The Power of Permanence: Why I Still Blog in the Age of LinkedIn
As a professional investigator, my job is to connect various bits of information, including court records, business filings, news articles, and more. I then process the data and share my summary report with clients so they can learn from it. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that my blog operates on a similar principle. It’s a place where I connect the dots in my professional life (and some of the personal), which I then share with colleagues. Hopefully, we all learn something in the process.
I’ve never really counted the years, but I’ve blogged for a long time about research, investigations, and even power networking for introverts. While I don’t publish as frequently lately, I’ve stayed with it during a time when many professionals have switched to platforms like LinkedIn for their thought leadership. And while LinkedIn is an essential tool for networking and sharing, I don’t consider it a permanent record of my content. A post on LinkedIn is fleeting, and, after a few days it gets buried in our feeds, making it difficult to find and reference later. On the other hand, my blog offers some permanence—a curated collection of ideas that remains accessible and searchable for years to come. Yes, that sounds like my former-librarian self talking, but there’s more to it than just that.
For me, blogging is good for my brain, and it sharpens my investigative skills. When I sit down to write a blog post, I’m forced to dive deeper into a topic than I usually do with LinkedIn. It helps me focus on the details, organize them logically, and present them in a way that includes enough information but not too much. This process improves my writing and critical thinking and solidifies my knowledge base. The 500-600-word blog format fits in well with my just-the-facts investigative mindset.
A blog is no longer a place where people typically leave comments, so I share each of my posts on LinkedIn, which is where the real conversation begins. People connect, ask questions, and share their own experiences. The comments and conversations on LinkedIn help me learn even more and give the content a broader reach. It’s all connected. LinkedIn provides the community, and the blog provides the lasting content.
Finally, my blog is a living document of my career and my growth. It holds the lessons I’ve learned, the advice I’ve given and received, the insights I’ve gained—and a way to pay forward the mentorship I’ve received. Thank you all so much for reading and commenting on my blog through the years. It’s an honor to share my thoughts with you.
Let me know if there are any topics you’d like to see me cover in my blog!
P.S. Some of you may have noticed that, in the About this Blog section on the right side of this page, my blog now has a name: ResearchNOTES. Before blogging, I sent a monthly email newsletter to subscribers, which was called ResearchNOTES. Most don’t know this, but my late son helped me name the newsletter. When I asked for his help, he thought for just a few seconds and came up with the perfect name. I loved it, and I love that memory, so I’m honoring Dennis by naming this blog ResearchNOTES. Next task, a logo based on the original–it’s in the works.
