Why you should build your own blog

Hi readers and welcome to the very first post in my series “Become of Blogger”. In this series of posts, I intend to give you all of the great tips I gathered along the way to start, grow and experiment with your blog.

So you have finally decided to start your creative journey, but you don’t yet know where to start, what to do, or expect? Well, first of all, congratulations! 🥳 Blogging, Vlogging, and overall creating content on the internet are some of the most rewarding experiences I know and I’m sure you won’t regret it. In this post, I’ll share 5 reasons why I think you should launch your own online platform.

1) Show how creative you are

I think that creating content on the internet (especially blogging) is an amazing way to express yourself. You are completely free to do whatever the hell you want, write however you want, take pictures, shoot videos, experiment with code, anything.

When you have the freedom to do anything you want, the only thing left to do is to show how creative you are. And by creating a little bit every day you’ll learn a lot and open yourself to even more creative ideas. Don’t deprive the world of the amazing ideas in your head, share them!

Having fun while painting

2) Build your personal brand

Whether you decide to go by your own name or by a pseudo, having a blog will go a long way toward helping you develop your personal brand. Why should you?

In today’s hyper-connected world, building your personal brand allows you to “be present” and have a home on the Internet. By showing your work and what you’re good at, you open yourself to opportunities. Maybe your next employer or best friend will be one of your readers. Maybe some brands will want to work with you or maybe one day your blog will turn into a lucrative business. Either way, you won't find out until you try!

A computer showing Unsplash

As a little anecdote, back in 2016, when I applied for a job as a content manager for a company in Paris, my recruiters told me that... they actually had read several of my posts. Although of course, it’s not the only reason, they admitted  it played a great part in their decision to hire me.

3) Show your work & be a contributor

We use it every day but we are barely aware of how amazing the Internet is. Besides the crazy technologies that run it, they are actually thousands or rather millions of people who contribute everyday to make it even greater. Nowadays you can learn pretty much everything from the comfort of your couch... for free.

The Internet is the place where you can see, learn but also be seen. And, if you have ideas, you should contribute also.

“Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think.”— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

When I started out I couldn’t help but feel like an imposter... people were so smart and seemed to have everything figured out. But soon, I learned that what you write will always vibrate with someone, maybe even more than you think. Then that person will turn into 2, 4 then exponentially and you’ll get to learn from one another.

Someone writing on their computer

4) Find your community

It’s probably the most rewarding part of it all. When you actually find people that connect to your work, sometimes in ways you couldn’t even imagine. Creating content online is a bit about making yourself vulnerable, showing the creative part of you, and allowing it to be judged, whether in a positive or a negative way.

3 people pointing at a screen

But, trust me, finding a community of people who support you and connect to your work is definitely worth it. You find your tribe, you make them learn, and most of all, you learn from them.

5) Improve your skills

When I started blogging a few years back, I had no idea how much it would allow me to learn. When you get into the habit of writing every day or week, unsurprisingly, you become better at writing. The same thing when it comes to being organized, you grow into the habit of handling your life activities (school, work, friendships) with your online presence.

“If you work on something a little bit every day, you end up with something that is massive.” —Kenneth Goldsmith

Why you should build your own blog

But most of all, blogging and creating content online will teach you quite a myriad of other skills. How to buy a domain name and run a website, how to create thumbnails, maybe how to edit short videos, and many other things. You will be surprised how much you’re going to learn without even planning for it.