9 Benefits of Blogging for a Year

In honor of blogging for a year and celebrating with my Blogaversary Party, I wanted to share the ways that blogging has benefited me. If you're a blogger, you may have experienced some of the same benefits. If you're not a blogger, you may feel encouraged to start!

The benefits (in no particular order):

#1. Sense of Community - I was not prepared for the huge community I would join when I started blogging. I consider myself a mom blogger and have found so many other moms that give me support, encouragement, information, laughs, tears, and prayers. It is a blessing to have that sense of community online. I am definitely not alone in the blogosphere!

#2. Improved Writing Skills - When I started, I was just interested in getting my thoughts written in a way that made sense. Now I carefully consider everything including title, grammar, spelling, tone, and whether the article will interest my readers. As I improve, I feel more confident in my writing abilities.

#3. Improved Photography Skills - When I was asked to share photos for my recipes, I had a difficult time. It would take me 15-20 shots and some editing to get a decent food photo. Now it takes 1-2 shots and usually no editing. My photos aren't magazine-worthy pictures, just good enough to make you drool a little!

#4. Access to Resources - When I needed information before I began blogging, I would "google" everything. Now I find that I can get much more relevant, useful information from bloggers. I often find that other bloggers have already asked and answered my questions.

#5. Time with the Lord - Because of blogging, I was exposed to many women who strongly encouraged others to spend time alone with the Lord every day. This was an area where I was falling short. I'm nowhere near perfect, but I'm doing much better and am so thankful and encouraged!

#6. Circle of Friends - I have made some very good friends through blogging. These aren't just casual online friends; these are friends that could show up at my door and we would hug, have a cup of tea or coffee, and enjoy some chocolate together! I never know what new friends I might find!

#7. Product Review Opportunities- There are opportunities for bloggers to get sample items and review them on their blogs. This usually requires that your blog has reached a certain level of growth. Sometimes you need to sign up with a marketing company for these opportunities and sometimes you are just approached. I love being surprised with a package!

#8. New Writing Opportunities - I have had writing opportunities surface through blogging and the increase in exposure. I have been able to guest-post for other bloggers. I am currently a contributor on another site and have considered some writing jobs that I have seen. I enjoy sharing my writing with new people.

#9. Increased Computer Knowledge - I started out not knowing what HTML stood for, but now I understand it better. I have learned to work with HTML code a bit. I can also edit and upload photos and videos to my blog, which is new knowledge for me. I gain new knowledge monthly, which helps me to improve my blog.

There are several other benefits to blogging, such as maintaining a record of events for your family, keeping track of recipes and resources, encouraging others through your writing, and many more. I look forward to finding new ones as I continue blogging!

I would love to hear from you - what benefits have you experienced from blogging?

~ This post is being linked to Your Life, Your Blog at Real Life. Go and link up a post!