The response to this series was so fantastic, that I’m having to break the answers into multiple posts.
Over 50 bloggers have taken the time to send me their thoughts.
To view the first post in the series, check the running link list below:
I’m filled with gratitude for the blogging community.
The sheer mass of numbers involved in blogging is astonishing.
I literally have tears in my eyes, after reading the reasons why these bloggers blog. They’re incredible. Pay attention and learn – as they have much to offer.
Terry Conti of The Terry Conti Blog
I believe to blog is to build relationships by giving and receiving good useful knowledge. Building relationships is so important if you want to get anywhere online and establish a good presence. Give and you shall receive.
Success doesn’t come easy. Many are misled into thinking it does. We all need to help each other by sharing useful knowledge. The knowledge of the many is far better than the knowledge of the one. Learning and meeting new people is priceless!
As time passes getting involved in useful knowledge sharing will allow getting many commentators to your own blog. I love sharing good content that helps others. I love when people tell me they got something useful out of my blog post. It makes my day!
I visit and comment on other people’s blogs, as a result it builds commentators on my blog, forms great relationships and we all learn something. The people I’ve met through blogging are awesome! Blogging done the right way is awesome! This is why I blog!
Sally Neill of SallyNeill.com
I don’t blog to make money – that’s just an added bonus. I don’t blog for search engines – but they still come. I blog to share my online journey with other people. When I originally started blogging, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing, in fact I am ashamed to say I used private labels rights articles that were hastily rewritten.
But once I began coaching with my mentor Alex Jeffreys I realized that my blog should be my story, my journey, my journal. I then began to detail everything I done online whilst trying to become a full time Internet Marketer. I blogged about facing fears, mistakes I had made and the successes I encountered. I built up a good and loyal following, filled with people all geared towards helping me (as I do them) whom I nicknamed my “cool crowd” I now consider my cool crowd to be my friends, they have followed my journey from being nothing to something. They have helped me every step of the way with their feedback and generosity in sharing my posts and links when they could.
So why do I blog? Firstly, I blog for myself – so I have undeniable proof of my growth online. Secondly, I blog to share value for others so that they themselves can push forward with their own online business and achieve the levels of success they desire.
Marko Saric of How To Make My Blog
Recently I created a PowerPoint presentation that talks about the reasons why I blog. You can find it here.
Brand Holland of Hollandz
I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I knew I had more to offer the world and time was ticking. I simply wanted to change my life. So instead of bitching about it, I became proactive.
Originally it started out as a way to vent my frustrations and pose the question, if humans are a superior race; the most advanced and intellectual beings out there, why am I on my hands and knees everyday cleaning up cat poop all over my house instead of the designated area?
Now, my blog is a way for me to create something through writing and most of all to connect with people.
I still have to clean up cat poop though.
Benny Hsu of Get Busy Living
I blog to have a platform for self expression. To say what I’ve always wanted to say but in a way that inspires others. I enjoy having my words mean something to someone.
Also, I blog to meet like-minded people who are doing great things in their lives. If I didn’t have my blog, I would not have been able to meet so many cool people so far.
Aaron Socci of Upgrade On Life
I blog for an array of reasons. For one, it’s a great way to keep myself accountable on my daily journey towards bettering who I am and the way I live. It’s also a great way to connect with people who share similar struggles and life goals. I’m a writer at heart, and blogging is a great way to fulfill that passion and help people in the process.
Steve Roy of Ending The Grind
There are several main reasons I blog. The first is that it’s a platform that will help me reach my ultimate goal of being able to work from home and spend much more time with my 2 young daughters.
The second is that it allows me to share my passion for writing and helping people get out of their grind. I know what living with a miserable job can to to one’s overall happiness and I am trying to spread my message with as many people as I can. Life does not need to be lived this way!
Matthew Karsten of The Expert Vagabond
My blog is a form of expression. It’s an outlet for creativity. Yes – it gives family, friends, and complete strangers the ability to know what crazy adventures I’m throwing myself into around the planet, but that isn’t it’s sole purpose. I enjoy the planning that goes into creating each post, the time that goes into producing each photo. It’s a ton of work, more than most people could guess. But it gives me the ability to create something unique and entertaining completely on my own, without the constraints I might have if I was working creatively for someone else. Ego plays a small part too, of course. The main topic is me after all. 
If others are inspired to break out and explore their world or learn something new from my blog, those are just added benefits.
Julia Tarquinio of JuliaTarquinio.com
When I first started blogging I thought it just meant I would write, maybe get some comments and then that would be it. Then I met someone who schooled me hardcore on what I could do with it all.
I am blogging because I love to write, but now, I have found that I love connecting with people and starting great conversations about life and what not. I also hope to one promote a book through my blog and be able to write for a living.
Davina Brewer of 3Hats Communications
Fame, untold riches, free iPads, trips to Hawaii and hot dates. Kidding obviously. 
1. Expand my social profile
2. Professional development
3. Networking and community
Being in PR, I see social as a natural extension of what I do. I wanted to expand my website, have a better showcase for my writing, what I do, my approach to marketing communications for small business. My blog sorta is my social media white paper, WYSIWYG: what you see is what you get. I blog so that I can share helpful, practical information that’s of value – and do it in a fun and interesting way. Blogging has also helped expand my network and development, learn and grow as a professional.. making me better able to do my job, help my clients.
Now It’s Your Turn
I sure hope you’ve learned something from each of these magnificent bloggers.
Often I recommend notetaking. Find a quiet place, write down your thoughts, and takeaway something from this post that might make you a better person, blogger or friend.
Why do you blog? What have you learned about blogging from these bloggers? What will you change this week?
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"You’re such a smart boy!" were his first accolades heard. So, it’s no wonder that this phrase became the title of his business, Smart Boy Designs.
Read more about Christian 
{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
Twitter: berget
June 24, 2011 at 7:00 am
Hi Christian,
I especially like the fact that a lot of people are saying that they are blogging as a way to help people. Not that many people are saying that they are blogging in order to make money. That’s great, even though money is a great inspiration for many
It’s also interesting to see how many people are blogging in order to network with like-minded people. That’s a very important part of business, and especially business blogging.
Have a great weekend Christian, and thanks a lot for sharing.
Jens
Jens P. Berget recently posted..The Thank You Economy – The Truth!
Twitter: smartboydesigns
June 24, 2011 at 12:33 pm
Thanks Jens for stopping by. It’s always a pleasure.
I too, am really enjoying what everyone has to say about blogging, why they do it, and what makes them “click.” It’s good to see that most focus on producing something of quality first – and then worry about the money later. That’s when more success tends to come anyways.
Hi Chris!
Last Sunday, I sent a reply to your why-do-you-blog email. Or so I thought. This morning, I was dismayed to discover my reply sitting comfortably in my email drafts folder, unsent.
*sigh*
So, if I had actually sent you a response, here’s what I would have said:
I blog for three main reasons:
1. I need a platform from which I can launch my fiction novels. Twitter is great for spreading the word, but my readers need a place where they can read about my books and my writing — and maybe get a little info about me, too, if they want it. ; ) My blog gives readers the chance to get to know me and my writing better than they can in just 140-character tweets.
2. Blogging makes me a better writer. Every time I sit down to write a blog post, I hone my skills: I think about audience needs, I pay attention to word choice and sentence structure, I play with words until they sound and feel right. Blogging lets me practice without putting pressure on myself (as I sometimes do when crafting a novel).
3. Blogging makes me a better person. My blog is a great place for me to capture and share thoughts that I don’t get to talk about elsewhere. Sometimes, this is writing and creativity stuff; other times, it’s “off-topic” thoughts (such as philosophical ruminations — you know, the “deep,” woo-woo stuff). When readers respond with the honest thoughts of their hearts, I am enriched by their different perspectives. A meeting-of-the-minds occurs that wouldn’t have happened any other way.
When I blog, I have the privilege of brightening the corner where I am — and readers brighten my life in return.
Thanks for this opportunity, Chris — even though I’m late in taking advantage of it. ; )
Blessings,
Courtney
Courtney Cantrell recently posted..The Grooming Habits of Agents
Twitter: smartboydesigns
June 24, 2011 at 12:36 pm
Hey Courtney!
Sorry it didn’t come in. I feel bad now! You know, if you’d like – you can always send it to me again, and I can get you in one of the latter posts in the series. I’ve had so many responses that I’m going to have to break it up into a bunch more posts.
But anyways – I’m glad to read it here.
I loved your thoughts above in so many ways. Wow. Blogging is powerful – and that’s simply what I’m getting from all these posts and thoughts. So very powerful.
Through blogging we become better people, and we take others with us. It’s such a fantastic situation to be a part of.
You sure do bring a lot of “brightness” to your corner. You’re like a literal sun!
Aw. *blushing* Thank you, Christian! You’re pretty radiant yourself, y’know. It’s been a blessing to watch how much your bright influence has been expanding over the past few months — and how rapidly! Keep up the cramazing inspiration, my friend. : )
Courtney Cantrell recently posted..Be Honest — Was I Snoring?
I started blogging to let consumers know where their food, fuel, feed, and fiber comes from. What I discovered after I started was that it’s a really great way for me to find out what I really think about things. It forces me to lay out my thoughts and many times do some research to see if I’ve actually got my facts straight. Also, it’s been a great way for me to connect and learn from new people.
Twitter: smartboydesigns
June 24, 2011 at 12:40 pm
Blogs are “thought generators.” You plug in your thoughts, and as you go, more energy is outputted.
I love how specific blogging can be too. Take your own blog for example.The Farmers Life. So specific, yet you can tell you have a strong passion for what you do – and it shows in your writing.
Thanks for stopping by Brian. Much appreciated.
Thanks for putting me on the list again. Everyone does seem to enjoy meeting people through blogging. If you blogged and no one came to your blog or you didn’t interact with people through social media, blogging would be so boring. You would just be blogging in your own little bubble. Writing and then meeting others is the best part.
Twitter: smartboydesigns
June 24, 2011 at 12:48 pm
It’s like sharing dinner with someone else. I’ve gone to eat dinner by myself a few times – and man, it’s like not fun at all by yourself. Granted, it’s nice to have the time to think – but dinner is meant to be shared with people.
Just like blogging is.
It’s neat to also see that personal growth of writing that blogging brings. I never thought I would be a writer, but it turns out I am a great typer!
David | Almost Bohemian recently posted..Are You a Pinsetter?
Twitter: smartboydesigns
June 24, 2011 at 1:47 pm
If we’ve got fingers – it seems we can write!
best comment on this post.
i’m a great typer, too.
Dena recently posted..Happy First Day of Summer!
Wow, great compilation you have there Christian.
It’s good to see all these good folks in one area. Thanks for including me, I appreciate it.
I’m just glad we all aren’t holding up our inmate numbers like they do in lineups.
Brad recently posted..The Brutal Honest Truth About Hooking – It Sucks, Literally and Metaphorically
Twitter: smartboydesigns
June 24, 2011 at 1:48 pm
Hhhmmm, you’re putting ideas in my head. I want a picture like that. A lineup photo of all of us bloggers as inmates…
Great list Christian, and thanks again for including me. It’s awesome to see people living out their passions!
And like others have said, blogging is a great way to meet people you wouldn’t normally come in contact with. It’s awesome to be able to connect with people all around the world through blogging.
Aaron recently posted..Why I Started Blogging
Twitter: smartboydesigns
June 24, 2011 at 1:50 pm
You’re very welcome. Thank YOU for taking the time to contribute.
Everyone I connect with online has such a varied existence. From around the world, different cultures, etc…they wouldn’t be people I would normally have the opportunity to connect with in real life! That’s why I love blogging.
Love reading what others had to say! Meeting likeminded people is another great benefit.
Matthew Karsten recently posted..Daily Travel Photo: The Cloud Bridge
More great additions….. thanks for sharing. I am happy to hear so many people participated as well. What a great series!
Meg recently posted..Out and About
Hey Christian – good stuff once again. It’s wonderful to see why everyone blogs. It’s a phenomenon that I’ve really grown a love for.
Have a good weekend!
Jk Allen recently posted..What A Trip to Disney World Taught me About Experiencing Life, Money and Creating Memories
Very cool to find out other people’s reasons are so diverse yet in some way so similar.
My initial reason to start blogging was to one day achieve passive income. As a few weeks went by, my motivation to keep writing changed dramatically.
I luckily chose a topic “Lifestyle Development” which is an area I was very much passionate about before blogging. When I started writing, formulating my own ideas and experiences. I became even more passionate about it and also found a new passion “writing”.
I started to enjoy the simple expressions of words. If you look at my early articles the writing was a bit *meh*. But with every new article, it became better and better. I could now find the right words to express the right things that I wanted to convey in my articles. I have now found a platform where I can express myself with no filter. I’ll write about the good days as well as the bad days. Because there are always lessons to be learned on any of those days.
When my readers shows me their appreciation of my articles, I feel blessed. They are the reason I continue to write. They are the reason I strive to be the best that I can be with my writing. In order to do that I need to keep pushing, keep learning and then educate others with my new found knowledge.
A bonus: is to be able to find so many like-minded people with each their own personal goals. Learning from them. Building relationships with them. I mean come on, how cools is it to be able to befriend some guy who lives half way around the world. That’s the magic behind blogs
Twitter: smartboydesigns
June 24, 2011 at 1:57 pm
I love seeing the progression of bloggers and how writing improves, sharpens and becomes easier to understand, read and implement. In myself it’s been largely apparent.
Sometimes I want to delete old posts from my blog – just because I think they were so awful!
But I guess that’s all part of the fun and journey. A process of growth.
Twitter: vitalyvt
June 24, 2011 at 3:35 pm
Self expression is always a plus, as people tend to read blogs based on personality as well. Cool stuff!
Vitaly Tennant recently posted..Reincarnation Continued – the Soul and its Nature
Thanks for including me here, interesting to read the other responses. A lot of us want to communicate, to write and share what we can with others; to network and connect with others like us. Even Brad, though I’m not cleaning any cat poop
. FWIW.
Davina K. Brewer recently posted..Are you weird?
Hi Chris,
wow, what a great feedback you got on this!! That’s so cool, I guess my response didn’t make it due to the high amount of responses but that’s fine.
I love reading all the different reasons and that’s the reason why we all blog: to meet all these amazing people. The coolest people I have met was online and then in person some time later. Without blogging, the internet and multi-media, I wouldn’t be the person I am and I wouldn’t be where I am today.
..and I met my husband online
Franziska San Pedro
The Abstract Impressionist Artress
Franziska San Pedro recently posted..How To Choose Artwork For A Bedroom
Twitter: smartboydesigns
June 27, 2011 at 10:59 am
Got your email, and excited to include you in the next bit.
So many amazing people – and what a blessing it is to be a part of the experience. A whole lot of fun!
Hi Christian,
I blog because I want to make a difference. I want to make a difference in the lives of wonderful people who struggle to make themselves known.
In my industry (Real Estate), there are very good, dedicated agents who are the best at what they do – but they focus so much on taking care of their clients that they miss out on promoting themselves.
I think it’s a shame that the public doesn’t have the opportunity to choose a great agent just because that agent isn’t the best self-promoter.
I’m hoping to change that through my blog.
Hugs,
Marina
Twitter: smartboydesigns
June 27, 2011 at 11:02 am
Such wonderful thoughts Marina. So happy you stopped by too. Excited to learn more from you.
Just today I actually just took on a new job working with a loan firm/real estate agency – and looking forward to all I can learn about the industry.
And you’re certainly right. Those agents that are so good to their clients are often the ones that go unnoticed. That’s why word-of-mouth becomes crucial for them.
Hi Christian,
Welcome to the industry.
Please let me know if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to help. I’m sure that your questions will inspire me to write up a couple of posts too.
Marina Brito recently posted..Can flying an airplane be easier than promoting my blog?
Twitter: smartboydesigns
June 27, 2011 at 1:46 pm
Sounds like a great trade Marina. Excited to connect with you in that way! Real estate is certainly an exciting business.
At the beginning my blog was just a hobby for me, so I wrote just for pleasure. Afterwards, my blog became more popular and I managed to make some money on it. Now my blog is my online business that makes me a successful entrepreneur.
Terje Sannarnes recently posted..How an Entrepreneur Can Find New Business Ideas
Twitter: smartboydesigns
June 27, 2011 at 3:26 pm
Love hearing your success story Terje. It’s inspiring to know that there are people out there such as yourself – who are doing well to make ends meet with their blogs, and then teaching others how to do the same.
SO many good pearls of wisdom here. Aaron’s take on blogging particularly resounds with me: being accountable and creating urgency – INDEED! Connecting with people with similar struggles and fresh perspectives… DOUBLE INDEED!
Steve Roy’s story is also very powerful. Stopping the grind… The more you commit to blogging, the more you say the things that keep you from sticking to your passions. It’s a very natural process and it’s almost impossible to not develop yourself if you stick to it.. unless maybe you have no audience to help keep you accountable and engaged…
From both of the segments in this series, I like that everyone treated monetization as a bonus. Really, we’re ALL selling something but that does not necessarily mean we’re looking for monetary gain.. I’ve heard several smart cookies say this (or something close to it) recently:
“If your primary goal is to sell, no one will want to buy.”
I truly believe that doing what we’re passionate about and caring about others helps us succeed naturally. Rather than forcing stuff onto “leads” and “end-users”, we’re helping people and allowing them to genuinely WANT to learn more about us and what we offer.
Blogging is truly amazing and reading these success stories makes me even more excited to be a part of it all!
Yomar Lopez recently posted..Please Help Me Promote My Unbounce.com Guest Blog – August 16th Is The Big Day!