Why have expats set the blogosphere alight? Surprisingly, not for money - or at least not directly, as many resist the temptation to monetise their blogs through adverts. A lot of expats are, however, self-employed, or looking for a work in a country where they may not have many connections, so it's no surprise that many do use a blog to promote books, skills and services: a shopfront of their wares, so to speak. Toni Hargis, who blogs at www.expatmum.blogspot.com, is one such expat who uses her blog for self promotion. My book, Rules, Britannia; An Insider's Guide to Life in the United Kingdom, came out in 2006, and as most authors know, you have to do a lot of your own marketing. A blog seemed like a good way to expose the book, but it's morphed into something much more than that now. It's not a source of income but I definitely keep the blog up for professional reasons. For others expats, blogging is an opportunity for them to improve and promote their writing skills. Moving to a new country can provide great inspiration for creative types, and blogging is an easy, quick way to test what works and what doesn't . As Linda Janssen, who writes the blog Adventures in Expatland, says: "Blogging represents an opportunity to write in a slightly different genre, conveying small vignettes or observations on living abroad. The blog also serves as my brand platform with which to network and interact via social media (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+), engage readers and build a community of followers interested in similar topics. Starting a blog can also help expats, many of whom are facing a new start in a country where they may not have many friends, become part of a new community online. "At the same time I set up my blog I joined Twitter and started to publicise the blog on expat websites and forums," says Linday de Feliz, who lives in the Dominican Republic and blogs at Your Saucepans. It has really snowballed. It is just like one big circle and one of the things I love is that there are a whole range of bloggers out there all supporting each other all around the world. Each reads other blogs, and comments, and none of us really know each other - we are just spreading the love! This is even more important as we are all expats, so all away from our home countries and our families, so it is a really nice way to have a link to people in a similar situation, all posting about our experiences. But with so many blogs about life abroad out there, what makes an expat blog stand out? Linda Janssen reckons variety is the spice of life, with writers having to be humorous, reflective and poignant in turn. Other factors which rank highly for many are creativity, depth of understanding and - most important - posting regularly. As for myself, the one piece of advice I give to anyone thinking of starting a blog is to just dive in. With free hosting available and free themes, the start-up costs are extremely low, and until you have found your stride there is no point in paying to have a theme designed. Just start writing and let the blog evolve as you develop your skills and preferred content. That, after all, is the beauty of the blog: it is a means of sharing your thoughts, your information and your opinions with the world, with just a few clicks of the mouse. This column is sponsored by: TorFX, a leading foreign exchange broker, offering excellent exchange rates for all your international money transfer requirements