A blog is an incredible tool for software engineers to expand their knowledge in a specific tech domain.
Blogging gives you a chance to conduct in-depth research on a specific technology, tool, or concept.
Share what you learn with others in a clear and concise way by writing about it.
And trust me- If you’re a new writer looking to start blogging, you shouldn’t start with a personal blog.
- It’s time-consuming & costly to maintain a blog.
- It’s difficult to build a following for your personal blog.
- You need to invest time & energy to promote your blog.
Just write and don’t think much for the next 12 months.
Blogging is not for everyone.
Software developers always ask me about starting a “BLOG”
My simple answer:
If it interests you and you’re passionate about it, then of course but If you think it’s a quick and easy way to make money, you’ll find out quickly that you are sadly mistaken. It’s a HUGE investment of time and effort.
Blogging platforms take care of the optimization, caching, and all non-writing stuff. They promote your blog to the other members of the platform. Hashnode, DevTo, and Medium all have some explore features, categories, and tags.
If you don’t want to go to events/conferences, writing is the most scalable professional networking activity – stay at home and just put ideas on the internet.
Writing a “Blog” is a Tremendous Experience.
- It pays off intellectually.
- It clarifies your thinking.
- It builds credibility.
- It’s a living engine of ideas spreading, working every day to deliver thoughts with authority.
- It’s boring but It works. You should write one.
Regular blog posting is undoubtedly the most difficult aspect of blogging.
I frequently lack the energy to write, and I have to consider it a necessary aspect of my job to complete it.
It’s especially true after the first couple of initial exciting months when you’ve exhausted the top 90% of topics you wanted to write about.
That’s why the hack is to keep writing at least 2-4 posts/month without much obligation.
Why a Software Developer Should Start a Blog
For me, writing on my blog has been a real game-changer in terms of building relationships, a professional reputation, etc.
If you’re just getting started with blogging, cross-posting is the best way to get some early feedback.
Treat blogging as a small bet without much obligation and today we have many good platforms in which you can get started very easily and efficiently.
That’s why I’m going to tell you about the top 5 blogging platforms where people come to read and why you should write there.
1- Medium
Medium is a general publishing website that everyone is familiar with and has read at least a few articles from.
It is very simple to start your own Medium blog. You have complete control over your Medium blog, so you can write a few good articles and publish them whenever you want.
Although Medium is a platform for everyone, including developers, there are already millions of tech-related blogs and publications on it, making your blog stand out from the crowd can be quite challenging.
Even though I don’t have much success yet but I kept cross-posting my best articles and one of the articles recently got very good attention and got even featured in Medium Digest That’s the power of randomness.
The best part of Medium is that you can submit your blogs to Medium publications that target developer audiences can help you get a head start as a blogger.
Additionally, once you have a readership, you can earn some extra money through the Medium Partner Program or Medium Referral Program.
2-Hashnode
Hashnode is a tremendous platform. It is a popular writing community for developers and programmers. It serves as a blogging and discussion platform where developers can share their knowledge, insights, and experiences related to programming, software development, technology, and other related topics.
I have been writing on Hashnode and recently got a chance to talk about my journey at the writing boot camp by Hashnode.
Watch here for my views about writing- Hashnode Bootcamp Day 1: Boost Your Developer Career through Writing by Ankur Tyagi
Some of the key features of Hashnode
Developers can create and publish their blogs on Hashnode. The platform provides a user-friendly editor with markdown support, making it easy to write and format articles.
Hashnode is tailored to the needs of developers and tech enthusiasts, making it a vibrant community of like-minded individuals.
Software engineers, founders can engage in discussions and participate in Q&A sessions, allowing them to connect with other developers and learn from each other.
Blog posts or Articles are organized by tags and categories, making it simple for users to find content relevant to their interests.
Developers can follow each other, leave comments on articles, and receive feedback, fostering a sense of community and collaboration.
Hashnode provides options for developers to monetize their content through a sponsoring program.
Hashnode allows users to connect their custom domain names to their blogs, giving them a more personalized web presence.
Hashnode is a group of ambitious people who go above and beyond to support aspiring bloggers. You can ask for feedback, collaborate on blog post ideas with other bloggers, and request new features for the platform in their Discord channel.
3.DevTO
DevTO, also known as “DEV Community” is a popular blogging platform and social network for software developers and programmers.
It is a community-driven platform that allows developers to share their knowledge, experiences, and insights through blog posts and discussions.
DevTO prides itself on being an inclusive platform that welcomes developers from all backgrounds and experience levels. The community strives to maintain a supportive and friendly environment for all users.
They encourage open-source contributions and provide a space for developers to showcase their open-source projects.
They provide a user-friendly interface for developers to write and publish their blog posts. Developers can share technical tutorials, coding tips, project experiences, and other relevant topics related to software development and technology.
Even I was one of the top authors in 2021 at DevTo.
4- FreeCodeCamp
You’ve most likely heard of freecodecamp. It’s a fantastic resource for aspiring developers and dev bloggers. There are tons of advantages to blogging at the FCC.
You get to collaborate with their fantastic editors, learn how to create more valuable content and receive feedback.
You can ensure that the content of your writing remains relevant and visible to their large community of over 1 million developers by following their publication style guide and publishing on their platform.
I was finally accepted as a writer on FCC this year in Jan 2023.
I’m currently writing a React blog and look the feedback shared by the team. 🙌
5- Dzone or HackerNoon
DZone and HackerNoon have established themself as a reputable resources for developers seeking knowledge, solutions, and insights in the software development field. They foster a vibrant community that encourages learning, sharing, and collaboration among developers worldwide.
I am a regular reader of Dzone and HackerNoon because their content is excellent.
This is because they employ human editors to improve your writing and the information you provide. They double-check everything before allowing you to publish.
When I re-started blogging in 2020, I thought I was too late. It seemed like blogs had already peaked. It’s never too late. Someone is starting the next big blog this month.
Having a blog plays a big part in having an online presence.
- I didn’t know about blogging much before 2020.
- I didn’t have an active Twitter account.
- I didn’t make even $1 online.
Then I just started, 36 months later:
- Wrote 200+ articles.
- Got 60K+ Twitter followers.
- Made $100K+ online.
And yes- “I have a simple WordPress blog”
It’s a good sign to start a blog today 👊
Writing is an important skill for software developers and It’s a powerful magnet that a developer can use to find future opportunities in software engineering.
And I always come back to this example anytime I’ve a doubt on writing.
That was the end of this blog. Today, I hope you learned something new.
If you did, please like/share it so that others can see it as well.
Thank you for being a regular reader; you’re a big part of why I’ve been able to share my life/career experiences with you.
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Want to read more interesting blog posts about blogging
✅ Here are some of my most popular posts that you might be interested in.
- How I Made $30,000 From Writing In 1 Year
- A Software Developer’s Guide To Writing
- A Complete Step-By-Step Guide To Start A Blog For Software Developers
- How I Become A Better Writer As A Software Engineer
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