Stop Lying on Your Blog

I think blog posts are best when the writer takes pleasure in writing them and when they provide value to the reader. Most people agree.

Because of this, I often see bloggers trying to provide value only by A) writing a call to action or B) attempting to be motivational.

There’s nothing wrong with this. However, people are afraid to publish work that provides less obvious value. They avoid personal expression. I consider that a problem.

A website can serve multiple purposes. One is being a place people can get to know you. If I am considering hiring you, I’d be delighted to find blog posts detailing your values and ideals. If I read something I agree with, I’m more likely to overlook a lack of experience because I infer your worthwhileness and competence.

A website that sports your name but not your self is a fraud. This doesn’t mean to make your blog a diary on which you vent or publish your darkest impulses and call it “authentic.” That’s bad. It does mean making your blog an accurate expression of character. It’s a lie to have a website that makes you out to be someone you’re not.

So if you want to create value on your website, make it honest and in line with truth. That will save future employers a lot of time when they find out they hired a different person than they thought.