1 Effective & efficient communication
You're basically a creator, editor and curator of an online mag - and it doesn't matter whether your blog is about fashion, food, lipsticks or cats. You are getting information across to the anonymous crowd out there and even if it's just your mum reading the blog, it counts. You might also be talking to agencies, PRs, brand representatives, shop owners, celebrities, other bloggers.
2 Social media
Blogging involves a strong social media presence. Just about every blogger now has got at least a Twitter account. Some of us (in the attempt of self-destruction) juggle more than one social media platform at the time - Pinterest, Instagram, Youtube... (the list is pretty much endless). Each platform requires a slightly different set of skills, a slightly different tone of voice and a slightly different approach - and you can handle them all (or some). Companies pay for agencies to do their media planning, did you know? Agencies such as Total Media have got years (decades really!) of experience in choosing the right mix of social media channels for their clients, it's a real deal business thing which you can hardly compete with. You're doing it for your blog for the love of it, but hey - who wouldn't want to employ someone who knows their media mix?
3 Strategic thinking
Just like social media do, blogging teaches you how to think strategically. In regards to your content - what's an interesting trendy topic to blog about, what places to go to and what people to see, which lipstick is going to be the one for this Christmas season - there's some serious strategic thinking behind all these little seemingly insignificant decisions.
4 Creativity
Not only that you're creating your own content and managing it's creation, editing, publishing, promotion and all that jazz, you're also being creative with your imagery, with your blog header, with your layout, with the way you form your sentences. All these are unique to you. Even if you're using a Blogger template, you will still make it unique by giving your blog a certain name, a certain feel.
5 Time management & planning
Not exclusively, but especially when you run your blog and have an IRL job, things can get a little messy. God, and you want some social life, too?! This requires some serious time management skills - and you obviously have got them. Even if your planning software is a blank notepad and a pen!
6 Reliability
You are a doer, and you don't give up. The world can rely on you to come back and take care of your corner of the internet. And you have proved it by being consistent, by delivering, by providing new and new content. There's been a hiccup on the road? You stopped blogging for a while? So what - life is about priorities and your IRL job or your family was probably a priority then. Fair enough. Everyone is allowed a sick day or a holiday here and there.
7 Grammar & proofreading
Reading blogs is like a literature lesson without the school pressure. You read so much, I bet adding up all the blog posts you've ever read into one massive book would be like woooooah. War & Peace multiplied by 10. And even if your grammar is not brilliant, you pick up so much new vocabulary, idioms, and grammar in general. Your brain is now programmed to proofread whilst typing.
8 Research
You're also skilled at researching - be it a product, a brand, a company, maybe even other blog reviews to be able to compare and contrast your opinions. You ask questions, you state possible answers. Almost academic, ay?!
9 Sales
You might not believe this one but a blogger is a true sales person. A blogger sells their content - constantly. They sell their blog design, their social media interaction, their images, their blog identity to their readers in exchange for views, shares, comments, attention. Each and every single reader of your blog is a person you got hooked by your sales skills. Well done you!
10 Diplomacy
Being a blogger is all about being diplomatic. The whole world has got access to your blurbs. And your blurbs are therefore well thought through, you've put them down on paper (your blog) because they count, because you want the world to be able to learn from them. Blogging from a village doesn't mean you're blogging just for that one village - this shiz iz global!
PS: The 'if it fits, me sits' attitude. If the skill fits your dream job role, use it. Do it. Now.
Have you put your blogging experience on your CV?
What are the most valuable skills you have personally gained from blogging?
Updated: November 2016
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Updated: November 2016