Wondering whether or not starting a blog in 2023 would be a good idea? I have been in your exact shoes before I started my blogging journey 7 years ago. The good news is whether you are looking to share your experiences and thoughts about any particular topic or you are looking to establish an online business, blogging can be a very fulfilling and incredible online business to start.
In this article, I am going to speak from my experience not only with myself with building and managing multiple blogs but also from my incredible relationship with other bloggers that were all once right in your shoes.
I highlight 10 reasons why you might want to consider starting a blog in 2023. I will also share with you how blogging has changed my life both professionally and personally. (blogging is something that I personally love)
One of the most outstanding benefits of starting a blog is that it is a fantastic way to express yourself. It allows you to share your unique thoughts and perspective with the world.
Also, you can blog about anything that you have any experience with. Whether you like to travel, cook, camp, health, or fitness, blogging will allow you to share your passion with other like-minded people and even a chance to build a personal brand.
I started my blog that you are reading right now from years of experience with content marketing and SEO. I now get to share valuable lessons and information from my journey.
You see, starting a blog will allow you to establish yourself as an authority in whatever niche you are good at. This will ultimately open new connections and opportunities that can change your life. So if you have been contemplating starting a blog, read on to discover why should go ahead and start building your brand today.
For example, I have been helping build online businesses by leveraging SEO, optimized content, and many other marketing avenues for which I have a passion. I started investing in my own digital real estate just like this blog that you are reading right now, my Youtube channel, and other online platforms years ago and I use this experience to help answer questions and give genuine information from my experience and what I have learned so far.
10 Reasons Why You Should Start Blogging In 2023
Here are my top 10 reasons why it is a good idea to start a blog:
1. You Can Control Your Income
Before I got into blogging full-time, I was running multiple other online businesses and my partner had a day job. You know, the kind you have to wake up early in the morning, prepare the kids for school and get yourself ready to go to work by 8 am.
Now, we were doing pretty well with our old business model which was mainly helping local business owners grow their business with our local marketing services. Heck, we were even able to help my business partner quit that draining 9-5 job and work full-time in our business.
It was definitely a worry for him since he had young kids at the time and things were going well for him at his 9-5.
While you can be successful in your day job and make a good living out of it, you will agree with me that climbing the corporate ladder is never easy. If you have a corporate job, I believe you can relate.
His job was draining him and he knew there was a better way to give him financial freedom and a way to ultimately make his own schedule. Being home more and spending more time with his family was a goal and driver for him.
So, he left and helped grow the blogging and consulting business. We continued to help local and national brands leverage the power of digital real estate and help build their brands through blogs & SEO, Google Business Maps SEO, and building content and linking strategies for clients.
Fast-forward: I am making good money blogging while sharing my experiences and helping people. Read more about my journey here.
With blogging, once you gain momentum and start producing revenue you somewhat get to control your income. Depending on how much content is needed per week published on your blog along with if you hire writers or do it solo.
This will allow you to decide when you want to work on your blog and how much work you want to do during specific blocks of time. However, the more work you put in, the more likely you are going to be successful, especially in the beginning.
Also, I must mention that it will take time, patience, and dedication for you to truly succeed in blogging. The good news though is that there are many online courses on blogging and SEO that get you up to speed.
In general, blogging isn’t as difficult as most people think and once you are all set up, you get to take control of your income. Who doesn’t want that?
2. Blogging Allows You To Design Your Days
This is by far my favorite out of all the reasons you should start a blog. If you are working nonstop and find yourself telling yourself there has to be a better way. Maybe, taking control of your life and what you really want to build is the answer.
I am sure you have those days where you would love to be hanging with family and friends instead of working or feeling drained and ready for a quick weekend just to go back to a grueling schedule.
Maybe, even being able to have more freedom to travel and explore is something that gets you motivated. Believe me, I can relate. As I pump out the words in this article typing vigorously on my Macbook I think about how many people can this post reach and actually motivate.
We all come from different walks of life and have different experiences, passions, and backgrounds but one thing we most likely have in common especially if you are reading this blog is creating a business that gives us more control.
More control of lives and even more importantly more control of our time…
If you are currently working and thinking of starting an online business on the side then blogging could be a perfect outlet.
Even people with a tight schedule like busy moms or any other person who has morning obligations or work the graveyard shift can easily learn effective blogging strategies and start building a blog a few hours per day right from home.
With blogging, there is no pressure to go to work. You can design your day while still making sure you are having enough rest every day and that other commitments are still in order. Obviously, the more committed and dedicated you are to learning, planning, and implementing the faster you will start to see results within your blogging journey.
I want to be very transparent with you. A blogging business is a real business and does not happen overnight. But, if we were to future pace 24 months from now and your blog was able to replace your current income, or even contribute to pay your monthly household bills how worth it would it be?
Wouldn’t that give you proof that you have a real business and that the time and effort you contributed over those 24 months were worth it?
Imagine now you get to start blogging full-time and building a team, better systems, and more revenue.
Starting a blog is definitely something to consider as an online business option that does not cost a lot of capital upfront but if treated seriously could reap many benefits including.
- Setting your own hours
- Connecting with like-minded individuals
- Spending time with family and friends without work obligations
- Writing and learning about topics that really interest you
- Not having to worry about counting vacation days
- Running your business from your computer, from wherever you would like
3. Blogging Helps You Showcase Your Expertise & Establish Your Brand
I highly recommend if you do decide to start a blog that it is a personal brand blog with niche content that you have some experience in or at least a real interest in.
I know plenty of people are talking about building small niche blogs and just outsourcing the content and I am not saying that business model cannot work. As a matter of fact, I have three small niche blogs myself.
With that said from my experience a personal branded blog that builds you as the authority on a very specific topic that you can become an expert or goto brand to go to is the best for future growth and security.
I want you to start thinking of 5-10 years out what that blog can be generating in revenue and brand authority. I am talking about serious life-changing money.
We are living in a digital age where people are looking for all sorts of answers online. We love to learn and connect with real people. Having an online presence can be the difference between being successful or failing especially if you have a business.
I have seen business owners and freelancers who have stood out from their competition by establishing themselves as the authority online.
By sharing your knowledge and expertise you can easily build a community of loyal followers who will not only view you as their trusted source of information in your niche but also recommend you to their friends and family.
This will definitely lead to opportunities for growth and open up collaborations and engagements with other businesses and other bloggers on a personal level.
Also, you will get to create content that will provide value to your readers. Content that you actually enjoy sharing. This will help you improve your credibility and help you to attract new customers or monetization opportunities for your blogging business.
For example, if you are a fitness trainer, sharing your workout routines, wellness tips, and healthy recipes will demonstrate your experience and expertise. This is also second nature for a fitness trainer to do because it’s already routine for them but it is incredibly valuable to others, and great insights and information that will build real credibility and trust.
4. Blogging Is A Creative Way To Grow
While you may not notice it yourself, blogging can help you grow professionally and personally. Over the years, I have noticed that blogging can be a fun way to help me grow as a person.
I can go on for pages when it comes to the topics of digital real estate, blogging, SEO, and personal development because for years it is what I have been breathing, eating, and sleeping. It comes naturally to me to just start typing on topics and questions around any of these topics.
I have consulted with so many personalities, brands, and businesses. Analyzing hundreds of websites and planning out strategies. It is what I love and what I love to teach here on this blog.
This is why I think a personal brand and blog that represents you and topics that you love not only can create the most success for your business but also come naturally and be the easiest for you to share and learn more about.
Blogging gives you the freedom to go out there and explore your passions and interests and also share your unique perspective with the world.
This is not only fulfilling and rewarding, but it also allows you to easily express yourself and develop connections with other people with similar interests as yours. Also, starting a blog can be the gateway to learning new skills and getting new knowledge that will benefit you professionally and personally.
As humans we love progress. Progress is what keeps us going, and feeling motivated, giving us a positive outlook and helping us manufacture goals.
For example, all bloggers will have to learn SEO. Search engine optimization. This is a skill that is crucial for the success of your online blogging business.
This will help stretch your skills in a new direction and also make you that much more valuable to any other business by just understanding SEO, its importance, and how it actually works.
You will also grow your knowledge base within the actual niche that you are passionate about. For Example, I am passionate about SEO and blogging and I have spent thousands of dollars on courses, coaches, and absorbing information about these topics which makes me that much more of an expert and gives me that much more to talk about and teach.
Doing research on my niche and planning out content topics makes me understand everything in a much deeper way. Plus years of creating content on topics will help build the internal authority that will project out through your work.
5. It Gives You an Opportunity to Make Money Online
Of course, one of the best parts of blogging is that it gives the opportunity to make money online. Let’s face it this is the main reason most of us start to blog. I know when I first started my goal was to get my blog to make any type of revenue just as a proof of concept.
I am sure you have heard the success stories and heard about other bloggers making thousands of dollars per month from their blogs.
Again, this is not an overnight process but it works.
If you put in the work that’s required and be patient, your blog will gradually grow and you will be able to monetize it after some time. There are bloggers making six figures per year from blogging and you can join that club if you know what to do, how to do it, and the best way to do it.
Also, as I have mentioned in my previous posts, the success of blogging has to do with SEO. You have to understand your SEO strategies and how best to execute them. Again, there are many SEO courses online that will help get started.
I earn a decent living through blogging and SEO. It has allowed me to accomplish various goals that I didn’t think I would accomplish through blogging when I first started out. It took time and work for me to get where I am today with blogging, but it has all been worth the while. So if you have the passion to go ahead with blogging, do not hesitate.
Your first goal should be getting your first blog post published. This is where we all start. After about 10 blog posts you can think about the best ways to monetize your blog.
I mentioned earlier in this post that I had started three small niche blogs. For a little motivation, I wanted to share with you that one of these niche blogs is making affiliate conversions with only about 20 posts so far. This is a great sign!
6. Starting a Blog Does Not Cost A Huge Upfront Investment
A great benefit of starting a blog is that do not have to spend all your life savings to start a blog that will potentially be successful. I started one of my blogs for less than $200.
If you choose to start a new blog, I would recommend building your blog on WordPress. Not the FREE version on wordpress.com but building an actual blog on a domain that you purchase and installing WordPress from wordpress.org.
I only build and work with blogs with WordPress.
A few upfront costs that you must invest in are
- Domain – Average Cost $10-$20 Per Year (NameCheap)
- Hosting – Average Cost $40-$250 Per Year (Could Be Paid Monthly) The Best Hosting in my opinion is WP-X Hosting. Incredible Support & Service or Cheap Hosting To Get Started is HawkHost
- Key Word Research & SEO Tools (AHREFs) Cheaper Alternative
- WordPress Website Theme: Free Kadence Theme Option But I recommend Essential Bundle $129
- Content – You Can Write All Content On Your Own And Save Money
Additional blog tools I highly recommend but definitely not needed at first but they are well worth it once you are established and ready to streamline and make the process faster.
Jasper – This will assist you in writing content faster
Surfer SEO – This will assist you in editing your article for the best SEO optimization before you publish your posts.
LinkWhisper – Find internal links much faster on your blog and save time and energy.
As you can see apart from domain and hosting fees and other small charges, you can do almost everything on your own and even leave a few of the extras out for now just to get started.
But even all in with all the incredible tools and software you can have a full business for a few hundred bucks per month.
To be in business for that low of an investment is incredible. The internet has really changed the game. We should all be incredibly grateful for opportunities like this.
Most businesses have big upfront costs and risks. My buddy recently started a coffee shop that required signing a lease, hiring contractors, having a build-out complete over months, permits, equipment, products, refrigeration, and the list goes on.
This was an easy 6 figure investment to get started. Let that sink in. No matter what business you start it takes investment and dedication. Does not matter if it’s $100, $100,000, or millions of dollars that is just half the investment.
Commitment, structure, and work are always required. A blogging business is no different.
I am also a huge believer in learning from experts, getting coaching, and following a blueprint. Success leaves footprints. If someone has already accomplished things that I look to accomplish then who better to get mentorship and guidance from?
Investing in learning is incredible. Fortunately, we have Youtube and the internet.
There are many online tutorials on how you can start a brand new blog today. If you do have the money, you can also purchase blog courses and over-the-shoulder training but again this is definitely not required but I strongly recommend it. Cut the learning curve down and stay committed.
7. Blogging Opens Up Opportunities For Other Businesses
I own multiple blogs, but I didn’t start all of them at once. One idea led to another. I have blogger friends and coaches who have multiple blogs, most of which are doing good and bringing in decent money every month.
It is important to note that once you start a blog, it can give you ideas to start side projects such as YouTube channels that are linked to your main blog. This has a lot of power and can significantly help with getting eyeballs onto your site and building authority.
The one danger is “shiny object syndrome” which is when you get excited about too many ideas and are pulled in different directions and all over the place.
This will slow down productivity and be discouraging. The first thing first is to get your blog up and specific niche content published. Once you get your first 100 posts published and optimized then consider a Youtube channel that supports your blog content.
Don not let new niches or other online “shiny” businesses distract you and take you off course.
As you grow as a blogger and join groups and courses you will get a chance to connect with like-minded individuals all on a blogging journey at different stages of the business. It is a great way to learn, reflect, connect, and grow personally and as a business.
8. Blogging Challenges You
Whatever you do, there are always going to be challenges. I mentioned earlier that blogging is not going to be all roses, sunshine, and pretty pictures. You are going to have to put in the work required for you to get success. This will include investing committed time learning from good SEO tutorials, finding great services, and learning how to set up and use tools, WordPress, and many other things.
But remember this is a real business. We should expect a good challenge. What challenges you is what builds you in the long run. You are going to make mistakes, but if you are serious about blogging, you don’t want to give up. A great question I heard from a mentor of mine Jim Rohn was If your 2 year old kid was not walking yet how long would you give them to figure it out before you call it quits?
Well, of course, everyone has the same answer which is I would never give up and we would keep trying because it’s bound to happen.
And that is the exact mindset you have to have when going into business. It takes time and many attempts with no quitting. You fall, you get up, and go stronger. You fall, you pivot, adjust and try another approach. You get the right coaching and guidance. Raising your standards and being resourceful is the only answer and path to true success.
If you are new to business or a beginner in the internet marketing world this could all seem overwhelming at first, and starting a blog might even help you to overcome fears and try new things. This will help build character and confidence.
When you start blogging, you have to get out of your comfort zone and face your challenges head-on if you want to succeed. Blogging just like any business presents you with challenges that must be solved for you to grow.
For instance, maybe you have a fear of investing money in a business. This will teach you that it is not the end of the world to take action toward goals even if they cost some time and money. The biggest regret you will have is living with regret itself one day. Looking back saying what if?
Other common challenges that you may face along your blogging journey include:
- Spending money on a blog post that eventually fails (good news, pivot, and post other posts)
- Spending money on quick fixes that don’t work (learn from other experts)
I have faced these and many other challenges, but the thrill comes in trying to make everything work, and trust me, it is quite a rush when the puzzle is finally solved.
I am here to share and guide you on a path of least resistance so you do not have to make the same mistakes that I and other bloggers have made.
9. You Get To Help Others
Say, you are a blogger in the health and fitness niche and the content you create reaches thousands of people every day. You have no idea how many lives you will be positively impacting daily.
Whatever niche you choose, you know you are going to help other people every day, especially if the blog is getting decent organic traffic every day with quality content.
While you may start a blog with making money being the main objective, it is always important to create content that actually helps the reader. Information content around questions in your niche is important. Your content should be solving a certain problem that your readers have. This way, you will easily gain and retain readers and your blog will ultimately grow.
10. Blogging Can Improve Your Communication and Writing Skills
Blogging is among the easiest ways to improve your communication and writing skills since you will be creating content consistently.
I know for sure my vocabulary and way to express certain things in words have become so much easier. I also have Grammarly which helps me fix grammatical errors and learn from those mistakes.
Creating posts regularly needs you to think critically and then communicate your thoughts logically and effectively.
So by writing content consistently for your blog, you are going to become comfortable expressing your opinions and ideas. Obviously, your writing skills will also be sharpened in the process. You will acquire a writing style that is unique and effective.
Also, be sure to listen to your audience and look at what pieces of content get the best traction and feedback. Some posts will get comments and questions and if you have a Facebook community or email list take a poll on what piece of content your audience likes and ask why.
You might learn something about the style or the voice that you wrote that specific piece. Any constructive criticism is good and any engagement with your audience is a good sign.
Tips for Starting a Successful Blog
So I am glad you made it way down here and you allowed me to help you establish the benefits of starting a blog. Now, we need to understand the basic stuff you need to take care of when you are starting out. So here are a few tips for starting a successful blog:
Offer Value
You don’t want to write about anything and post on your blog low-quality information just to try and get more traffic. As I mentioned earlier, you must offer solutions or value to your reader if you want your blog to grow. Make sure you are giving your readers what they are looking for in a uniquely personal way. You must make their browsing through your post worth the while.
For example, you might have searched “reasons to start a blog,” and landed on this page. I did my best and spent a good amount of time writing from my experience why you should start a blog and the benefits and what to expect. I will also end up adding more content to this post as time goes on and I get even more insights to share.
Try To Encourage Interaction
Look for ways to get your readers talking on your blog. You can, for instance, ask them to leave comments after every post. When they leave comments or ask questions, it is important that you respond and try to build a community. People love the interaction, so be nice, welcoming, and friendly.
Do Not Forget About Marketing
Without marketing your blog, you will hardly get anywhere. Be sure to actively sell your blog. One of the best ways to do this is by talking to other bloggers and establishing a good relationship with them. Promote your blog in the right places. Comment on relevant posts or ask if you can collaborate on back-linking, etc.
Another way is sharing your posts on your social media platforms. Engage your followers, answer their questions, and leave more links to relevant content on your blog.
Be sure to Write About Topics That Interest You
You need to have passion for what you are blogging about or at least an interest in the topic. For instance, you cannot start blogging about cryptocurrency just because you heard it is a good niche and trending. There is very little chance your blog will succeed because, with time, you are going to lose interest and in order to write from experience you will now take so much more time researching and learning about a niche that really might not be your particular thing.
So if you are a health and fitness expert and you love what you do, start a blog on health and fitness or any other closely related niche. If you know about home improvements, start a DIY blog for homeowners and share incredible tips and information to help other homeowners.
This way, the research and writing is not a burden on you and you can enjoy building even more experience with this niche.
Invest In A Good SEO Strategy
This is probably my biggest tip and most important skill when it comes to blogging. Search Engine Optimization can be the difference between failing and becoming very successful. Be sure to talk to fellow bloggers, especially those that have succeeded so they can help you understand what is working and what is not.
In one of my previous posts, I talked about SEO tools that can help you rank better. You also want to enroll in one of the many SEO courses available today to learn the basics.
There is no need of investing in an expensive SEO tool or content if you have no idea how to research topics or how the tools actually work effectively. So again, getting the knowledge first is very important.
Provide Easy Reading
Creating content is one thing and creating readable content is another. You want to make sure your content is easy to read. Many readers will first scan a web page before they decide whether or not they should go ahead and read it. It is, therefore, important to make your content look neat and easy to read.
Break it into sections, 3-4 lines of text is what I aim for. Do not use jargon or complex wording, and include images and videos where necessary. The more organized your content is, the more likely your readers will return and read more pages.
Post Regularly
Posting regularly does not mean rushing content or posting anything because you have to. Plan your articles and space your posting in a regular manner. Posting about 2-3 articles per week works for me, but the content I post must be planned out and meet my standards.
If SEO is one of your main priorities, I suggest you build a content calendar and plan out a bunch of important topics from your keyword research. Organize them from importance and start writing them and getting them to a minimum viable post and hit publish.
You can and should go back and update older posts as time goes on but at least get the foundational post on the topic up and optimized.
Final Thoughts
Blogging can be a very rewarding experience. From giving you opportunities to make money online to help sharpen your communication and writing skills, there is a lot you can gain from starting a blog today.
However, it all needs proper planning, dedication, patience, and discipline. You want to make sure you do everything possible for you to achieve success. It will take time, but in the end, it will be worth it if you put in the work and stay focused.
