This blog is my first personal blog since last year. I have had multiple ideas for a personal blog, but it wasn’t until Asnio that I have truly went through it.
I used to blog on my self-named domain, but believe it or not it wasn’t a personal blog. It was like, a blog about blogging, marketing and SEO blog. I did it for about 6–7 months, but it had a set topic that I had to abide by in all of my writings. Unlike this blog.
Sure, so far I haven’t really wrote about anything that isn’t related about the web, but who cares — it’s MY blog. I think personal blogs are too few nowadays because people are so worried about ranking for a certain niche instead of letting their creativity flow and not caring what the hell Google has to say about it!
So with that being said, I came up with a list of 21 great reasons why you should start a personal blog, and 8 reasons why you shouldn’t. Yeah, 21–8. I’ll say why.
Why You Should Have A Personal Blog
- Write whatever you want, whenever you want
- You’re more likely to bring in traffic to it if you post your opinions on something. Personal blogs, I find to have more opinionated posts than regular niche blogs, and opinions lead to controversy, and controversy leads to traffic.
- Great learning experience for niche blogging.
- You can really get to know people on it.
- People can really get to know you.
- You’re free to jump from topic to topic without truly giving a crap what Google, or any other Search Engine has to say about it.
- Get your name out there.
- Self-promote your services like crazy.
- Become a better writer.
- Your personal blog will probably be the most creative, and most original blog you will ever make.
- Mad? Write about it at your personal blog. It will help you vent out those bad thoughts.
- You can finally blog the way YOU want to blog instead of conforming to the standards of any niche.
- Whatever you say goes, son.
- It’s okay to talk about something that has been talked about millions of times before.
- You’re not wrong. Ever.
- You can build a reputation/brand for your name.
- Always a possibility for some income.
- Get in touch with people with similar interests.
- No money is needed, and it’s okay to not have a custom domain on personal blogs.
- Let’s you to really express yourself online without worry what others think. Hopefully you’re like that though.
- You can have odd numbered lists and not really care what people think.
Why You Shouldn’t Have A Personal Blog
- Chances are, no ones cares how your day went.
- You probably won’t make any money from it unless you’re like, John Chow.
- Unless you’re a celebrity of some kind, you might not really get your blog read.
- If you don’t have a brand or selling point, you’re f*****.
- Can distract you from your niche blog.
- Might make you fall in love with yourself.
- You might write some things you regret later.
- Like any blog, it’s time consuming.
Just 8?
I seriously could only come up with 8 reasons why you shouldn’t have a personal blog. Like, I think personal blogs are the most unique blogs on the planet, and everyone who has a little extra time should come up with one, regardless of how boring you might be.
You don’t really have to be a great writer, and you don’t really have to have an audience to make a personal blog. It’s really just for shits and giggles when it comes down to it, and you never know what the future holds for it.
Photo by Michael Randall
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Rocking post
Honestly if you are a nobody, I do not think you should be blogging about your girlfriends haircut. Maybe opinions are kewl, as they may create controversy.
Yeah, that’s my problem with personal blogs. People just don’t seem to grasp the concept that no one actually cares about how boring your day at work was. Infact, that’s one of my main problems with Twitter. I mean, really, do I care if someone just had breakfast?
But maybe a personal blog is a way to earn your status as a somebody?
Hmm, maybe, but like a few of the commentators below this comment, I wouldn’t have visited this blog if I didn’t know you already. Still, I’m glad I did… it’s awesome so far
Agreed! You’re a great guy, but if you talk about your dinner, I don’t think anyone except friends (like Simon and me) will really bother.
Your Thesis posts idea is a good one.
Personally I’m not too keen on personal blogs and wouldn’t own one myself (unless I start earning millions
). I like this blog because it’s run by a great author and I therefore know you’re going to post quality content, but for a lot of people their personal blog would just be complete shite (excuse my French!).
Cool list, too, but I felt that a lot of the positives you mentioned can be achieved with a normal blog, too.
Thanks for the compliments Simon, glad to have you here contributing to the community.
I don’t mind what kind of language you use here, I could care less man. This is my blog to do and say really whatever I want. You’re free to as well.
And that brings me back to point number one (Write whatever you want, whenever you want) lol
Damn straight.
I really want to start a blog, but I don’t know if I could stay committed to it! Hey, you should make a post about how to stay committed to your blog…
That would make a good post at Blogussion. Thanks for the suggestion!
Rocking and Very true Post.
I always wanted to have a Personal Blog but the sad thing about me is I never found an available domain I liked.. Well, thats another case. But you did arose some great points !
(Sorry if their were mistakes in my English, Delete this line if no mistakes)
So you wouldn’t use your own name as the domain? I used to do it, but that to me is really boring. That’s why I came up with Asnio, it’s short sweet, and unique!
I was looking for some domains including my name but none was good.. I have this “asinobuco” in mind its unique but it means “A** hole” in french.. I’m lovin’ it.
I love having a personal blog because of the freedom it gives me in terms of design and content. I definitely think that people should try writing about more interesting things on their personal blog (just call someone to whine about your relationship!) but personal blogs can be really interesting if you have the right writer and good ideas. Take Seth Godin or Shoemoney, for example.
I agree Corey, but I know a few people who blog on a personal blog and don’t care if people read it. One of the guys has been blogging for about a year and a half, and barely anyone comments. Doesn’t stop him, and I have to admire that.
And what happened to corey-freeman.com? I clicked your name on one of your other comments here, and it showed me a blank page. Have you discontinued it?
Honestly Alex, I came to this blog because I know you from your other blog (Blogussion), but if you really were a total stranger, I don’t think I would be spending much time on a personal blog.
I’m always so concern and focused on making my niche blog better and better that I don’t see where I could find the time for a personal blog, instead I have now added a forum where I believe people including myself can be a little bit more personal (without going to the extend of what we had for breakfast
)
Honestly though man, I don’t know how much of a personal blog this is turning out to be. So far everything I have written here is about web development, and that’s not really very personal. :S
I just kind of developed this blog when I found some free time. Obviously, the customizations didn’t take very long so it was an easy little project. I can update it whenever I want, that’s the beauty of personal blogs, and not really care.
I really like Asnio, and I hope a lot of people come here to get to know me not just because they know me from Blogussion, but because they want to get to know me. :p
Frankly I get pretty sick of hearing certain people slag off so called ‘personal blogs’ as if they are always about crap writing and boring content, and are the lowest of the low. Good writing can always touch and connect with someone.
I use the personal (my story) to get my message across and in doing so my little ‘Sallycat’ brand has life in the worlds of Tango for travellers to Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires travel & living, relocation to Argentina, making a huge life change, overcoming your inner critic, living your dreams.
I blog about all those subjects: I don’t want to be pigeon-holed as a ‘travel blog’ or a ‘dance blog’ or a ‘live your dreams blog’: I like the mix… and I think my readers do.
I may have a relatively small readership, but it is a very committed and loyal one and people leave comments.
Now I’m writing an ebook for first time tango travellers to BsAs, so maybe my blog might end up making me a few dollars. If I do make any money it will be because my ‘personal blogging’ over two years built a niche readership who may buy the book.
My blog also brings me great contacts many of whom travel to Argentina and become personal friends, improves my writing, keeps me sane. I try to pass on what I learn in BsAs and in life and I think I help a few people out. Hope so anyway.
I’m glad you stick up for ‘personal blogs’. God knows what my blog is evolving into but it will always have a personal angle — that is I think why my readers keep coming back. In the end it will be an important part of the portfolio of creative stuff that is me!
If the writing is good and offers me identification then I will read a‘personal blog’ too and become a loyal reader myself.
Good luck with yours.
Sallycat
That is the truest thing I have heard in a while!
That’s one great thing I find about personal blogs, is that they can evolve. At first, my intentions here were to just write about funny things I do in my life. I didn’t even get 1 post about any of that stuff yet, because my idea quickly changed.
Unlike niche blogs, you can just change the topic and write whatever you want without seeing any harm done. As you do that, I find that your readership will increase as you are diversifying your topics.
Your blog looks like it’s doing very well, and I wish you the best of luck in writing your eBook.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your opinion!
Hi Sallycat,
That’s an interesting story of yours! I guess it all boils down to how you define a “personal blog”.
There’s a huge difference between a blog that write about telling people at what time they woke up, took their shower, what they were thinking when looking at their closet before picking some cloths for the day; and a blog with personality.
Having personality in your writing and posts is the essence of blogging in my view, so I can’t really consider a blog with personality a “personal blog” as such or they all should be.
My blog is about my views on SEO and how to help people with the problems they are facing online with their sites. What people like the most about it is my writing style and the personal insight I give them as well as the help provided individually.
Do you consider it a personal blog or not?
Hi Nicolas
Thx for replying to my comment. All my favourite blogs, including the ‘non personal’ ones, for example Alex’s Blogussion, are my favourites because they include good characterful writing — that does reveal a personality that I connect with.
However I have always felt that mine falls into a different level of personal blogging where not only do I include my personality in my writing, but also stories from my life because they illustrate well some of the points I want to make.
Here’s an example. In Buenos Aires it is IMPOSSIBLE to get coins. Inflation is terrifying and requires one to think hard when one shops. Shopping in BsAs is totally different to shopping in Britain. I could have written just that. Instead I wrote this:
http://sallycatway.com/?p=874
Is it boring because it talks about me going shopping, or is it informing people via a personal and relevant (and even entertaining) illustration how they can honestly expect to have to behave if they come to live in BsAs…?
So to answer your question, I am sure your blog contains your personality, but perhaps not as much detail of your day to day life challenges as mine does. But our niches are very different and perhaps mine lends itself more to the personal tale…
When I write about dealing with an Inner Critic in the face of life change, I do reveal details of my own… and that is very personal stuff, but it’s relevant to my topic.
In your original comment to Alex you said that you probably wouldn’t have come to his personal blog if you didn’t already know him from Blogussion so I guess you do see a difference between the two and probably therefore you would see your blog as in the Blogussion league and not the Asnio league in terms of personal blogging. Personality in your niche vs personal and more wide ranging perhaps.
I think mine is a bit of a mixture. When it started it was just a personal story. Now, it might be personal, but there’s more of a point to what I write. Now, I guess in part I use the personal to give me credibility in my niches, because perhaps my niches demand it.
In a sense I am still trying to work out what my blog is!
I am actually bowled over that you replied to my comment and I will now take the time, via your excellent looking blog, to try to understand SEO and whether, in the quest to reach more travellers to BsAs, I should be paying more attention to it!
Suerte from BsAs, Sallycat.
Hi Sallycat,
You make some good and interesting point there. Sometimes this makes me wonder what criteria people use to define the differences between the types of blogs.
Is it the content, being professionally oriented or personal life stuff? Then Dooce.com is a personal site and Problogger.net is not.
Is it the sharing of personal experience or not? Then Dooce.com and Problogger.net are personal sites.
Is it the perceived value of the blog? Then Dooce.com and Problogger.net are not personal sites.
Or maybe is it that it doesn’t matter what it’s called, and as long as it’s an interesting blog, it’s all that matters?
As for Alex “personal blog”, I have to admit that I’m online mostly for business purpose (though it’s my hobby too
) and if I didn’t know him before hand, “ASNIO” doesn’t ring much bells for me.
Maybe the content is of high quality here like this post (which is very similar to the ones he write on Blogussion, which makes me question again what is “personal blog”), but I have to admit that I didn’t spend time yet to browse it fully.
As I look in his sidebar, I now see a post about X-men… maybe this is where lies the true difference, a personal blog is about everything and nothing, it’s all up to the author and doesn’t follow any logic or pattern…
Meanwhile, I appreciate your feedback regarding my blog and should you have any questions whatsoever, don’t hesitate to ask me, I’m here to help!
Nicolas
Awesome post!
Personal blogs are great for many of the benefits you have covered in this article however I think the main disadvantage of having one, which is a big disadvantage too by the way! is well no one cares! So from that point of view or in my opinion atleast you are better off building your brand first to get people interested in you before starting a personal blog where you can brag about your daily life all day long and still get people interested!
But again personal blogs doesn’t really have to be all about what’s going on in your daily life. If you’re a good writer and can come up with awesome posts (like this one!) than you are alright!
Just because you have a blog that no one reads doesn’t mean that you can’t still receive the benefits of blogging. Sure, you don’t have an audience per say, but you are learning how to develop and manage a blog, so when that audience does get there eventually, you have a pretty good idea of what you want to do.
So, is having a blog where “no one cares” really a disadvantage? I guess it depends on your perspective. If you want a large audience, then it probably will. But if you’re doing it for deeper reasons like learning how to blog, then I think it’s the best thing you can do!
Hi Alex,
By saying disadvantage i ment, when we write on our blogs, whether it’s personal, niche type, ecommerce whatever, we want readers don’t we not?, and It doesn’t matter, or atleast to me if it’s just 1 reader, 5, 10, 100 they are all visitors and still very valuable and of course if you can eventually get audience than it’s all good.
Woah, can’t believe this post got a trackback. :p
Sorry to say Alex, but I’m checking this blog again and again. No updates
Please post some WOW so that I may stay tuned.. btw, I like your Author Highlight
Haha, I’m doing my best man. :p I’ve become rather busy here, but I am always really eager to write here. I like this blog a bunch.
As for the author highlight — it’s just another amazing feature that comes installed with Thesis!
Really agree with you , good job:)
Do you have a personal blog?
Hi there,
I like my personal blog as I can blog about anything at anytime (your point 6). My traffic is not great but I get some kind of satisfaction from blogging. I guess I’m starting out so this is a learning curve for me.
Thanks for your list, it was a great read
As long as you like what you’re doing, who cares about those numbers right?
Keep doing what you’re doing, and don’t let anyone drag you into conforming to their standards.
hey this is a very interesting article!
Hey, it is isn’t it? Thanks for stopping by, and glad you enjoyed the article!
Great post. I wonder if I should start a personal blog?
If you have the free time, go for it. I’m having fun here updating it whenever I want!
I created HellBound Bloggers to impress others !
But then it became my passion.. now .. trying to create something out of it…
Can’t you do both at the same time?
A good blogger surely impresses everyone !
Trying my best to be so…
Haha nice article. I like the might make you fall in love with yourself idea. I think John Chow kind of falls into that category.
No, he is that category. :p
Alex´s last blog ..4 Unusual (And Long Term) Ways to Promote Your Blog Using Forums
Having a personal blog is a great way to voice your views and opinions — especially since you can open up due to the anonymity of the internet.
Buy PSP Go´s last blog ..Sony Considered Second Analog Stick for PSP Go
Thanks for the list of reasons why one shld and shldnt have a personal blog. Personally I am of the school of thought that one shld maintain a personal blog not just for making money (seriously, not all can do that) but to keep a daily/weekly/monthly journal of insights and experiences.
Something to reflect on as you grow old…
ZQ
ZQ Travel Blog´s last blog ..Best Viennese Chocolate Cake (Sacher Torte) Ever
Blogging can become kind of addictive and you can find yourself ignoring your real friends. Great article.
PSP Go´s last blog ..Buy Sony PSP Go – Quick Buying Q&A
Great post.
I think a personal blog is great. It gives the blogger the control and freedom to write down whatever he wants. As long as the content is unique and helpful, you should go for it.
Teen Blogger´s last blog ..Top 5 Critical Mistakes Bloggers Make
Looks like the pros outweigh the cons huh?
PSP Go´s last blog ..Buy Sony PSP Go – Quick Buying Q&A
All of the blogging that I’ve done has been in a niche setting for various clients, I really haven’t thought about it as something to use personally and to promote myself. Thanks for the insight.