January 21, 2008

"If you've got nothing else to blog, use blogging as a bookmarking tool."

If you have ever thought about starting a blog, only to end up telling yourself "I have nothing to write about", or if you have a blog now but have ever sat down and told yourself the same thing, you aren't the only one. Even some of the best bloggers in the world have found themselves in a "what's the point?" state of mind.

And if that is where you are now, I'm here to tell you: there is hope. If you've got nothing else to blog, use blogging as a bookmarking tool.

A lot of the time bloggers get writing cramps, or decide against starting a new blog because of they feel like there isn't an audience for what they would have to say - or because they can't think of anything unique to say. That's where transforming a blog into an online bookmarking tool comes in.

Basically all you need to do is blog about any website, photo, online tool, games, etc. that you discover while going about your daily business. But you don't blog to tell other people about your findings online, you blog to remind yourself in the future; blogging specific things can be used as a powerful online bookmarking tool this way.

Not only will you find your blogging becomes extremely valuable to yourself, a lot of other people browsing around will become interested in the sites and photos and web-games and other online content that you find.

By using screenshots, photos, detailed descriptions, or just your own voice for each blog post - or bookmark - you are creating valuable content for other readers as well as yourself.

And the best part is: you don't have to try.

Simply find something you're interested in - whether it's vintage computers, unique cuisine, search engine optimization, travel destinations, or ANYTHING else - and start browsing sites about that topic. You can use sites like Flickr to find pictures you can blog about, BuzzFeed to find gossip to blog about, or just using Google to search for anything interesting on a topic that interests you. Then, once you find something that really peeks your interest, simply write about it. Link to the website. Show off pictures you find. Just write down whatever you feel or think about that specific thing.

If you find yourself not stumbling across anything particularly interesting - or worth blogging/bookmarking - then you don't have to blog that day. That's right: YOU DON'T HAVE TO BLOG IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY. No one will hold it against you. Your readership will not abandon you. Your blog will not lose popularity. If you don't have anything to bookmark on your blog, don't sweat it; something else will come up sooner or later that you WILL want to blog.

Just be sure not to skip too many days, people may think you have died.

So don't ever tell yourself that you have nothing to write about. Don't feel that there is nobody who would be interested in reading what you have to say, because that's not true. If you find something interesting, chances are pretty great that someone else will find what you've found interesting as well!

Quit worrying about what you're writing, just keep track of cool things you find or think through-out the day.