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You’ve decided to start your own blog… This is commendable. Although, not original. Well, it is a simple task if you clearly understand what it is you want from it. So the first thing you should do is define your goals. Why do you need a blog? What do you want to achieve with your blog? If you cannot answer these questions, you might as well not even start.

Below, we have listed a few examples of some possible goals you can set for your blog. Try each one for yourself and only choose the one that makes you think: “This is exactly what my blog should be doing”. Do not select an objective if you have even the least bit of doubt in it.

If you don’t find anything suitable in the list below – try to come up with one yourself. What are your personal goals? What do you want to achieve in your job? What do you want the blog to help you with?

1) Blog as a source of revenue

Blogging is a really good way to start your own business - the only thing you need is time. There are many approaches to monetize your own blog, but the main way has been and still is advertising. Therefore, the number of regular readers is the most important metric for you. Having more readers allows you to show more advertisements and thus increase revenue. Therefore you should focus primarily on SEO and creating really good content, since search engines are still the cheapest traffic source.

2) Self-PR

You may wish to have a reputation as an expert in your field. In this case, you should give all visitors a direct understanding who you are and what you do. Very simple things: put your photo in the header, name your blog “John Doe’s Blog” etc. It is important for you not only to lead a person to your blog, but also to make sure that they remember you as an expert and tell others. Therefore, focus primarily on the quality of your content. If you really are an expert and have something to share, this will help.

3) Blog as a business card

Sometimes you just want people who google your name to find the latest information. Social networking is too personal a space, and the usual one-page-site may not be enough. So you launch a blog, which describes the basic ideas and stories that relate to your professional life. The business card blog need only be maintained and kept up-to-date. Unlike self-promotion blogs, you do not expend a lot of time on business card blogs.

4) Blog to promote your core business

Everyone is now engaged in content marketing in one form or another. The content strategy for this blog will depend on what type of business you are in. And from there, whether you wish to attract new customers or retain existing ones. In any case, write something that is interesting to your customers. Be sure to select and use those keywords that are used to find your product. It will help with your SEO.

5) Branding blog

A good illustration of a “maintain-only” type of blog, for maintaining your image, is the 37signals blog. They write mostly about the person’s company and useful insights that they have.

But even if your post does contain any advice, always explain how the advice applies to your readers’ companies. Taken all together, this creates the sense of an extremely effective and exceptional company. This belief also rubs off on your products.

6) Blog to communicate with an already established audience

Ok, so you’re already famous. Then you can just use a blog for all those methods that major brands use on social networks: communicate with your audience, share some insider knowledge, give them privileges over everyone else.

These are six basic goals that can support a blog. Of course, you can try to attain several of them, but popular wisdom tells us that chasing two rabbits at once is not a wise strategy. So be consistent and persistent.

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