Here’s a secret: I hate(d) blogging. If you take a look at my LinkedIn profile, you can see the long lengths of time that passed between my posts – it was pretty clear that it wasn’t my favorite thing. At one point, I even considered totally giving up – what percentage of lawyers actually blog, and what difference does it really make!? Nobody ever says, “Oh I read your blog and decided to hire you!”
The real secret though…I was lying to myself to avoid the hard truth that I was being…*gasp*….lazy. Blogging does matter; clients have hired me (us) on the basis of one post; and it does make a difference. So, if you’re like me, here are some quick tips to get the blog ball rolling:
Tips for the Lazy Would-Be Blogger
- Everyone sucks. There is no magic bullet to a successful blog. Nobody is an expert when they start out, and everyone is self conscious about how they sound “in print.” Just remember, that is OK. My posts from 2016 are not nearly as good (right!?) as the ones from 2018/19.
- Keep it Short. Dude, nobody wants to read a treatise. In my experience, would-be bloggers lament over the time it takes to research and write a post, but who has time to read a research paper anyway? Instead of wasting time, keep those posts short! If a post requires more thought and analysis (we have those at OGS too!), break it up into a few posts (and build up a catalog for busy weeks when writing will be more difficult)!
- Make it Personal. I am a pretty personal guy. But, if you read my posts, I bet you will know little tidbits about my personal life that many non-readers wouldn’t. Blogging has been a great way to weave my professional and personal lives together and has given me the ability to write about things I like (like Crazy Taxi). That sounds trite, I’m sure, but would-be bloggers also lament over what to write about; mixing in personal stories – or writing about topics that are related to things you like (like Simpsons Road Rage) – make the what a lot easier and more fun to figure out. (Additionally, it has the added side benefit of making you seem like a normal person. I don’t want to speak for everyone…but that tends to be an issue in our industry)!
- Cross-Post on LinkedIn. Shout out to LinkedIn! Yeah, crazy I know, but the LinkedIn of today is not the LinkedIn of 2009. LinkedIn has been a great and supportive community. If you’re looking for traction, your friends and colleagues on the platform will support you. At the beginning, a few “likes” on my articles made all the difference and gave me the confidence to post the next week.
- Keep it Up! Blogging is like working out – it takes a while to see results. One post, two post, three post, four post, ain’t gonna cut it. So…stick with it. If you ever want to discuss topic ideas…feel free to send me a message!