I got up at 5 a.m. this morning and went to the gym. Crazy to some, but I know that is the optimal time for ME to exercise. If I plan to go after work, I either end up not going because I’m too tired or had a better offer; or I go and dread being there the entire time and don’t get a good workout in. Some people would rather eat brussel sprouts than get up at 5 a.m. to exercise – and that’s okay – but for me it’s part of what makes my day feel balanced. I have more energy, I tend to eat healthier, and it does my body good.  

It’s your first day at the gym. You look around trying to decide where to get your burn on. You’re having second thoughts about getting in shape. The Planet Fitness commercial flashes through your mind:

Do you remember the days when blogs were those things that either teeny bopper girls used as their online diaries or they were what someone [usually in their 20s] began before they embarked on a backpacking trip in Europe. Are you still stuck in that moment of time thinking that’s what blogging is all about? Are you still asking “why blog?"

A blog is a core piece of your internet marketing strategy, which works together with other online marketing tools (website, social media, calls-to-action, SEO, etc.) as part of an overall method called inbound marketing. Think of it this way: inbound marketing is the type of workout you’re doing, let’s say it’s CrossFit, and internet marketing is the fitness tools you use - weights, kettle bells, bands, bars, ropes – to work different muscle groups. A blog is one of these components working a large muscle group, let’s say your core, because you need a strong core to support the rest of your fitness efforts and you need a strong blog to support your internet marketing strategy.

Some days you just need a kick in the pants to remind you to keep pressing on with things that are hard to do but matter. Even a slight bit of light hearted shaming can be useful now and again. This morning I read a blog from our friends over at Copyblogger called Eulogy for a Blog. If you are struggling with writing your blog on a regular basis this is a humorous, yet poignant read. It struck me, of course, because I struggle with being disciplined in writing so it hurt a bit.

You’ve made the decision to add a blog to your internet marketing toolkit. Well done! You think you understand the importance of a blog from all the reading you’ve been doing online. You believe that having a blog will:

Blogging is dead. Really. You can even read the eulogy here.

Yeah, okay, I’ve never been good at April Fools. (But seriously, check out the blog eulogy – it’s brilliantly written by Copyblogger).

Blogging is in fact very much alive. So alive, that it’s the heartbeat of your internet marketing strategy. If your heart stopped beating you would die. If you stop blogging you will surely kill your opportunity of being found online.

One of the things that many bloggers struggle with is creating that killer content that will help them to really connect with their audience. It doesn't matter how great a writer you are or how much you know about your niche, if you cannot engage the reader then your blog post will ultimately be unsuccessful!

So, you have a blog and you’re writing them frequently. Great! But, what do you do with those old ones? It kind of seems like a waste to let them just sit there and be neglected. Sure, some people are still finding them through search and your posting them to social media sites but why not show them some extra attention? Recycle your blog posts! Why?how? Keep reading!

Well, let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start. When you read you begin with ABC, when you blog you begin with marketing goals. (Okay, so Rodgers and Hammerstein may not exactly like my rendition…)

Let’s start by remembering the overall goal of internet marketing for your business and ultimately the answer behind the question ‘Why Blog?’--

You want more customers and more sales.