your blog for social media.
3. It helps turn traffic into red-hot leads.
4. It creates long-term results.
5. It helps with link building.
6. You can share news and behind the scenes of your business.
7. Bonus benefit – You can start a blogging business.

Here’s another post I wrote about the cool benefits of blogging for your business here.

What should I blog about to make money?

There are lots of ideas for blogging that can make money. Some ideas include digital marketing, blogging and making money online, health and fitness, personal finance and investing, recipes and food, and personal development.

When you have identified a niche that makes use of your talents and interests, begin crafting high-quality content while monetizing your content simultaneously.

Should I Start A Blog in 2024?

There are many reasons to start a blog. And some pitfalls that come with it. Unfortunately, there are no cookie-cutter solutions.

Yes. Starting a blog takes effort, time, and patience. You will be doing all the work and you won’t be making cash fast.

You need to weigh up the pros and cons, and then see if you have it in you to take blogging all the way. Because a half-ass approach won’t cut it.

Look, even though you will be grinding away yourself, on the flip side you’ll be reaping the rewards yourself.

So yes, blogging does require long hours — but it is totally worth it!

Remember your blogging journey is the first step.

So what are you waiting for? Start a blogging business and get blogging!

Bring it on 🙂

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.

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WPX Hosting

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For bloggers who have an established blog, this is a fantastic option.

You can learn more about this service here.

Aweber

Building an email list of a growing audience is essential for the longevity of any business.  This autoresponder service is easy to use, and it is a great starting point for someone looking to kickstart their email campaign. You can try their free account here.