So, I’ve never used this site for blogging, but I think it’s about time. Which makes me wonder: Are blogs still relevant?
I ask because I got into a heated debate today about whether or not a client should blog. I’ve maintained a variety of blogs over the past 7 years or so, both for personal and professional reasons, and it’s something I feel passionate about.
But with all the social media options out there, is a blog still necessary? A similar question was asked earlier this year by Rohit Bhargava. Specifically, Rohit asked “Can you be a “social media expert” if you do not have (or contribute to) a blog?” The responses were fairly split 51% to 49% saying that a blog was optional. I agree with that opinion entirely (and voted that way).
You can indeed have a presence and connections on a variety of social networks. You can produce videos and share them; you can post quippy tweets many times a day; you can post pictures to social photo sharing sites; you can Digg and Mixx and whatever else as many pages as you’d like. You can use all these tools to achieve whatever goals you want.
You can also have a blog that you update every day and no one reads it.
Certainly, it depends on what you want to accomplish with a blog (find a voice, share stories, publish opinions, build a business, etc.). With the ability to publish content across multiple websites and networks, though, blogs have become more of a “homebase” than ever before. They are, or can be, a repository of content that, over time, creates a presence and demonstrates a persona.
So, I’m turning this site into my “homebase,” though it will mainly concentrate on my thoughts about my professional life as a PR guy and digital strategist. I hope you enjoy.