Start a blog.
That's what I assumed I should start with when I first started writing online 14 years ago. However, I recently discovered Nicolas Cole's article that you should NOT START A BLOG. Instead, you should start a Social Blog.
Wondering what exactly a social blog is?
A Social Blog is writing where readers are already available on platforms such as Twitter, Medium, Linkedin or Quora.
Each of these platforms already has a large community looking to consume content relevant to them.
Why Start a Social Blog?
Cole's unique journey as a digital creator started on a community gaming website with a strong audience looking for content. After that, he continued to build his online presence through Medium and Quora; platforms with millions of active users already looking for content.
According to Cole, if he had started writing on his own site, nobody would likely find his work, or he would have had to work harder to be discovered.
He also shared the benefits of Social Blogging:
- First, you are sharing content on platforms with an audience already looking to consume.
- You get immediate feedback, allowing you to refine your content.
- Finally, it's much easier to build a following on social platforms than on a blog site.
The digital environment has changed so much since I started blogging 14 years ago on Blogspot. It's challenging to connect with others just by posting on your blog. In that sense, I agree that using social blogging platforms is key to getting your writing noticed.
I still see the importance of having a personal blog site to keep all your writing in one place, but distributing your work on platforms with a ready audience gives a better chance for others to discover your work.
I see a lot of well-known online writers who distribute their work on social blogging platforms. For example, Tim Dennings and Niharikaa Kaur Sodhi share their work on Linkedin and Medium and recently expanded their distribution to Twitter. So, I guess the question now is, which platform should I start distributing my content on?
Further Reading.
I highly recommend The Art and Business of Online Writing by Nicolas Cole. This book further expands his article on why one shouldn't start a blog.
