Do you have a habit of blogging about things that happen in your life ? Have you ever write a lengthy article after you graduated from university? I bet most of us don't do it anymore unless it's requested by your company or it is your own profession.
I would like to mention not everyone have the ability to write and write well, including myself. However, I also understand that the first step in getting out of your comfort zone is always hard.
But I strongly believe writing get easier time over time.
Why I decided to start to write?
I'm a web engineer by profession and frankly, my vocaburary is weak and my command of the English language is not up to par. I come from a Chinese speaking family and enjoyed a Chinese medium education, hence English is not my strong point.
However as my I grew older, I got to communicate and speak English with people more often which helped me improve my English. Aside from that, my co-founder Diane Lynn is an awesome writer who helps me learn and improve my grasp of the language over time.
Here are some of the reasons behind my sudden urge to start writing:
1. Reaching out to a larger audience
According to statista, internet users grew up to 3.17 billions in 2015 with at least 1 trillion google searches performed yearly, and these stats are growing at a rapid pace. Having the ability to write online enable you and your business to reach out to a larger audience within the online world.
Let's do some math. We have 52 weeks in a year and you are going to produce an article per week. Each of the article can get you at least 20 unique visitors (without advertising) to read about what you do, what you share.
52 * 20 = 1,040 Potential Customers
While this many not seem like an impressive amount, but these people are real people that actually browse and read through your content. And providing usefull content is a long term investment. In addition, word of mouth will get you further if you are providing valuable content.
2. Prove domain expertise & knowledge sharing
I've been helping people on Wizpert and Codementor. This form of help is just only apply to 1 to 1. This form of help is in form of one-on-one assistance.
I however believe that there is a high probability that there are many other people online who actually face the same issues as the sole random guy I help on some of the platform I joined.
Therefore, writing is a good way to share domain knowledge. People will always want to know what you have done before, how you have helped others solve their problems, what knowledge or services you can provide.
In the long run, all the contents you provide will help to build your branding and audience so that people will begin to acknowledge your expertise in the field. Indirectly, this will build the trust between you and your audience, so that you can gain more potential customers in the long run.
Ultimately, for business owners, article writing also serves as a reference for your future clients to check out whether you are the best match for their project. It is hence also a form of your business portfolio and content marketing !
3. Learn to express thoughts
Have you ever gotten ideas but have no idea where to begin expressing yourself? Writing is just like gathering up pieces of jigsaw puzzles and then fitting them together.
Your brain will encounter much new information on a daily basis, hence you will need an outlet to express your thoughts.
4. Communicate better
Communication is simply the act of transferring information from one place to another, while for verbal communication the conversation usually ends when the other party has nothing else to say. *awkward silence*
By writing, constantly learning and discovering in-depth knowledge about your industry, you will be more able to exchange knowledge with others in the industry. In other words, you will be able to deliver your knowledge through different mediums.
In the end, it's all about delivering the right message to the right people.
5. Build stronger discipline
Scheduled writing requires strong discipline and much dedication. This effort is equivalent to an entrepreneur who needs to put in their full effort in running their own business. Many successful people such as Warren Buffet write as well even though they need to handle their monumental businesses.
In a nutshell, writing is a crucial factor in building your business empire. It also helps to improve your personality. Here are some platforms I can suggest for you to kickstart your writing journey:
- Wordpress
- Medium
- Blogspot
- Ghost
- Engage Virtualspirit to built a customised writing platform that will suit your need !
Have you started writing yet? Let's get started today or share with me what you wish to gain from writing!
* First post in Virtual Spirit
