22 Nov 2015 Blogging: Own your voice

by Brenda McClain

We are in the middle of a worldwide modern-day gold rush. The Internet. Are you in?

The Internet allows us to be anyone we want to be. That’s good. That’s bad. As with anything we do, being our best, authentic selves is my favorite route. The Internet is work; it takes commitment. To be anything other than who we really are will come to haunt. We should do what we love.

What is your dream?

Is it to own your voice? Support a cause? Make money? Why not all three?

Easy? No. Fun? We think it’s a blast and amazing to connect with others all over the world, and exchange ideas, learn on a daily basis.

Owning my own name was important. It has been mine since learning it was even possible. It doesn’t cost a lot to take this first step. GoDaddy.com is where most of my names have landed, and some days names can be purchased for $1.98. They have answered all my questions, and they return my calls in a timely manner. Locally, The Computer Works can also help. They designed my initial blog, and it’s parked there to this day.

The favorite hat I wear these days is as gallery director for Art on the Green, located in Conway’s Littleton Park. It’s my privilege to blog for the Gallery at artonthegreen.net. We talk about all things art, our own artists and more. A recent post explained flint-knapping, artist Martin Peerson’s hobby.

Never have I professed to be a great writer, knowing so many who are that to pretend otherwise would be shameful. Yet, I remain enamored with the written word. I am a prime example that one does not need to be a brilliant writer to write for a blog. It’s YOUR voice, YOUR words that will resonate. That’s why being AUTHENTIC is essential.

My personal blogging heroes include one local, much admired and loved Stephanie Buckley. Known to those in the blogger world as The Park Wife, Buckley is founder of ArkansasWomenBloggers.com.

According to Buckley, Arkansas Women Bloggers is a state-focused blogger community that began in 2009. Dedicated to helping women grow by gathering them into a common space, with a common goal and by connecting them and empowering them for a greater good. There are currently more than 725 registered blog members writing about all things Arkansas.

Artonthegreen.net is one of the 725 registered bloggers. Artonthegreen.net has more than 5,000 unique visitors per month. This year alone, we’ve had more than 1 million visitors who read our blog and buy art. Think about all 725 users generating this much traffic in their voices, too. Amazing. Thrilling, actually.

Many Arkansas businesses understand the value of the unique opinions from a variety of bloggers across Arkansas. Arkansas Women Bloggers contracts with various Arkansas companies to provide content marketing, such as Arkansas Farm Bureau, First Security Bank, Central Arkansas McDonalds Co-op, Riceland Foods, The Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, Petit Jean Meats, Rhea Lana’s Children’s Consignment and many more.

There are many involved in making a blog happen, yet nothing will happen unless you take the first step. Maybe 2016 can be the year you make that step. Will you?