What is Your Writing Blog Doing for You?
July 18, 2008 by Deb Ng
Filed under Freelance Writing
Deborah Ng
I wasn’t going to write about this, but everyone else is and it has my mind going. I think it’s a great discussion and I’d like for us to be a part of it. I refer to Do Blogs Work at A Few Strong Words, Do Blogs Really Earn You Business? at Men with Pens, When Blogging Isn’t Enough at Business and Blogging and How Do You Feel About Marketing Your Business at Grow Your Writing Business.
Three years ago, the same day I wrote my first post for my now defunct writing blog “Finding the Right Words” I landed a client. Someone else in the blogosphere referred him to my blog and he hired me to write copy for a charity event. I didn’t start FTRW to bring in business though – I started it to keep my writing fresh between gigs. I started FWJ at the same time for a different reason – because I was frustrated with the different job boards and wanted to help moms find work. As my blogs grew so did my business. In fact, my business became blogging.
Now Everyone Has a Writing Blog
Every day another writer starts a writing blog. Some list the same jobs I have here, some talk about the same topics other writing bloggers talk about – some even rehash the same tips and advice. There are also plenty of good, no great, writing blogs. I wish I could read them all. I wonder though, are these blogs really bringing in business?
When I began writing for the web I was told you have to have a website or online portfolio to show your clients. So I created one. I linked to all my different online jobs and even had an “About Me” page complete with bio and requisite photo. No one came. No one searched for me, no one who was looking for writers landed on my pages. I used it now and then as a resume but most employers didn’t want to read my whole website. They wanted me to send them two or three links to my writing or a few attached clips. My website did nothing for me and was a complete waste of time.
My Writing Blogs Made Me What I Am Today
Here’s the thing…
People didn’t really seek out my blogs or me to look for a writer. I used my blogs to get work. When FWJ started achieving popularity and people starting calling Deborah Ng a “problogger” I thought I had something here. I took the skills I learned to build my blogs and used them to find work. I landed a job as About.com’s Guide to Weblogs which landed me a job as a blogger for Oxygen Media. Those high profile jobs landed me gigs with other great companies and that is why I am where I am today. I didn’t wait for the work to come to me. I took my blogs on the road and used them as tools for landing work.
What do your writing blogs do for you?
If they’re supposed be promoting your writing how are they doing that? Are you only updating your blog every day or are you using it as a marketing tool? Has, as Tom Chandler mentioned in a comment, the blog become a lazy sort of marketing tool? Do writers even bother with cold calling and querying or are those days over?
I’m curious…what is your writing blog doing for you? Is it bringing you business? Are you using it to keep the words flowing during your downtime? Are you teaching?
Here’s something else to consider
When you blog about writing, are you preaching to the choir? Are we all telling the same people the same things without bringing anything new to the table? What is your blogs purpose and how is it different from the other writing blogs?
Discuss…
Too many questions.
Yes, our blog works. Yes, it brings in business. It does so because we treat it for what it is – a resource and tool, a gateway to business, and NOT as a standalone business itself.
@James – I couldn’t stop the questions from coming. I think many writers feel if they write they have to have a blog about writing. Why?
And hey I linked to your blog. You may get those 22 more subscribers. I hope you remember me when.
We actually don’t really blog about writing that much
Saves us from going insane.
And YAY! I should be at 18 now, thanks to others!
I went a different route. I didn’t start a writing blog. I started a blog in the area that I am most interested in writing about – the environment and helping people like me become greener.
It has brought me work. It have pointed to it when applying for writing jobs and found that it has served me well. It has also brought me unsolicited clients, and I have gotten some free products from marketing companies asking me to do reviews.
I know this isn’t answering your questions because they specifically deal with writing blogs. But as you stated, everyone has a writing blog, and I didn’t think that my creating one would add any new information when there were already so many well done ones out there. So I figured it would be “preaching at the choir” like you mentioned.
As I am just getting started with my writing blog, I am still contemplating what to do with it. I am currently participating in JV ventures to build my list, which is working very well.
It is a good discussion, and what’s more it is a somewhat fresh one (at least in the blogosphere) because it questions the core of what most of us do: blogging.
I think that all of this self-examination is good if it brings about blogs (whether they be about writing or something else) that are more focused and more purpose-driven (which is where I see all of this going).
A good blog (or should I say a good blogger) will definitely experience some demand for his or her skills over time.
BTW, thanks for the Business and Blogging link.
@Robin – Sometimes I think a good niche blog is a better career boost. An owner of a green website can’t really tell much about how “green” you are from a writing blog – but from a green blog? The possibilities are endless.
Hi Deb,
Yes, preaching to the choir — that was the primary point of my original blog post. But the topic has certainly grown the last couple of weeks!
Self-examination of *all* marketing tools is useful. For me, that post was a public self-examination (ooh, that sounds vaguely illegal…). How do I tweak to make the blog more useful?
I love it when people like James say “Yes, it works if you put in the time, yes, we’ve seen results” because that is proof in my mind that you can use your blog as a marketing tool.
For about half the people out there, the point is moot. They do it for fun, and that’s fine. Any residual clients they get is bonus. But if your blog (or any other Web 2.0 tool) is designed for marketing, it pays to consider how it fits into your general marketing plan, and whether or not it’s working.
~Graham
@ Graham – But the bigger question is, after you posted that post… how did your traffic do?
And that, is the power of blogging
I actually started a blog of my interests (and adventures) first. Then as I started freelance writing I realized how many writing blogs were out there. I tossed around the idea of starting one, but I just feel like everything that can be covered is already covered. I didn’t really have a unique twist.
I just decided to start another blog about another interest. I feel that this has served me well in landing gigs because clients see my ability to write on the specific topics. There are great writing blogs out there (like this one) and I feel they do a better job of getting out info. I’m just not interested in reading rehashed tips and tons of writing journeys.
My writing blog lands me gigs occasionally, sure.
Mainly, though, I blog to help other writers. It’s no more complex than that. And, judging from my inbox, it’s helping.
Down the road, when I launch my writer mentoring program, that’ll actually become part of my business. I guess it’s part of the business already, in that it’s getting me exposure and prospects for when I do launch.
Still, if I never launch the program, I’m happy with what my blog is accomplishing.
As far as bringing something unique to the table, I certainly try to. If I write about a topic that’s been done before, I at least try to write about it from my personal perspective – incorporating my journey.
I’m with Lori on this one: I’ve also thought about starting a writing blog, but I never quite get around to doing it. I’ve thought about angles, but I guess none of them excite me enough to dedicate the time.
I write a blog about Russian literature, though, and it’s definitely a plus when I send out inquiries about projects. The topic is also memorable!
@James – Heh-heh… Well, according to Feedburner, the number of visitors to my blog stayed steady at 0. And according to Analytics, I forgot to add the tracking code to my blog… (Duh!)
I did see spikes in other parts of my website, which I would imagine would be attributable to the blog post. And I did get a nice advertising offer through my quote request system. So there’s that.
~Graham
@Lori – LOL – only writers would understand how you couldn’t get excited about doing a writing blog, but totally get into a Russian literature blog…!
~Graham
Hey, sometimes the choir needs preaching to, too. I read other freelance writing blogs because I want to know what advice other writers have and what things are making them successful. And if I read something I already know, it’s a bit of an ego stroke.
Just because there are lots of writer blogs out there doesn’t mean someone can’t be successful with a new one. Should Google have dropped their search engine idea because Yahoo, AOL, and MSN had one? Should Ford have forgotten about Explorer because Honda, Toyota, and Jeep were already making them?
I believe writers should have a blog on a topic they know and are passionate about. If it happens to be a topic that seems saturated, like writing, they should figure out what’s missing from all the other writing blogs out there and seek to fill that gap.
I first started my writing blog as a way to track my personal journey through freelance writing, and really it was for myself. But now I think it’s primarily a networking tool, through which I’ve made great connections that have led to work, but most importantly I’ve made friends with fellow writers. My blog, and my writer friends’ blogs, are places where we can exchange ideas, gripes and generally cheer one another on.
I have a separate website with my portfolio on it, and that actually does reel in work for me, as I chose a good domain name and I get really targeted search traffic to it every day.
I think that I would have a blog if I had the time for it. Fortunately -or unfortunately, I am quite busy with writing work.
I use my blog as a resume, just to promote my online published work. I had, in the beginning thought I would use it as a journal and a place to discuss things that interest me (family, life, children, writing, and so on), but now it is just lots of blog posts that lead you to my own online work. Its a blessing really — I’ve used my Blog URL in place of sending a resume — and it has worked.
After a long time away from my blog I just recently started posting on it again. I use it as a place to show my work and have some fun. Someday I hope to venture forth into the realm of freelance writing. As of right now, my blog is not doing anything for me, but I hope to turn it into a marketing tool.