How do YOU ‘give something back’ with your blogging?
Blogging has given so much to me:
- financially it’s given me a living, paid my mortgage and put food on the table for my family now for 5 or so years.
- socially it’s opened up some fantastic opportunities for new friends.
- it’s taken me around the world to speak to amazing groups of people at conferences
- it’s opened up great opportunities to meet and partner with some very smart people
- it’s helped me to develop skills that I’d never have imagined having
In all it’s been an amazing ride so far and I feel very lucky to be where I’m at.
However over the years as my blogs have grown and as I’ve benefited from blogging I’ve also felt a growing responsibility to use what I’m building to give something back and to make the world a better place.
I guess at a base level – the blogs that I run aim to help people by teaching them (all my blogs are ‘how to’ in nature). Also as a family we do support a variety of charities with the money we earn from blogging – however I’ve always wondered if there are other ways to leverage the success of a blog to make a bigger difference in the world.
In previous years I’ve raised money through doing blog-a-thons (I blogged something every 5 minutes for 24 hours on two occasions) or other types of fund raising. I’ve also participated in events like ‘blog action day’ (where bloggers all blog on an issue like poverty or the environment) – but I’ve always wondered if there could be more?
I’ve seen some bloggers offer to give percentages of sales of their products to charities and support different causes through their blogs – but I’d be interested to hear more stories of how bloggers can ‘give back’ and make a difference in the world?
One of the things I’m currently exploring is doing a trip with a Not for Profit organisation to witness the work that they’re doing in a developing country (it looks like I’ll be heading to Africa in February), and to report on that to my network – but I’d love to hear your ideas on how bloggers can (and do) make a difference through their blogs.
What do you do to give something back? How have you seen others give back?
When you make money, more money than you or your family can consume, it is important to share it with those that don’t have the means to bring food to the table everyday…
Your article demonstrates it from a blogger perspective and I agree.
I donate to locate charities on a regular basis. Participate in fundraising events to send money to developing countries.
I encourage everyone to look at doing the same. Share it when you have enough for yourself.
When I first discovered commentluv and the plugin that eliminates nofollow from WP blogs, I immediately installed both. I wanted commentators to get something immediate for commenting, and I think that’s paid off for them and me.
In terms of giving back directly, I do things on the blog and off the blog (but related to the blog). I’m in touch with a number of up-and-coming artists that I want to encourage. I have a small community on another site that features their work and gives them a bit more exposure. Occasionally I link to them via the blog, even though the blog engages wholly different themes and subject matter.
It’s hard for me to sound like I’m generous when I write this comment, but the truth is I’ve done a lot to get attention to people who deserve it. I suspect it’ll be a lot easier to give when the blog takes off. There are a few causes I’m eager to raise money for.
the best blogs will always be people because people get something out of them anyway – education.
Well Blogging & web development has given me respect, made me responsible & I have looked upon to be independent in life by self-employing myself :)
@Mike Robertson
its very inspiring to read what you have actually done to aid the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.
Its is very thoughtful and selfless.
i also hope that one day too I could perform such. but for now, I am just donating what i can to needed organization =)
keep up the excellent work , mike.
@Mike Robertson
its very inspiring to read what you have actually done to aid the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.
Its is very thoughtful and selfless.
i also hope that one day too I could perform such. but for now, I am just donating what i can to needed organization =)
keep up the excellent work , mike.
@Mike Robertson
its very inspiring to read what you have actually done to aid the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.
Its is very thoughtful and selfless.
i also hope that one day too I could perform such. but for now, I am just donating what i can to needed organization =)
keep up the excellent work , mike.
I donate half of my meager earnings to either PETA or Mercy For Animals or even other random charities I decide on.
Great post darren,
Thanks so much for sharing this, always good to see that people are doing their bit for charity
Nice to see you can give back Darren. I love your blog!