Why do you blog?

by Robb Sutton

An open ended question that can have a multitude of answers. Why do you blog? While the question seems simple on the outside, for many bloggers…they might not actually know the answer.

Many bloggers start blogging because they thought it was interesting at the time and all of their friends were doing it. They may have heard that you can make some extra cash on the side or they could keep family members up to date with the daily events in their household. With two drastically different goals in the two examples preceding…there is one thing to consider.

Any blog…without direction…will not get past the first year of existence.

I am being extremely generous with saying even a year. You do not have to start a blog with the goal of being an internet millionaire. One of the best aspects of blogging is that you can make it anything you want it to be!

  • Do you need a place to get the thoughts out of your head? You now have an online diary.
  • Are family members bugging you for pictures and updates about their new family member that you brought into this world Johnny? You can blog to decrease the amount of “please send us pictures” emails and phone calls.
  • Have a unique idea that can grow into a business by blogging and creating a large following? Blogging can be your gateway into working for yourself and enjoying the fruits of an internet based business.
  • Just want to try blogging out for a minute to see if it is for you? Fantastic! Give it a try!

All of these are great reasons to sit at a keyboard and pump out content like their is no tomorrow, but before you open that first post screen…you need to have some sense of purpose. This purpose will keep you writing with the ultimate goal in mind and keep your blog from the dreaded un-updated, neglected, barren desert of forgotten blogs.

So…as you start your new blog or are looking at adapting and changing your existing blog….finish this sentence…

I blog because…

Why does Robb Sutton blog?

If I am going to ask you to look deep inside your soul to figure out why you throw words on a screen, it is only fair that I do the same. I blog for a lot of reasons due to multiple sites, so I will spell that out for you now.

Mountain Biking by 198

I started Mountain Biking by 198 because I no longer wanted to be just another rider on the trail. I wanted to become a part of the industry and help other riders figure out what to buy and how to ride. From day one, this was my goal and before the first year of blogging was completed, I was fully entrenched. Mountain Biking by 198 is perfoming product reviews for the largest players in the industry and the riding tips articles are helping other riders accomplish riding techniques. Overall…couldn’t be any happier with the results so far. The overall purpose of MTB198 is staying the same, but it is going to go through some expansion over the next year. It is really exciting times for everyone involved.

Ramped Blogging | robbsutton.com

After a certain point with Mountain Biking by 198, I had seen over $70,000 worth of review product come through the front door of my house (I think the Fedex and UPS guy think I am crazy!). This started to grow some attention in the blogging realm, and I was getting questions on a daily basis on how to get product for review. My experience in the corporate sales arena gave me a unique set of skills for a blogger that enabled me to see this rapid growth with review blogging. I started robbsutton.com as a way to help other bloggers as they deal with outside firms. robbsutton.com is also designed around the idea of improving your life and getting out of the reptitive mess that we create for ourselves as I struggle to do the same with my life.

robbsutton.com is going to release a series of eBooks that help bloggers get through the struggles of beginning blogging and we are going to start with Ramped Reviews. Ramped Reviews is the ultimate guide to review blogging and dealing with companies on review product. The best part…it is almost done! Be on the lookout!

WhatAnnoys.me

I love this project. Instead of yelling at the driver on the highway that can’t even hear what I am saying…I get my frustrations out on whatannoys.me. Sometimes you just need a place to vent!

So there you have it! That is why Robb Sutton blogs. I have other projects on the whiteboard to introduce at a future time, but that is the meat and potatoes of my projects as they sit right now.

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3 comments

Mike June 27, 2009 - 3:31 pm

I’ve been blogging and doing websites for way too long. I can’t count how many I’ve just forgotten about because I really didn’t have a direction for it other than making money. To date my most successful blog has been the coffee one because it combines my favorite drink and the fact that it’s a market that likes to spend money.

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Robb Sutton July 1, 2009 - 7:09 am

Blogging what you are passionate about is what equals success…like you said…if you are only blogging for money…it will fail. Sounds like the coffee blog is doing well! That is great news.

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Mike July 1, 2009 - 7:59 pm

Between people wanting to buy advertising and all the free coffee I’m getting, I’m in a pretty good spot for four months in. I’d still like review bigger and better things and get more in affiliate income, but it’s doing great so far.

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