Does blogging anonymously hold me back? | Bloggers Lair | Yakezie Forums

Privacy is a very powerful thing. I think there are pros and cons to both sides, and blogging non-anonymously can also hold you back. It all depends on why you're blogging and what for. 

I am semi-anonymous. Anyone who wants to find out who I am can, and some of you know my real details due to advertiser deals or stuff like that. I am not too concerned about that, but at the same time I prefer to not plaster my name & photo everywhere. That said, I have let it out for a couple media mentions, so if you've dug around my site enough you can probably find the connections. ;)

You should do whatever you feel comfortable with.  I don't think blogging anonymously holds you back.  I use my real name because I don't have any good reason not to and it helps associate my different blogs.

retireby40 said:

I don't think blogging anonymously hold you back at the early/mid stage. Once you get bigger, you probably need to come out and show your identity. 

I'm anonymous right now because I work full time, but once I leave my job, I'll put up more pictures and personal info. 

It's pretty easy to figure out who I work for. 

I didn't know you were anonymous because I assumed you used your real name on the Yahoo guest post last month.

Sustainable PF said:

We were anonymous for a full year.

The only thing that will hold you back is working with media outlets (newspapers, tv, magazines) as they insist on putting a name to the source of information they are presenting to their readers.  "Sustainable PF" won't cut it.

I've also found that dealing with advertisers is easier as they prefer to build a personal relationship and a "handle" does not permit that.

SPF mentioned the one key negative that I've ran into of being anonymous.    Media outlets like to have real names and don't want to publish articles atributed to anonymous sources.   I had to pass up an opportunity to write blog articles for U.S.News because of that. 

FreeMoneyFinance is a good example of a pretty successfull anonymous PF blogger.   It can be done.

Somehow I feel that in the sphere of finance it can help to not remain anonymous.  People like to know who they are communicating with and whose advice they might be taking.  And if you ever release a product of your own it certainly helps if people know who you are.

Of course I have the benefit of not worrying about an employer finding out about my blog.  I don't even have to worry much about any readers being within a few thousand miles of me.

In the end it is up to the individual though.  I don't mind if people know about me (good, bad, ugly), but I know some people wouldn't feel comfortable sharing everything in such a public way.  Different strokes for different folks!

This is a really interesting discussion!  

To date, I have chosen to blog anonymously.  For me, I feel more confident sharing financial details without my legal name attached.  In my full-time work, I have a solid online presence.  Coupled with a unique name, it means that Earn Save Live would come up on the first page of results.  Right now, I'm not comfortable with that.

I've really enjoyed hearing about everyone's experiences and why they chose to blog openly or anonymously.

I think in the beginning it's easier to be anonymous. If you want to grow huge or get some level of media credibility with interviews and appearances then you just can't be anonymous. But in the beginning (and probably forever depending on your goals) you can be anonymous without it holding you back. But even with your name not being out there you are not really anonymous. You are creating a character version of yourself that people can and do relate to.

Wow thanks everyone! I'm really enjoying reading everyone's feedback.

I'm in an odd boat (is that a phrase?).  I blog semi-anonymously mostly because I have people in my life with boundary issues who would bug me for money all the time and I just don't want to deal with it.  But I tell most people I know about the blog.  I don't post it on my own facebook or anything and generally protect my identity. 

But I'd eventually "reveal" my identity if I could but my day gig would prefer that I don't, mostly because it's about money.  They're not in the financial services business but they just think it's better to have it out there.  (they don't mind that I blog, just prefer anonymity).  And considering they make up 99% of my income I'm happy to post anonymously.  :)