I have a blog. It’s andycormier.blog (this website), and it largely covers the same topics I make videos on. You might say blogs are so 2008, but I beg to differ—blogs and personal websites may be one of the best assets a creator and professional can have.
No, this isn’t sponsored by SquareSpace or Wix or WordPress or anything like that, but you may hear some of the same talking points creators use in their ads for these companies.u
Structures my Thoughts for Videos
First, writing a blog is really helpful for me to structure my thoughts. Oftentimes, I make a blog post and a video the very same project, as writing the project a blog post beforehand makes recording the video a breeze—my thoughts are already well organized. If you look at my recent blog posts and recent videos, you’ll see that there are very many blogs that are the exact same topic in the exact same structure.
I don’t like writing scripts, but if I write the topic as a blog post, I overcome that mental hurdle. On top of that, I get to double up my content.
Part of my Content Optimization Workflow
Content optimization is the act of turning one idea into many pieces of content, with the idea that it doesn’t take much marginal effort to make additional pieces of content from the one. A blog post becomes a YouTube video becomes multiple TikToks, Reels, and Shorts.
Of course, my focus is YouTube, but if structuring my thoughts first as a blog is easier than writing a script, then I get both a blog and a video out of the effort, then I’m doing a great job of optimizing my content. On top of that, since my blogs are generally divided into relatively clear sections, it then makes it easy to divide video segments to make shorts and TikToks.
If writing a script for a video takes, let’s say, 10 effort points, writing a blog of that same idea might only be 11 or 12 points, a 1-2 point difference. On top of that, I enjoy blog writing more than script writing. As such, of course I’ll write blogs instead of just writing scripts. It’s only a tiny bit more effort, and in addition to the video I was always planning to make, I get a blog too. A personal site is almost always a safer bet for your digital presence than relying solely on social media platforms too.
Websites Over Platforms
While I think it’s not entirely true what SquareSpace ads say in that you can’t rely on social media platforms and need a website, you do have much more control over how you present yourself on a website compared to a social media platform (especially if you can do a bit of coding).
Moreover, even if your focus is your social platforms, you can just link them all on your website and give one link instead of several for someone to find you. Also, it’s freaking cool to have a website, like look! It’s me! Andy Cormier, but a blog. And that website provides me additional technical benefits.
All About SEO
Google “Andy Cormier.” Use an incognito window so your search history of watching me doesn’t influence it. I will almost guarantee you that the very first result is my website, andycormier.blog. This is incredibly useful. What if a potential employer is looking me up? What if there’s another schmuck named Andy Cormier, and they can’t find me?
Thanks to my YouTube channel, I am the most publicly documented Andy Cormier in the world (I think), but the point stands:
Having your own website gives you a much better chance to own your perception online.
It’s all in the SEO, search engine optimization. Google will prioritize a website over a social media page, so writing a blog on your own domain will let you control your digital narrative and help showcase to employers and fans what you want them to see.
Showcases my Expertise and Interests
Continuing down the line of showcasing things to employers, I do make a point to make my blog something relatively professional that I can be proud of. I obviously have some older, less professional posts from several years ago, but just about everything you see is a showcase of my expertise in marketing or some personal interests.
Beyond that, I am developing a great portfolio of reference materials should friends or colleagues have any questions. The other day, one of my former coworkers from my last job had a question about influencer marketing, and I was able to simply send him a couple blog posts to answer his question. That’s legitimate utility, so if a recruiter for a role in this area is looking me up, they can see I that I might already have the solutions they’re looking for.
This Helps with the Job Hunt
If it’s easier for companies to see what I’m good at and interested in, it makes it a lot easier for them to want to hire me. In more than one job interview I’ve had in recent weeks, my blog has been specifically referenced.
That spot on job applications that says website? I just put it there. I also share some posts on LinkedIn from time to time. My blog is still mainly an added bonus for my video making process, but employers love blogs. They love to see you’re passionate about something, and they especially love to see you can write. Writing is one of my best skills, and it’s one of the most important meta-skills for career success. A former professor of mine said “If you can’t write, you can’t rise,” and I think there’s legitimacy to that statement.
Obviously you won’t get a job just because you have a blog, but writing a blog makes it a whole lot more convincing that you actually have the skills you say you have if that’s something you write about. It adds a certain air of legitimacy to not rely solely on your resume and simply say “these are my interests, these are my skills, these are things I’ve made. I don’t need to convince you with a resume when it’s all right here.”
There’s More to Say…
Blogging can lead to numerous other benefits, such as improving your writing, becoming the basis for a profitable business, and more, but we’re not getting into that. This is why I blog, and it’s as a component in making videos for better content optimization, controlling my digital perception with improved SEO, and showcasing my skills and interests to aid in the job hunt.
The amazing thing is that if you decide to start a blog because of these specific interests, you’ll likely find some benefit that’s different to mine!
Next, if blogging interests you, I recommend you read my post on how to apply creative skills to your career. Blogging is absolutely one such skill, and the career benefits are many!
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Andy Cormier 