We all have limited time to dedicate to our hobbies, families, and friends. So why should you set aside a number of hours every week to work on your blog? And it’s not just a few hours here and there. If you want the blog to be successful, you have to dedicate a lot of time.

As with everything in life, you have to evaluate the pros and cons.

Let’s analyze the benefits.

Personal satisfaction and gratification

First, blogging gives you personal satisfaction and gratification.

Many people like to build puzzles or to do crosswords during their free time. Or they like to tinker with woodworking or electronic gadgets.

Writing on your blog can give you the same feeling.

Plus, it gives you a sense of accomplishment.

Writing a blog post can be easy sometimes.

Other times it’s really hard, maybe because of the subject, or maybe because you can’t find your way through your writing.

But when you finally finish it, it’s a really good feeling.

You can get your name out

Another thing that a blog can give you is discoverability.

When people search your name on Google, if you write under your own name people will find your blog as the first result. This gives a great impression at a job interview, for example.

And even if you are currently employed, having a blog is like an extension of your personal brand that can help you be perceived as a more knowledgeable person.

It’s like writing a book. A book that no one reads is one thing – but writing a successful book that is read by many people is a completely different thing.

Blogs follow the same rule. Some blogs are not very popular, maybe due to the subject or other factors (we’ll see more about this later). But some blogs are successful, and others are wildly successful.

You can get in touch with more people

By writing on your blog, you can publish things that are read by people all around the world, and your work can possibly help them achieve what they want.

Not only this is great for personal satisfaction and fulfillment. It’s also a great way to be perceived as an expert in your field.

And the more people you can reach and impact, the better it is for you (and them!).

A blog is your platform

Your platform, your launchpad. In today’s world, there’s just too much noise.

We are bombarded with information from every medium, and it’s really hard, as a creator, to stand out.

A blog can be a great starting point for your next project, your next adventure, your next (or first) company. It’s yours.

The goal of any product is to be used by people.

Lots of people, possibly. Not everything can “change the world” Silicon Valley-style, but your little project, product, or service can have a big impact on a tiny slice of the people it targets.

But the first steps are always hard, including finding a good idea.

Your blog can be the way you find the initial users for something that you find worth creating.

Put the idea out there. See how people react to it.

You can become an active part of the community

In every community, there is a small number of people that lead, a slightly bigger number of people that contribute, and a larger number of people following.

Think about the community you are in. The 1%, or 0.1%, work on the “core”. They organize an event, build a software project, host a podcast, work on a product. Another 9% will participate and be an active part of the community around it. 90% of the people will just consume.

As a blogger, even if you’re not in the 1% that lead, because you don’t want that responsibility or power or you can’t make the commitment, you can still contribute. You can add your input, and be heard in a world that is eager for people that want to stand out.

Write about that thing you are so enthusiastic about. Create a helpful resource. People will be really grateful for that. Including the 1% or 0.1% that lead but that do not have time, resources, or will to create those resources.

A notable example is Jeffrey Way. He created Laracasts to build training screencasts for Laravel, a programming framework that was gaining traction.

He’s now an integral part of the framework ecosystem and a driving force for its popularity.