Supposedly it’s all about video and Instagram now. Blogs are passé (only for old-timers as my friend Patrick Parrish said in a recent Artsy interview).

• And, indeed, while I was traveling over the last month, I switched from blogging to Instagramming. I found it much easier, albeit more superficial. It also made me think long and hard about why I dedicate so much time and energy to writing my blog when I know nobody cares about it as much as I do.
• But hey, sometimes you have to do stuff for yourself. I love blogging, and that’s enough to keep me going. Try as I might to get on the video bandwagon, I still prefer to read. I retain more and get more out of a written piece than I do from watching a video. I actually find most “talky/opining” videos annoying. The only videos I like are instructional how-to’s, cute animals (otters and goats!!) and performance highlights.
• In other words, I am totally out of step with those who say blogging is over. If you Google “does anyone blog anymore,” you’ll get 138 million results telling you why blogging is dead. But contrarian that I am, I will carry on.
• In digging into it a little deeper, it also seems that it’s the word blogging, more than the practice itself, that has fallen out of favor. Blogs are now routinely called online resources or online sites – and even Artsy which featured my friend Patrick’s interview, is a blog.

Read on below for my top 5 reasons to keep on blogging.

WHY I BLOG

 

 The blog is an excellent platform to get my interests and observations out into the world

• I have always been preternaturally curious. I consider it my super-power. It’s why I originally got into the trends business.
• It’s also why I created this blog. I wanted to continue to have an outlet for my observations on culture, business and society.
• I’m also a bit of an extrovert so having that public forum for my thoughts and ideas is important to me.
• It’s still a thrill to see a major news outlet run a story on a subject that I wrote about weeks/months earlier. What will make it even more exciting, is the day one of those stories cites me as an early source.

 

A great way to share knowledge and experiences 

• The blog is an easy way to share insights and personal experiences (e.g. how to travel solo).
• The blog allows me to go deeper than an Instagram post. And I know that a picture is worth a thousand words but sometimes, a picture alone is not enough, especially if you’re looking for any kind of critical assessment.
• It’s a priority for me to make the blog super easy to read (hence the bullet points which Forbes editors loathe I found out).
• I’m always delighted, and feel hugely responsible, when people reach out and ask me for recommendations. It’s gratifying to hear people have checked out restaurants, seen movies (RBG) or bought books (Tribe of Mentors) because I wrote about them. It’s one of the most satisfying aspects of having a blog – and conversely, horrifying, when somebody has a terrible experience with something I’ve recommended.

 

Builds community and connections 

• LOVE it when people reach out to me after having come across one of my blog posts that particularly resonated with them.
• Most frequently they get in touch because they’ve had a similar experience, they have questions, or they have additional or different perspectives they want to share.
• My most engaging posts are on navigating change, travel, health and wellness and living frugally.
• I’ve made a surprising number of new friends through the blog. Generally, somebody who knows me through social media but then the blog makes for a more personal connection.
• My new Q+A series has been especially popular and now gives me the opportunity to  approach a wider variety of people to see if they might be willing to participate in the series.

 

High profile access

• I’m really small potatoes compared to all the big-time bloggers/instagrammers out there.
• Nevertheless, I can assure you that if you stick with blogging long enough, you’ll get on people’s radar and suddenly you get interesting invites to openings, tastings, promotional events etc.

 

Blogging makes you more interesting and dials up your skill set 

• You have to have something to write about which means you have to be alert to what’s new, different, weird – sometimes, all three.
• The blog is a great tool for flexing your curiosity muscle.
• It’s also made my writing significantly better – although I’m still not a “writer.”
• I am however a good communicator of ideas, especially the why – and what – of specific trends.
• Blogging also keeps me ahead of the curve on tech and social media trends. I’ve even learned a little coding to help me make minor changes to the blog itself.

 

FINALLY, in case you’re wondering, the blog is my fulltime job. But the blog is not a money-making endeavor. Nor is it intended to be. It has, however, kept me high profile enough to bring interesting consulting and advisory gigs my way. So win-win all around as far as I’m concerned.