Tomorrow I’ll be meeting with 10-12 friends to teach them HOW TO START A BLOG.
The first question I could ask — but won’t — is WHY do they want to start a blog.
I won’t ask because I suspect two things: (1) most of them know little about blogging at all and (2) the majority are most likely hungry for any social media knowledge they can get.
And I love that!
. . . more for me to teach.
So let’s consider that First Question:
SHOULD YOU START A BLOG?
Take a look at these nine questions before you decide:
1) Are you really really passionate about something?
2) Do you have either a personal desire to speak your mind OR a business need to put your brand presence online?
3) Can you commit to some degree of consistency — whether it is once a week, three times a week, or three times a day?
4) Do you like to do like Picasso, i.e., Always Do What You Do Not Know How To Do In Order To Learn How To Do It?
5) If you make a mistake, can you admit it, accept it, and move on?
6) Can you be patient about gaining a larger readership?
7) Will you take time to read and comment on other bloggers’ articles?
8- Can you participate in a conversation where you could get criticized?
9) Would you like to be an authentic, honest, interesting voice in the Blogosphere?
If you can give a sincere YES to each of those questions, then I say GO FOR IT!
And to help you get started, you can check out my post on HOW TO START A BLOG and another post by my favorite blogger Adam Singer 50 Blogging Lessons To Know If You’re Starting Today
When I posted my first blog, I felt excited and just sat in front of the computer waiting for people to comment. As time went by, some people did read it but didn’t comment it at all. I felt frustrated about it. After I read these questions I found out reasons.
I think this post maybe very helpful to lot of people! Usually people do stumble on this question on whether should they start one, and I think posting this will give them a better idea on what they want.
i feel like blogging is a new thing i never really thought about starting a blog at all. i feel like what if you put stuff on your blog that people don’t like or stuff that people cant relate to then what. will you just have a boring blog that no one comes to? and if so whats the point of having a blog if you don’t have anything interesting to talk about it seems kinda pointless to me.
Blogging is fun, new and different. I do it to be a part the evolving social media craze. Not sure where it will lead me.
I found this post to be highly interesting, for it connected to me and my endeavors for the future.
I have had Shari’s class in public relations and hope to participate in public relations in the future. It has been bothering me for sometime to create a blog, but it always seemed like it wasn’t the thing for me. Thus, this list was very helpful in making a decision.
One must know that having a blog might help you with your future career, but your blog must be sufficient. If one can’t keep up with the blogging world, then there ais no reason to create one.
The biggest bullet point that connected with me was # 5-If you make a mistake, can you admit it, accept it, and move on? This point was eye-popping to me, for I am really hard on myself and tend not to forgive myself when I make a mistake. When I read that point, i realized that I needed to get over that.
These points didn’t only help me with figuring out if I should begin a blog, but that I must get over my fear of making a mistake to succeed in the public relations business. Thus, I’m going to work on that, so I can be successful with a blog and my future participation in public relations. Thanks Shari!
Lots of luck, Deirdre. Focus and effort will go a long way to help you achieve your goals.
Finding time to blog on a regular basis is NOT easy.
Misgun, I’m certain that MANY people blog about soccer and I imagine lots of people love to read about the sport.
5) If you make a mistake, can you admit it, accept it, and move on?**The only way I can learn is through my mistakes. It doesn’t make sense to continue making the same mistakes and not accomplish anything. The only way I can grow is realizing and understanding my mistakes as well as others and not to repeat them.
9) Would you like to be an authentic, honest, interesting voice in the Blogosphere?**I would like to be all three of the perceptions above as that is what draws readers and can receive valuable input from peers.
Will I continue to blog after this course?**I will continue to blog, but not as often due to my conflicting schedule. I enjoy learning and sharing new ideas with others.
1.Are you really really passionate about something?
Yes, I am. I have read Angels & Demons by Dan Brown and I really love that book after The Da Vinci Code. That’s the first book make me spend all the time to read.
2.If you make a mistake, can you admit it, accept it, and move on?
Yes, because that the way we learning something new.
I am passionate about many things, but I am lazy to read and comment on the other bloggers’ articles. So I don’t start my blog yet.
Question 1: Yes I am passionate about a lot of things.
Question 3: I can commit to at least one hour a day of blog writing. I don’t own a computer but I use one every day at my friends house, the library and at school.
After this class is over I am going to continue using my blog but I am going to have topics that interest me.I don’t care if anyone reads it or not because to me it’s like an online diary.
4) Do you like to do like Picasso, i.e., Always Do What You Do Not Know How To Do In Order To Learn How To Do It?
YES. In the undertone of this statement lies a hidden truth. That if people DO without knowing how, potentially this will be an independent learning strategy. Granted it takes longer, and many trial and errors, but the fact you did it by yourself makes you unstoppable.
5) If you make a mistake, can you admit it, accept it, and move on?
This is all about being an adult. If a people have the ability to admit their mistakes, accept them, and learn from them, they have truly evolved into someone great. More so, their moving on proves their intrepid nature to keep moving forward- To progress through the learning process.
7) Will you take time to read and comment on other bloggers’ articles?
—> I enjoy taking time to read and comment on other bloggers’ articles because it’s fun to know many people’s point of view about something.
8) Can you participate in a conversation where you could get criticized?
—> I’m willing to participate in a conversation where i could get criticized because i can learn how to protect myself.
Q1. Are you really really passionate about something?
Not really, but i would say i love to play soccer, and I don’t think it would be a good topic to blog about.
Q2. If you make a mistake, can you admit it, accept it, and move on?
yes I can move on with accepting my mistakes.
Q2.Can you participate in a conversation where you could get criticized?
Sure! The fact is that I don’t care what people think about me, so I can freely speak my opinions with other people.
Can you be patient about gaining a larger readership? I could be patient because it all depends on how you let people know about your blog, how you make your blog exposed to other people online.
Are you really passionate about something? because if not your blog will not be too interesting like others, but if you are your blog post will be interesting because you would be able to put more into it.
5) Yes, I do admit it especailly when it’s my spelling and/or grammer. Those two are my biggest misakes and I ask people to please tell me so I can correct my them.
6) Yes, and i dont really care who reads it. usually when i post something it just gives someone something to think about.
7) Will you take time to read and comment on other bloggers’ articles?
I’m not a blogger I’ll read but won’t comment it.
1) Are you really really passionate about something?
Yes, I’m really passionate about something but not enough to share my passionate on the blog.
After reading your blog and answered the questions to myself I realized I’m not a blog type.
3) Can you commit to some degree of consistency — whether it is once a week, three times a week, or three times a day?
-Depends on the job. If it’s blogging, then no.
5) If you make a mistake, can you admit it, accept it, and move on?
-Of course. I have to be a man about it. It’s my responsibility and I have to admit my mistakes.
After reading this blog post, I will not be blogging. I’m not into this type of stuff.
In Question number one i answered yes. I am really passionate about music. I also answered yes to number 4. I think i will continue blogging after this class. I find blogging very interesting.
1) Are you really really passionate about something?
Yes, I love to act that is what I am passionate about I love it and that what I wish I could do 7days a week 24 hours a day that would make me a happier person in life.
7) Will you take time to read and comment on other bloggers’ articles?
Yes i could take the time out if, its something that I wont to read about and if they talking about something important in my eyes.
Shari it was a pleasure to be in your calm, focused, insightful presence today during your How to Blog seminar.
It is very clear that you have a natural talent for reforming, reorganizing, and rethinking new ideas and technology.
Your gift of providing a leadership role for new your new organization Performance Social Media is very impressive.
Your passion and focus in sharing your ideas was inspiring and allowed me to feel that I too could follow your path and create my own unique Blog voice.
Thank you for your kind and generous hospitality and vision.
I look forward to continuing to learn and share ideas.
John, Very happy you enjoyed today. Your flattering words are well-appreciated.
I do hope you LEARNED a lot . . . and that you can email [or further comment] on some of the key points you “took away” from today’s presentation SO I can use them in a subsequent blog article.
Thanks for showing us how to blog!
David, what were your major “takeaways”?