Why you should write a blog

If you're reading this blog, you're one of the literally tens of people that tune in on a regular basis to hear my innovative insights and tales of experience. But it wasn't always this way… When I started blogging no one was listening, like a crazy man yelling his musings into an empty room.

As always though, there's a fine line between crazy and genius. Being the humble gentleman that I am, I'd like to think I identify in the latter category. Whether people come to read your blog or not, starting one and keeping it up-to-date can have some great benefits.

What's going on in the world?

Writing a blog and maintaining it, forces you to keep up with current events. For those in the tech world, it keeps fresh in your mind latest developments and updates to the platforms you work with. With this knowledge you're ever more conscious of the products you're producing for your clients, making full use of the latest functions and ensuring your clients get the best possible service.

For those of you in the property world that means keeping up with current affairs, keeping you knowledgeable about potential industry changing events with things like “On the Market” launching and the saga that preceded it, to proposed changes in legislation that affect your whole industry.

And for people like myself that straddle the two, blogging is a great way to research what's going on, form an educated opinion on the affairs du jour and generally sound clued up when asked about current topics from either industry.

SEO (again)

I know, I know… I talk about SEO all the time! But if you're really looking to take your digital strategy seriously (and you really should), it should always be there in the back of your mind. A blog is a great way to keep your content fresh and is an easy and organic way to target your keywords.

Before I get carried away, if you're interested in knowing a little more about SEO, have a look here.

Social Media Content

Original content on social media?! Shock horror!

Now some of you are great at social media, and this bit isn't so much for you. But for those of you who do nothing on twitter but post listing after listing after listing… What are you doing to engage your audience? Knowing your target audience is important and instead of looking for things to share, create tailor-made content for them. All it takes is one enticing title and you've engaged your community far more than any robotic, uniform tweet ever could.

This doesn't have to be restricted to the big social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. More focused networking websites like “Estate Agent Networking” are fantastic outlets for your material, allowing what you've written to be easily found by those it applies to most (and if you're reading this on EA networking, tell them how great it was and that Estate Apps should have their content shared all the time!).

Promoting Discussion

You can never have too many friends, right? The blogs that I've posted in the past have lead to some very interesting discussions, from people commenting in agreement or to challenge some ideas, all the way through to people requesting blogs written on particular subjects.

No matter the interaction the content has sparked, it's a conversation we would never have had if I hadn't taken time out of my day and put pen to paper (metaphorically of course, no one can read my hand-writing).

It's incredibly rewarding to have someone get in contact for something you've written. Not only does it affirm that you do know what you're talking about (contrary to what some of the team might say), but it's great for building contacts and potential new business partnerships.

It's Fun

There, I said it. I like writing blogs. I even wrote this blog while I was on holiday for Christmas (What a nerd, right?). I genuinely enjoy blog writing. It's a great way to learn something new, keep yourself up to date and generally establish yourself as an expert in your field. (It's also a really nice excuse if your colleagues catch you on Buzzfeed when you're meant to be working, but that's just between you and me.)

So find an interesting subject, research it, and get blog writing! Even if no one reads it, you'll be benefiting your brand, and you'll be benefiting yourself.

I look forward to reading what you've got to say!