Why am I still blogging in 2022? 10th Blog Anniversary Edition

10 years ago I made the quintessential introvert move by starting a blog. That summer I was living life as somewhat an only child (my brother was away for university) and after a string of failed friendships (either due to distance or differences), I remember waiting desperately to enrol in a bachelor’s program so I could start life afresh.

Mind you this was way before the boom of social media that you have witnessed over the past couple of years. YouTube was banned in Pakistan at that time and Instagram was not really a thing. I started blogging on a whim merely because I had a passion for writing and thought this would be a great way to connect with other like-minded people. I was right. Over the years, I have met several amazing people online who have helped me in seeing things from an alternate perspective. Blogging has really opened up several doors in life for me, it boosted my self-confidence which was dwindling during my teen years and gave me a voice to stand up firmly for what I truly believe in and support.

Highs and lows are part of every journey but I am so glad that a decade later my blog is still up and running. You know life is just as uncertain at this point in time for me as it was when I was 18. Back then I was eager to get accepted into an undergrad program, and today I am eager to get a PhD relevant to my field of interest. On 30th August 2012, I had no penny in my pocket and I can’t help but chuckle at how just this morning I ended up with a negative balance in my bank account because I have one too many expenses to support myself as a student in Germany.

Money comes and money goes. It never really bothers me. For some odd reason, I am really bad at mentally processing the value of money and its importance when it comes to my own life and expenditures. Back in 2012, blogging was a good way of earning my own pocket money as student jobs are sadly still not a thing in Pakistan. Not to bore you with all this asinine ramble, but my point is that blogging again saved my day this morning. I got a brand deal today for my blog and would be getting paid soon.

People debate that blogs are dying and are not as relevant in 2022 since our attention span is shortening and 10-second video content is trending at the moment. Of course, I cannot dispute the facts but having your own website blog is still a wise move. This is because social media platforms are rapidly changing and you never know when one or the other might die off. Having your own platform gives you a better chance of staying connected with your audience along with linking and integrating all your other social media activities in one place.

I have been in the blogging industry for long enough to tell you that several marketers still ask for a blog post along with other types of content and this is because a lot of us still end up consuming content posted on blogging websites every time we make a simple Google search, be it for looking up a symptom or finding the right recipe. My rule of thumb when it comes to creating content is to think if this is something I myself would consume and reading blog reviews is still one of my go-to activities before making a purchase. Especially when I am in a drugstore aisle, contemplating picking a certain skincare product! I do not have time to scroll through social media for a 10-second video or several until I get all the details I need to know. That is when skimming through blog posts makes the most sense.

So I will continue blogging (more actively) because I have so much to share from my own experiences and I am sure there will be someone who will always benefit from whatever I have to impart because as the saying goes, there is an audience for everything.