There are good reasons to be blogging, and there are also bad reasons to be blogging.
Good reasons might include the ones mentioned below, like engaging your fans. Bad reasons can usually be traced to monetary motivations. You can make money at blogging, but you shouldn’t expect it to happen fast or easily.
If you don’t think you can be consistent at blogging, there’s no point in even starting, but if you see the value in it, and want to use it as a vehicle to promote your music and document your thoughts, read on.
Here are 10 reasons musicians should be blogging.
1. Engagement
Engagement isn’t just about social media. You can also engage fans with music, podcasts, videos, and of course, blog posts.
If you want to keep your fans updated with the latest happenings and do it without a production budget or a lot of post-production work, blogging is the way to go.
2. Fresh Content
Looking to keep your website updated with fresh content? I know of no better way to achieve this end than to start a blog.
And no, I don’t recommend using Blogger or some other free service to do this. The most benefit you’re going to get is from setting up a blog on your own website.
3. Archives
If you stay consistent with blogging in the months and years to come, your archives will quickly become a repository for your most valuable thoughts, ideas, and memories.
This is especially useful when you want to refer back to an idea whose time has come, or when you’re trying to remember a particular event that happened in your life.
4. Marketing
Blogging can be a valuable marketing tool. I say can be, because it’s not as though every post you write is going to gather comments, lead to new opportunities, or convince people to buy your products.
But just knowing that this is a possibility can be helpful when you’ve written your 10th blog post, and you’re still not seeing any kind of traction. It takes time to see results from blogging, but the same can be said for social media.
5. Subscriptions
If you’re not collecting email addresses through your website or blog, then you better have a darn good plan for encouraging signups on social media or at your shows.
Keep in mind that you can place signup forms on your website however you want to. This is not even an option on social media. Every blog post presents an opportunity to grow your mailing list.
6. Social Media
If you’re not blogging consistently, then what exactly are you sharing on social media? The reason you keep resorting to lame call to actions (like “check us out”) is because you’re not doing the hard work of creating something worth looking at.
Content and social go together, like bread and butter. And the best part, in my opinion, is that the more you post, the more traffic you generate over time.
7. Relationships
Yes, blogging can indeed lead to meaningful relationships. This certainly doesn’t mean that it will happen without some effort on your part, but it can put you in front of a lot of eyeballs – maybe even people that would never know about you otherwise.
And while you might be able to put a price tag on an album that you sell, you can’t put one on the friendships and connections that you build, because the right ones will surprise you in how they keep on giving.
8. Clarity
Writing has a way of clarifying and organizing your thoughts. And you don’t necessarily have to be a great writer to be a blogger, either. You can start right where you are, and learn as you go.
The reality is that everybody writes. We all send texts and write emails. You’re certainly not going to become a great writer overnight, but it is a worthwhile process if you’re willing to stick with it.
9. Skills
Writing skills are in high demand right now, and they can lead to new connections and even paid opportunities. Just look at everything I’ve made money at.
Look, you don’t have to get into writing if you’re not passionate about it. But if you consider yourself a musicpreneur at all, you should be stretching yourself and growing your comfort zone continually.
10. Personal Development
Blogging helps you to develop yourself, and I feel that the two are actually closely connected.
If you can’t think of anything to write about, you have to dig deep for something to share. If you’ve committed to a blogging schedule, and you don’t feel like writing but do it anyway, you grow yourself.
Final Thoughts
This probably sounds like a sales pitch to start blogging.
But the reality is that I’m not trying to convince you at all. Those who resonate with what I’ve shared will probably feel fired up, and those who can’t see themselves committing 15 to 60 minutes of their day to writing probably aren’t going to do anything with it.
That’s perfectly fine. We each have to find our own way in this crazy online world.
But regardless of what it is, I hope I’ve inspired you to do something with continuity built in. Consistency and content are key to building an online following, and you have to put in the work to build your audience.
What do you think? Should musicians be blogging? Are you already blogging, and if so, what benefits have you noticed?
Let us know in the comments section below!
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