In the event you’re contemplating beginning your individual weblog, you’re in all probability additionally looking for details about the professionals and cons of running a blog. Properly, you’re in luck. On this submit, I’ll be discussing whether or not or not running a blog is value it. Learn on for the assorted benefits and drawbacks of running a blog.
I’ve been running a blog full-time for over 2 years and it’s a tremendous solution to share your experiences, information, and tales with others. You can also make nice cash running a blog too, for those who do it the precise method.
Nonetheless, whereas I like being a blogger, there are undoubtedly just a few unfavourable elements to this methodology of publication. You ought to be conscious of all the professionals and cons of running a blog earlier than deciding whether or not it’s best for you.
15 Benefits and Disadvantages of Running a blog
Like all job, running a blog comes with its personal set of rewards and challenges. A few of these apply to all bloggers, others may range relying on area of interest. It’s vital to notice, moreover, that the professionals and cons of private running a blog are considerably totally different from the professionals and cons of running a blog for a enterprise.
I’ve put collectively the next record of running a blog professionals and cons based mostly by myself private expertise as a blogger. You might need a barely totally different expertise, however I consider most of those factors apply pretty universally.
Professionals of Running a blog
Is running a blog value it? General, running a blog is nice and there are various advantages. Listed here are 10 optimistic issues about running a blog that I like:
1. Artistic Freedom
Artistic freedom is likely one of the greatest benefits of running a blog. Many writers (journalists, columnists, authors, and so forth.) have to jot down in a method that satisfies an editor, or another person with a say over what will get printed. Running a blog, however, is totally different.
Your weblog is your individual private canvas. You possibly can say no matter you want, about no matter you need. You get to decide on what narratives to discover, what opinions to precise, and easy methods to current the data you want to share.
This artistic freedom means that you can develop a novel voice and elegance that resonates along with your viewers. It additionally extends to the selection of subjects, codecs, and multimedia that you just use: photograph essays, movies, guides, diary entries, interviews – it’s all utterly as much as you.
2. Versatile Life-style
For me, the most effective issues about running a blog is the pliability it gives. You possibly can work from wherever – a French café, a Thai seashore, and even from the consolation of your individual house.
That is nice for individuals who like to journey and desire a method of incomes cash remotely from wherever they’re. I’ve labored in some wonderful locations all around the world and I like how releasing it feels to not be tied all the way down to an in-person job.
This flexibility isn’t solely about the place you select to work – it’s additionally about how you select to work. You get to set the foundations: select your individual schedule, resolve what to jot down about, and decide what number of days or hours you need to work per week. And if you wish to take just a few weeks off, you may no – trip requests right here!
3. Potential Earnings
Let’s get one thing straight early on. Running a blog is undoubtedly not a get-rich-quick type of factor. It takes lots of laborious work, lengthy hours, motivation, perseverance, and a sensible technique to show a beginner weblog right into a money-making machine.
Nonetheless, for those who handle to construct and scale a profitable weblog, it may be extraordinarily profitable. There isn’t actually a restrict to how a lot cash you may earn as a blogger; the extra your weblog grows, and the extra site visitors you get, the more cash you can also make.
I discover this “blue sky pondering” side of running a blog extremely rewarding and thrilling. In my earlier job, there was a clearly outlined profession monitor, with a set path as to how you possibly can get a promotion or a pay rise. As a blogger, there are not any such limitations. The sky’s the restrict – it’s superior!
Running a blog is an effective way to construct a neighborhood of like-minded individuals who share your passions and pursuits. In the event you weblog about, say, mountaineering, you’ll simply be capable to join with different people who find themselves additionally into this interest. You may even find yourself assembly your subsequent trekking buddy this manner.
The identical goes for just about no matter subject you weblog about. Asian cooking, language studying, guitar educating, fly fishing, parachuting, equestrian care, historic reenactments – the record is countless! In the event you weblog about it, you’ll quickly cross paths with different individuals who share your ambition.
Then, growth! Earlier than you understand it, you’ll have simply discovered an entire load of latest individuals who share your curiosity(s). This will result in collaborations, meetups, and possibly even shut friendships. It’s extremely rewarding, and in addition lots of enjoyable.
5. Enhance Your Writing Abilities
As a blogger, you’ll in all probability end up writing quite a bit. I imply, it type of goes with the territory in spite of everything. And, generally, the extra you write, the higher you get at it.
Whether or not you already take into account your self a very good author or not, common running a blog is likely one of the finest methods to enhance your writing abilities. You’ll get higher at expressing your ideas, conveying concepts and emotions, and holding your viewers engaged and wanting extra.
And, after all, being a greater author isn’t solely restricted to your weblog. It’s one of the helpful transferrable abilities you may have. Whether or not it’s crafting a considerate e mail, writing a report, a fascinating social media submit, or perhaps a novel, the writing abilities you develop by way of running a blog may be actually helpful.
6. Private Progress
This one type of overlaps with lots of the opposite advantages of running a blog on this record. Running a blog is a tremendous alternative for private progress. It challenges you, pushes you out of your consolation zone, and forces you to discover new concepts and be taught new abilities.
Throughout my running a blog profession up to now, I’ve discovered an enormous quantity and developed a variety of abilities. I’ve develop into a greater author, and a greater photographer, discovered extra about search engine optimisation (see beneath), and am now higher at speaking my model in a method that resonates with my viewers.
The journey isn’t all the time straightforward or clean. As with all profession, there are many challenges to beat and setbacks to take care of. Nonetheless, the resilience, mindset, and abilities that you just be taught from running a blog may help you develop an enormous quantity as an individual.
7. Networking Alternatives
Running a blog is a tremendous solution to community with different professionals, each in your area of interest and out of doors of it. You’ll get to attach with different bloggers, business consultants, corporations, and types on an nearly each day foundation.
There are a lot of alternative ways to community as a blogger. I’m a member of a number of wonderful Fb teams which can be filled with fellow bloggers and different helpful contacts that I attain out to pretty typically.
LinkedIn may also be an effective way to make connections, as can attending in-person occasions resembling conferences and seminars. These connections typically result in collaborations, visitor running a blog alternatives, and typically, even new profession alternatives.
8. search engine optimisation Abilities
If you wish to run a profitable weblog, you’ll inevitably must become familiar with no less than some Search Engine Optimization (search engine optimisation) abilities. search engine optimisation is likely one of the finest methods to be sure that your weblog is seen and browse by as many individuals as attainable.
search engine optimisation could appear intimidating at first, however the fundamentals are literally pretty easy and simple to choose up. When you’re comfy with doing key phrase analysis, constructing backlinks to your website, and arising with a strong content material technique, you’ll be in a superb place to develop your weblog.
search engine optimisation abilities are additionally extremely wanted in lots of industries. Buying these abilities can actually repay, each with regards to your individual weblog, but additionally by way of discovering different work. search engine optimisation specialists are typically paid fairly nicely too.
There are many assets obtainable on-line that you need to use to show your self the basics of search engine optimisation. Some are free and a few are paid. I took this course by Nick from Goats on the Street and it taught me most of all I find out about search engine optimisation. (He didn’t ask me to jot down this, truthfully, the course is simply wonderful!).
9. Portfolio Constructing
Your weblog is a real-time portfolio of your work. Identical to an artist consists of their work in a portfolio, a weblog showcases your writing (and/or pictures or videography) abilities, in addition to your private model and elegance. It’s additionally publicly obtainable so may be seen by anybody.
Whether or not you’re an aspiring author, a photographer, a graphic designer, or perhaps a meals recipe developer, your weblog serves as a group of your finest work. You possibly can even use it to show testimonials and evaluations of any companies you may supply.
Some individuals will come throughout your weblog organically (particularly for those who nail your search engine optimisation sport). For others, all that you must do is ship them your URL and so they’ll immediately be capable to see what you’ve created and what you’re able to.
10. Journey Perks
Okay, so this doesn’t apply to each kind of weblog. However I’m primarily a journey blogger, so I need to embrace this one right here too. For me, one of the thrilling perks of being a journey blogger is the quite a few journey perks that may come your method as soon as your weblog begins turning into extra profitable.
From complimentary resort stays and free outside gear to fully-funded press journeys sponsored by tourism boards, these perks can will let you journey in type and have wonderful experiences for a fraction of the associated fee, or totally free. Generally you even receives a commission! Sounds fairly nice, proper?
Nonetheless, it’s essential that you just take an moral method to such freebies and perks. Any evaluations and content material that you just write should be sincere and clear. What I imply by this, is that you just shouldn’t write glowing evaluations about an organization and a model simply because they gave you free stuff.
Sure legal guidelines and laws (just like the FTC Guidelines on Affiliate Disclosure and the UK Promoting Requirements Authority’s Code) additionally require you to adequately disclose affiliate hyperlinks and different enterprise relationships to your readers. That is one thing that each one bloggers must take critically.
Cons of Running a blog
Regardless of the numerous benefits, there are additionally just a few downsides to running a blog and it’s vital to acknowledge the much less glamorous facet of the job. It’s not all sundown cocktails on the seashore. Listed here are some challenges that I’ve personally confronted as a blogger:
1. Time-Intensive
Running a blog could be a enormous time-sink. There’s rather a lot extra to it than simply typing out posts. In addition to the up-front studying you’ll in all probability need to do, you’ve additionally obtained to handle your web site, have interaction along with your viewers, and hold updated with the most recent technical developments and business traits.
I typically discover myself spending much more hours engaged on my weblog than I might in an everyday 9-to-5 job. That is partly as a result of I care rather a lot about it, which I really see as a optimistic factor. Nonetheless, it’s plain that the entire technique of running a blog takes lots of time.
You additionally need to be ready to handle admin too; duties like coping with funds, advertising, associates, and collaborations. It’s a juggling act between being a creator, a marketer, and an entrepreneur.
In the event you’re not cautious, all this work can result in burnout, which is why it’s essential to strike the precise stability between running a blog and your private life.
2. No Assured Earnings
One of many issues I discover most troublesome about running a blog is how unpredictable your earnings may be. In contrast to an everyday job with a gentle paycheck, the earnings I get from my weblog varies vastly from week to week and month to month. And I earned nothing in any respect for the primary 12 months or so.
Most bloggers monetize their blogs by way of a combination of internet affiliate marketing and adverts. Some additionally do sponsored posts and/or promote their very own services or products. Nonetheless, the quantity of site visitors you get every month can range fairly considerably, which impacts how a lot you earn.
This typically means you must diversify your earnings streams, which might add much more to your workload. Constructing a weblog to the purpose the place it generates a big earnings is certainly an extended sport. Till you get there, budgeting for all times may be fairly a problem.
3. Extremely Aggressive
As soon as upon a time, there weren’t very many blogs. Due to this fact, the blogs that did exist had a neater time when it got here to competing for one of the best key phrases. I’m not saying it was straightforward again then, nevertheless it was simpler.
Right now, issues are fairly totally different. By some estimates, there are greater than 600 million blogs on-line as of 2023. So, it’s truthful to say that the running a blog world is sort of crowded.
Getting your weblog to face out and develop into seen amid this huge sea of content material creators is not any small feat. With so many blogs vying for consideration, carving out a distinct segment for your self requires not solely nice content material but additionally savvy advertising and search engine optimisation abilities.
For brand new bloggers, breaking into this saturated market may be daunting and requires a mix of perseverance, creativity, and strategic pondering. I’m not making an attempt to place you off – it’s undoubtedly nonetheless attainable. However that you must be in it for the long term and work each laborious and sensible to achieve success.
4. Technical Challenges
Navigating the technical elements of running a blog could be a hurdle, particularly for those who’re not naturally tech-savvy. I’m pretty laptop literate, nonetheless after I first began running a blog I discovered myself feeling fairly overwhelmed by the entire tech stuff that I needed to be taught. It’s fairly a steep studying curve.
It’s essential take care of web site internet hosting, upkeep, pace, area administration, and numerous different components. If one thing goes incorrect along with your website, that you must work out easy methods to repair it. And don’t even get me began on having to troubleshoot points once you’re someplace with unhealthy WiFi.
I’ve been very harassed at occasions when making an attempt to take care of an issue with my weblog, particularly after I was simply beginning out. My weblog really crashed and went offline at one level and I wasn’t certain whether or not I’d misplaced months of laborious work, (fortunately, it was positive ultimately!).
This stuff undoubtedly get simpler the extra you do them and the extra you be taught (see the factors about abilities and private progress, above). However, it may be robust and irritating at occasions, notably at the start.
5. Work-Life Steadiness
I was a company lawyer. One of many many causes I modified careers was the shortage of work-life stability.
As a blogger, I completely love the liberty and adaptability that this profession gives. Nonetheless, I nonetheless typically discover myself working odd hours, weekends, and typically late into the night time. It’s straightforward to get a bit obsessive along with your weblog, no less than that’s what it’s like for me.
I would like my weblog to succeed and develop a lot that I pour massive quantities of time and emotional vitality into it. This isn’t essentially a foul factor – however, it’s vital to make sure that you don’t find yourself defaulting to being in “work mode” the entire time.
I discover that is very true for journey bloggers. While you’re adventuring, each second can really feel like a possible weblog submit and also you may find yourself viewing experiences extra by way of your digital camera lens than with your individual eyes. It’s vital to recollect to step again and really get pleasure from experiences for their very own sake.
Private Expertise as a Blogger
I’ve all the time cherished touring, ever since I used to be a toddler. After spending most of my 20s learning and dealing in London, I felt an more and more sturdy pull in the direction of a life that was extra adventurous, spontaneous, free, and thrilling.
Turning into a blogger was the most effective selections I ever made. I completely love the entire advantages that include the job (see above). For me, having the ability to work laborious on one thing that I’ve 100% possession of is one of the best a part of it – I’ve by no means been extra motivated, it’s a tremendous feeling.
My weblog – Simply Go Exploring – focuses primarily on exploring lesser-known locations world wide. My readers are typically individuals who respect a combination of outside actions and tradition, with the occasional consolation thrown in right here and there.
There have been ups and downs alongside the way in which. One in every of my greatest frustrations is the pace at which I produce content material. I’m a reasonably gradual author, so it takes me a very long time to jot down and publish every submit. Nonetheless, my weblog is on target and I’m excited for what the long run holds!
FAQs
Listed here are solutions to some ceaselessly requested questions on the principle benefits and drawbacks of running a blog:
Turning into a blogger may be a good suggestion for those who’re obsessed with sharing your concepts and tales, and are prepared to speculate effort and time into creating partaking content material. It’s a super platform for artistic expression and may also be probably fairly profitable.
The most important benefit of getting a weblog varies from individual to individual. It could possibly be the flexibility to precise your self creatively and set up a private model. Or, to share your information, experiences, and opinions with a large viewers and interact with a neighborhood of like-minded individuals.
Whether or not it’s best to begin a weblog relies on your targets, pursuits, and dedication. In the event you get pleasure from writing, need to share your information and experiences, and are dedicated to recurrently creating content material, then beginning a weblog could possibly be very rewarding.
The disadvantages of running a blog embrace the time-intensive nature of making and sustaining a weblog, potential earnings inconsistency, and the problem of standing out in a saturated market. Moreover, managing the technical elements of a weblog and attaining a very good work-life stability may be difficult.
The primary professionals of running a blog embrace artistic freedom, a versatile life-style, high-income potential, neighborhood constructing, studying new abilities, and private improvement. The primary cons embrace an unsure earnings, market saturation, technical challenges, and difficulties in sustaining a very good work-life stability.
Is Running a blog Value It?
For me, the numerous professionals of running a blog undoubtedly outweigh the cons. Running a blog is an especially versatile profession; you may select to give attention to no matter you’re obsessed with, and you may work from (nearly) wherever on this planet.
Nonetheless, running a blog additionally requires an enormous funding of effort and time. It takes a reasonably very long time to earn any cash from running a blog, your earnings will fluctuate rather a lot, there are technical challenges, and that you must make sure you carve out a way of life and work-life stability that’s sustainable for you.
General, I’d say that running a blog is value it so long as (i) you get pleasure from writing; (ii) you’re the form of one that doesn’t thoughts slightly uncertainty; (iii) you’re self-motivated and are capable of handle your time effectively; and (iv) you’re ready to work laborious (and sensible) to realize your targets.
If these all apply to you, why not give it a go? To begin your individual weblog, click on right here to obtain Goats On The Street’s free Newbie Running a blog Course that can assist you get began the precise method.
