It’s been a little while since I last posted to my blog, and for a person who not only blogs for other people for living but also teaches people about blogging, that may be seen as a cardinal sin. But it’s not as bad as what I’m about to confess.
I’ve been cheating on my blog, with another blog. Yes, I am blogging on another blog. I’ve blogged on a few blogs, actually–I’ve posted on LinkedIn, Medium…I know, I’m ashamed. I hope my blog will forgive me.
When I teach my blogging class, Blog Like a Boss, I generally tell people to avoid blogging on other blogs (except in the case of guest blogs, that’s different.) EVERYTHING should go back to your blog, because after all, you want people on your website, not browsing for other service providers out there on the World Wild Web. And it should. Eventually. But there’s also a lot of merit to putting your info out on other sites, too. Here are a few reasons why you should blog on other blogs:
- Increased exposure. Let’s face it, your blog may not have a ton of followers at first. It takes time to build that. So in the meantime, it’s a good idea to get yourself and your words out on sites that already have lots of followers. Especially if you’re talking about something that you really want out there, like I did with my article on working at home. It’s built-in exposure.
- Targeted, segmented marketing. One blog may not be able to be all things to all readers. My own blog began as a catchall, and then I began realizing that I didn’t really want that. I wanted my 3am blog to focus on business and business-related subjects. But I also wanted to get creative and write about topics like social media and parenting tweens. Let’s face it, I wanted to be able to say “fuck” more often. So I am in the process of putting all that fun stuff on Medium and keeping the good business stuff here.
- Expansion of creativity, and therefore, content. Since I’ve given free rein to my creativity, I’ve noticed that my content is better. I’m having fun, sharing my thoughts about Hallmark movies and toddler invasions. I’ve expanded my horizons, and everything has improved. My blog, my other blogs, and my client content. I’m also creating more content to provide linking opportunities. (See? EVERYTHING does end up back here. Get clicking, people.)
For every rule in social media and content marketing, there’s an exception. In the end, we all have to do what’s best for our business. So blog away, on your site, and others, if you can. Blog everywhere. Ain’t no shame.