I don't have time for it! Other things have higher priority! I just don't want to! There are numerous other reasons not to blog. But what are the reasons to take time out of your day or a few hours a week to keep write about your field.
My favorite, and one of my reasons for self-publishing these posts, is meeting others who have similar interest and provoking feedback on my ideas. Once you've published online, everyone has access to the article. I admit, you won't get readers overnight, but if you create fabulous content you will get quality readers.
Are you already published in a journal or magazine? Well, creating a “funnel” from your blog to these articles is a popular topic to increase readership. This technique is called funneling, and is very useful.
Establishing yourself as an expert is no new desire. Scientists have been chasing this dream since before the first observational study (I think it is was an observation of the girl next door). Well, despite my historically inaccurate lesson, one axiom of becoming an expert is certainly publishing. People need to read what you're saying. And, if your content is well written and well planned, people will notice.
One less common reason is getting grants. If a philanthropist or a private granter finds your research interesting, you might gain their attention. Of course, this isn't a simple put-an-article-online-and-get-a-grant, but it can bring some much needed attention your way.
Not having time or it's a low priority is usually a cop-out for bad time-management. So, get out there and consider your goals as researcher.
