5 Reasons Why Starting a Blog is Like Buying a House

by Sean Platt on January 20, 2009
in blogging

Why Starting a Blog is Like Buying a House

starting a blogOf course I know starting a blog and buying a house are drastically different things.  In no way is our virtual space equivalent to that where we greet our spouses, raise our children, or lay our tired bodies down each night.   However, there are a few things that starting a blog and buying a house do have in common – simple considerations that can help us put our best foot forward and get started in the right direction.

5 Things to Remember When First Starting a Blog

1)   Most people take their time when shopping for home, making sure they pick a palace that’s as pretty as can be, rather than settling on the first four walls to fill their eyes.  Wherever our lock and key finally meet, the odds are we’ll be there for a while.  Moving isn’t fun, that’s why we have to coerce our friends to help us do it.  When first starting a blog, take the time to find a theme you really love.  Remember, you have to live there every day, even if you’re only starting a blog.

2)  Location is important.  When scoping out our neighborhoods, we evaluate things such as school, crime rate, and cleanliness.  When starting a blog we look for quality, camaraderie, and competition.  Decide on a niche where you will find it easy to both fit in and stand out.  If you’re starting your blog with a niche on a subject that allows you to speak with fluidity, you will find it easier to be yourself.

3)  It takes a while to get settled.   No one buys a house and feels at home overnight.  It takes time to get used to the new walls surrounding our days.  Don’t believe for a second that starting a blog on Monday will leave you feeling like it’s second nature by Tuesday.  It takes time to not only know what you are doing, but feel confidence as you do it.

4) Buy  within your means.  When we allow our appetites to speak louder than our wallets, life often finds a way to make us regret it.  Buying a house slightly out of our reach is like becoming slave to another master.  Starting a blog that promises to eat all our time is and deliver little in return isn’t too different.  At least with a house, you have a place to keep you warm.  Have reasonable expectations of the time your new pad will require.  You will be far less likely to resent the mortgage.

5) Be mindful of your property’s value.  If you’ve just bought a new house, you’re probably acutely aware of the value of your prize, and will do everything you can to maintain it.  Think about this in relation to starting a blog.  Every post you write, comment you answer, or statement you make is a part of your archive.  Only you can pack your blog with value and make it worthy of your many megabytes.

Starting a blog might not require the same amount of care as buying a house, but it can be the start of an awesome adventure.  Make sure to give it the consideration it deserves.

Sean

Check out yesterday’s post where we talk about starting your blog with a blog reboot.

Blog Traffic Exchange Related Websites
  • taosmtcolors-475.jpgPondering - To Buy Land And Build Or Buy A House. Ahhh decisions, decisions. Here we are, 2 weeks after getting back from our vacation, pondering quite deeply a move to Taos, New Mexico. We cannot seem to get it out of our heads! The scenery is beautiful, the air is clean, the people are great, and the real estate is......
  • Will StumbleUpon work for you?Will StumbleUpon Work for Your Corporate Blog? If you are not familiar with the site called StumbleUpon, it is a service that allows users to discover new sites. With the use of a toolbar (spyware free), users of StumbleUpon can find new sites that are related to their interests, or they can choose a random option. Millions......
  • self-directed IRAsInvesting with YOUR Self-Directed Individual Retirement Account (IRA) Part 2 If you're just starting your IRA now, and say you have $5,000 - $25,000 in your IRA, that might not be enough to bother with trying to get into a commercial real estate investment with.  For a high-quality commercial property, you're going to have to put 20% down in......
  • Why Developing Multiple Streams Of Income Is Vital In Today's Economy I think it is o.k. to say that everyone should be creating multiple streams of income today. For some of us this is more of a reality than others. In this article we will talk about why it is critical to create income streams in multiple ways thanks to the......
  • How I Got Started Shopping Second Hand I previously introduced one of the many advantages to shopping at second hand stores.  In this post I want to introduce you to how I got into second hand shopping. I am finding more and more the majority of my clothes were purchased second hand. Sometime in December 2005 my......
  • Share this post   Stumbleupon   |   Digg   |   Del.icio.us   |   Twitter

    Subscribe to The Blueprint  Subscribe to <?php bloginfo('name'); ?>RSSSubscribe to <?php bloginfo('name'); ?>Email   |   Follow Eric on   |   Follow Sean on

Comments

9 Responses to “5 Reasons Why Starting a Blog is Like Buying a House”
  1. Jay says:

    I was thinking along these lines the other day. Every thing I say “Inner Noodle” has to answer for it. It is a huge responsibility having a voice, but what a pleasure it is to realize that your voice has an audience. Thanks guys!

    Jay’s last blog post..How to Have More Dreams Every Night

  2. Hey Guys, I came over to wish you well on your new venture. I dig collaborations especially if the fit is synergistic. You guys seem to have the right attitude about it!

    “Only you can pack your blog with value and make it worthy of your many megabytes.” I think it’s the authentic voice coming through that adds the value.

    Tom Volkar / Delightful Work’s last blog post..Time and Money

  3. Sean says:

    Jay: So true. It’s weird to have people care about what you say, but that doesn’t mean you should ever be frivolous with the responsibility.

    Tom: Thanks, Tom. If I can’t be authentic online than I don’t want to be there at all. It’s too easy to get lost in the distance, but tremendous fun to delight in the benefits. Collaboration has been rewarding and the one thing that makes me truly believe that anything is possible online.

    Sean’s last blog post..SEO Content? Maybe…

  4. Trey Baird says:

    Interesting comparison. Like buying a house, you don’t want to overlook any aspects of the process of building a blog.

    I especially like #3. You have to give time for the blog to adjust to your needs, and for you to adjust to the blog’s needs. It’s not going to happen immediately.

  5. Sean says:

    Trey: I’ve been at my main site for half a year and it’s still gelling.

  6. LisaNewton says:

    I love the analogy, and it’s so true. Like Trey, I like #3. If immediate results are expected, then expect the unexpected.

    LisaNewton’s last blog post..Walkin’ Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills

  7. Trey Baird says:

    @ Sean

    I’m agreeing with you. That comment wasn’t directed towards you. It was an extension of what you were saying.

Share Your Thoughts