June: What’s the point of blogging?
In April, I challenged myself to add a blog to this website and update it once a month. Eight weeks later, and with no obvious subject springing to mind, it’s time to remind myself why I set this task in the first place. Hint: it wasn’t for SEO optimisation, as you can probably tell from my obscure blog post titles.
My copy runneth over
Initially, I was inspired to write about ChatGPT, and it seemed a shame to let the subsequent piece sink into my swamp of Google Docs without a trace.
I realised it would be irritatingly inconsistent to have one lonely blog post on here and besides, I thought it would be a fun writing exercise for Future Me.
If you’re a creative whose cup runneth over with copy or design musings, adding a blog to your website is a quick and easy way to rescue the overspill. You never know who’s going to see it.
Being the real deal
I’m thinking about all the times a blog has persuaded me to buy something. When I stumbled across a new sustainable clothing brand, for example, it was their blog that convinced me they weren’t just another greenwashed fast fashion brand. And when I booked a yoga retreat in the middle of nowhere, I only took the plunge after reading the company’s blog, which convinced me it was a real place and not just a ploy to lure me to my death.
A blog is a great way of injecting personality and credibility. Reviews can be bought, and photos can be doctored, but an authentic tone of voice is hard to recreate.
There’s something so unsettling about reading a website that hasn’t been updated for ten years, or that’s so generic it could be fake. An up-to-date blog shows you’re a real person, with real opinions, living in the here and now. Then again, that’s exactly what social media does too…
Blogs vs social
The world doesn’t need a daily photo of me sitting at my laptop writing copy. Planning imaginative, relevant content takes time and effort, plus it comes with the added stress of measuring likes and shares. Unless you want to use social media to drum up business, I think it’s more freeing to write about your expert subject, or share your favourite work, without worrying about the metrics.
And the answer is… (drum roll please)
…I’m blogging for my own enjoyment, and to show potential new clients how I think. Of course, I haven’t forgotten the number one rule of writing content: what’s in it for the reader? To make sure you don’t leave empty-handed, here’s a round-up of lovely brand blogs for inspiration: