It’s that time of the year again and I’m sure all of you are busy trying to get your last-minute holiday shopping done so that you can sit back and actually try to enjoy the season. It’s hard not to get caught up in the commercialization of the season as you are being bombarded with the myriad of holiday sales on television, radio, and, of course, the internet.
If I were a betting man I would imagine that if you are reading this post, on this extremely popular blog, that you are a blogger. Maybe you are a newbie just getting into it or you could be a seasoned blogger who has already gone through the trials and tribulations of starting up and running a blog. I know that a lot of bloggers get into this avocation in the hopes of making online money. There’s always that allure of making it rich sitting at home in your pajamas working in front of your computer. Believe me, it’s not as easy as it is portrayed by some to make any money on the internet. It’s possible but not without a lot of hard work and, of course, trial and error. I know. I’m working on an online venture myself.
But that’s not what this post is about. Just the opposite. It’s not about adding to your own coffers but it is about adding to your sense of satisfaction, your peace of mind, and hopefully your gratitude. We, as bloggers, possess something that others do not. We have specialized skills and knowledge that we can use in a positive manner. We’ve worked hard to put together an online presence through our blogs. When we started our blogs maybe we knew squat about blogging platforms, plugins, or widgets. But we learned out of necessity. We learned because we wanted our blogs to be someplace where others wanted to visit regularly. We now have a wealth of knowledge that we didn’t have before we started blogging.
Being armed with these technical blogging skills we all have a chance to make a difference. The holiday season is a time for giving and with your blogging skills you now have a chance to give back. How, you might ask?
Donate your blogging services to a charity
Back in the summer, I agreed to help out my daughter with a charity that she was setting up with some high school friends of hers to raise money for a local homeless shelter and food pantry. The girls didn’t have any knowledge of how to set up a website to advertise their mission. That’s where I came in. I set up a WordPress site for them that includes a blog, their mission statement, an events page, an “In the News” page, and a donation page. Believe me, it was nothing elaborate and I even used one of the default header images that came with the theme. What is great about this effort is that they could reference the website in all of their documentation. It also allowed them to have a place to keep online documentation like pledge sheets that people could download. And the girls had a chance to write blog posts about their mission which they really enjoyed. Since this is a year-long project, to date they have raised almost $3,000 and counting, which they will present to the homeless shelter at the end of the year. What I feel most proud about is that any time a donation is received online, I feel like I had something to do with getting that donation. It has been quite an experience.
Donate a percentage of your online earnings
If you have an online business, that actually makes money, you could donate a percentage of your earnings to your favorite charity. You could even state that on your website which could, possibly, increase your sales. You could even add a Donate Button on your blog that could go directly to a specific charity. This is a great way to give back with your blogging skills.
Promote community service on your blog
As you all know, blogging is an extremely popular communication platform. Utilizing your blog forum to promote community service is a great way to get your philanthropic message out there. If you have a local or regional blog, you could tout any charitable projects or events in your area. Maybe you could create a post asking for help building a new playground, volunteering at elderly housing, or helping out at a local library. The field is wide open on how you can promote community awareness on your blog.
Promote what is good
I wrote a blog post on the benefits of giving blood and I was heartened by the fact that it actually inspired others to do the same. I wrote that I had never given blood before the age of 50 and my daughter inspired me to do so, even at that ripe old age. Based on the comments on that blog post, it actually prompted others to give blood. Just talking about the benefits of the experience was enough to light a fire under others to make a donation.
And when Veterans Day rolls around each year, write a post about the importance of military service. Thank the brave men and women who have given of themselves so that we can remain free to be able to express our views in our blogs.
You will be amazed at the power that we all have as bloggers to do some good with our blogging skills. I challenge all of you to help out a charity, write a blog post promoting community service, donate a portion of your online earnings, and promote what is good in life. You can make a difference and, by doing so, I’ll bet that your holiday season will be that much more joyful.
About the Author: Bob Bessette writes a blog called TotallyUniqueLife which is geared toward practical solutions, tips, and advice for your life.
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