Why I Started Blogging?

By Affan Haider – www.TotallyPR.com

I have been following ProPakistani with great interest for a while and was particularly intrigued by the topic “Why Professionals Don’t Blog in Pakistan“.

A reason I was so intrigued was that in my blog a while back, I discussed the importance of blogs for Pakistani companies in order to further their cause.

To me this question needs to be taken a step further. The most important question for me is ‘When Professionals Will Start Blogging in Pakistan’? Obviously, the development of media in Pakistan has been a painstakingly slower process as compared to the rest of the world, however, the recent media ‘explosion’ in Pakistan has brought new opportunities and new challenges.

Social media is one such opportunity that is still being underestimated. It is easy to empathize with the neglect considering the fact that some of the more ‘mainstream media’ is still underestimated. Consider TV and Radio utilization in comparison with print. To me, increased importance of the social media will come about through more of a case of ‘first drop of rain’, because the lack of professionals in blogosphere is given an impression to organizations / professionals that the only purpose of blogging is ‘venting the feelings’ and nothing professional.

Picture this, I am a PR professional with 10 + years of experience, I normally have to do a lot in terms of ‘generating content’, somewhere in the midst of ‘organizational branding’, I have forgotten about my ‘personal brand’. Secondly, my writings are mostly ‘corporate’. Now imagine myself opening up, giving advice, learning, sharing ideas, stamping my authority on the subject through “media”.

I can still imagine hearing a lot of oohs and aahs if the “media” in above scenario was, for example, Television and a lot of nose turning and snickering when I use the term blog or social media; however, this is where the real mistake lies. The kind of interaction, content and knowledge sharing possible through blogs is not possible through any other media barring face to face.

If you ask me as a professional why am I into blogging, I have a few reasons:

• I love interacting, sharing ideas and knowledge therefore my two basic passions are writing and visiting faculty teaching.
• I love to write.
• I feel I can contribute to a set of knowledge missing on internet, that is, Pakistan specific perspective on PR.
• I have an expertise which is considerably ‘unexplored’ in public sphere.
• Last but not the least; I would not mind pushing my ‘personal brand’ through this exercise.

These are the reasons I urge all bloggers, be it students or professionals to identify their niche area. Musings are interesting, varied topics are easier in terms of constant churning out of content, but being a subject matter expert may provide you with a comparatively limited but potentially more loyal audience. To me, whether it is print, electronic, radio or social media, end of the day, beyond the glitz and glamour, entertainment and politics, it is all about the content.

So ladies and gentlemen, if you are professionals and yet you feel you don’t know what to write about, don’t write!!! However, if you are confident as a subject matter expert, delve into what you do every day. No rocket science, is it?

The realization is bound to come eventually, timeframe is a little unpredictable, however a few years down the road, the sphere will be more congested. Early movers get an advantage. My advice, start today !!!

Affan Haider is currently serving a Mobile Phone Company as Head for Corporate Communications.