So you have a website where you display what you do. You may have checked out our other posts about design, marketing, content or more. This may seem like plenty to manage and keep updated already and it could seem difficult to condone spending more time with another WordPress feature- blogging. However, I am going to give 5 reasons you should use your website to blog and you can judge whether or not it is right for you.  

Reason #1: You Are a Valuable Expert 

Whether you’re a student, staff, or faculty here at the University of Arkansas, you are becoming an expert, supporting experts, or already an expert in a subject or field. Having a website is a fantastic first step in getting the content out there for others to see. Scheduling out time to share your ideas, thoughts, or just what you’re up to will add tremendous value and marketing for your subject, field, or yourself.  

Reason #2: Marketing  

Taking the step to blog adds continual trackable value to whatever awesome things you’re doing. Visiting your website, it may be clear what you do, but it can be hard to translate that into what you are doing. For faculty this can mean talking about what your lab is up to or what conference you’ve recently been featured. Staff work to support faculty and students and a blog is a great way to help those we support get resources or features that were previously unknown. Students, blogging can help create a stream of content to help market yourself for a sweet job, TA or RA position, or further your degree.  

Reason #3: Go Ahead and Brag 

Websites and pages are a great way to show off accomplishments, but that doesn’t necessarily mean people visiting your site understand how amazing you are. Blogging is your chance to let them know. Don’t get me wrong, nobody likes a shameless braggart, but just talking about the things you’ve completed, obstacles you’ve overcome, jobs or clients you’ve landed is fantastic self-promotion. 

Reason #4: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) 

You may have heard of it already or scrolled passed it when deciding how to create your site. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is exactly what it sounds like. This is how you set up your content so search engines will boost your site to get your audience to your pages, links, and blog posts. Google, Bing, and Yahoo don’t want to send their users to sites that are dead or to content that is old. That’s how they lose users to the competition. Setting aside that time to post new content once a week, once a month, or once every three months (whatever makes sense for you) will keep those search engines crawling your site and let them know you’re alive and well.   

Reason #5: Fresh Networking  

Networking is so important in creating opportunities for the future. Talking about what you’re up to (self-promoting) will help get other players interested in what you’re doing. If you run in to them at a conference, or use an article they published in a paper or literature review, go ahead and mention them in a post. Better yet, if they have a website set up a link. This might lead to a future partnership, job, or investor you otherwise would never have.   

Is Blogging Right for You?

That’s it, my 5 solid reasons for blogging. These aren’t the only reasons, but I think these are the most important for us here at the University of Arkansas. If you’re not convinced or don’t know how to implement blogging for your own site go ahead and leave a comment. We’d love to hear what you’re thinking.