Are You Blogging With Purpose? (If Not, 5 Ways to Fix That)

When you sit down to write a blog post, what’s your purpose?

Are you just trying to fill space so your blog doesn’t go without being updated for more than 24 hours?

Are you interested in promoting a product, or convincing your reader to buy something?

Are you trying to express yourself through your blog, and make a meaningful statement?

Are you trying to educate your readers on a topic?

Are you trying to provoke discussion?

When you write a blog post, before you click the mouse or stroke a key you need to know why you’re writing. Every one of the reasons for writing above (with the possible exception of the first one) is legitimate.

Why is it important to have a purpose for your blog writing? There are at least three reasons:

Purposeful writing connects

When you write a blog post with purpose, your readers know it. It shines through in your writing. You are able to meet your readers on a personal level. This is important, because it helps to foster trust, which is an essential part of any blog.

Purposeful writing convinces

If you sit down and haphazardly write a post about why Product X is so grand and why your readers should buy it through your affiliate link, you’re not going to have many sales. To turn readers into buyers, you have to be convinced and passionate about what you’re writing. Writing with purpose means your readers can tell that you really believe in the product you’re recommending.

Purposeful writing changes

When you write with purpose, you have the power to change minds. That can be through a simple addition of knowledge – you’ve changed your reader’s knowledge base. Purposeful blog writing can change an opinion, too. Purposeful writing can, of course, also change a reader into a buyer.

5 Examples of Blogging With Purpose

Here are five contexts in which you can perform purposeful blogging:

1. News Items: Whenever news breaks that supports the need or usefulness of your product or service, enthusiastically blogging about it creates a connotation that “sells” what you offer without you “selling.” Just make sure to close with a call to action.
2. Idea Association: Let’s say there are bloggers with bigger audiences in your niche. These people may be viewed as thought leaders, so a post that shows how your own thinking intersects with that of these industry leaders creates a positive association and possibly a relationship with that bigger blogger.
3. Rally the Troops: On the other hand, blogging about ideas or situations that you and your audience oppose gives you the opportunity to bring your community closer together.
4. Value Demonstration: At the root of all purposeful blogging is a demonstration of value. Each post you write should reinforce why readers pay attention to you, and convince newcomers that they should be paying attention to you.
5. Viral Content: While it’s never a sure-shot, sometimes we recognize an opportunity for content to be purposefully attractive to social media news sites. Make sure to follow through with your purpose with smart content promotion.

So, what about you? When you sit down to write a blog post, what’s your purpose?