Blogging has been around for decades now, and has grown from a fringe group of moms talking about their babies to an institution of communication used by most businesses, organizations, groups, schools and just about any other type of entity you can think of.
Blogging has provided a platform for people to sing praises, recruit others, engage and enliven, educate and inform, and express themselves.
If you’re brand new to the concept of blogging, don’t worry! We’ve got you!
This short article defines what a blog is, and how it can help you. In the next few blogs, you’ll learn how to make a plan for your blog, how to format your blog, and you’ll get some writing tips from Ping.
A blog is just a website, standing in front of an audience, waiting for them to read.
Blogs can cover just about any subject out there, and they do – everything from personal travel experiences and hobbies to fashion, food, tech and more. Anything and everything you can think of can be created as a blog.
What is a blog and how does it work?
According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of a blog is:
- a website that contains online personal reflections, comments and often hyperlinks, videos and photographs provided by the writer.
- a regular feature appearing as part of an online publication that typically relates to a particular topic and consists of articles and personal commentary by one or more authors.
What’s the difference between “journalism” and “blogging?”
It can be hard to tell a “blog” from other types of informational websites these days, like news outlets, but there is a difference.
- Journalism and news follow strict guidelines to ensure that readers are getting the facts, and just the facts, with no embellishment or opinion.
- Blogging is a little more vague and open-ended, often allowing for the blogger’s opinion to be included, as well as stories, anecdotes and personal accounts of events.
There is a little more “wiggle room” when blogging, which makes it absolutely perfect for personal online journals and also for businesses to expand their audience with more “human” content like stories.
How do blogs work?
Blogs are simply web pages, called “posts,” that are hosted on a website. The text and photos are uploaded, titled, tagged and published.
A blog can be hosted as a part of a company’s website, under their own domain (like this blog you’re reading, as part of Ping’s website), or it can be hosted by a company like WordPress.com, Blogger or Medium, which give you your website for free and also drive traffic to your blog with their built-in audiences.
With a blog, you can write and post as often as you like. You can choose to date your posts, sign your posts or leave them as “evergreen” content.
Blogging for enjoyment
You can start a blog today and use it as an online journal, sharing it with everyone in the world, or sharing it with just a select few. Blogging for enjoyment, and for sharing life’s ups and downs, is a common use of the platform.
Lots of people have created very popular blogs out of personal journals, travel journals and other offshoots of traditional writing. You can even create blogs for fictional characters that you’re developing, to give them more depth. Anything you can imagine, you can create a blog about.
Blogging for money
Monetizing your blog is a great way to go. High-quality content is a hot commodity in any market, and many people and companies use blogging for professional and financial goals.
Blogging can be used to increase your business profile, promote products and services, generate income through advertising, sponsored content and affiliate links, or establish yourself as an expert in your field.
Regardless of how much traffic you draw to your blog, the impression your blog creates will raise your profile. Your potential customers will be impressed at the effort, the material, the expertise and how well everything is put together. Your blog speaks to your quality of work.
Blogging to increase business awareness
A blog is a powerful tool when it’s connected to your business. It becomes a conduit for your newsletters, your social media and all of your other outreach to provide high-quality information to your audience.
When you have a high-quality blog, your newsletters and social media are easy to write. You already have rich content to draw from and to point an audience to. A lot of your work is already done for you.
Let’s set the scene: you’re a small business that sells lawnmowers in Michigan. Your business is good, but things have gotten a little stagnant in the past year. You’ve never sent out a newsletter or created any content for your customers.
One way for you to stimulate your crowd is to start a blog on your website. Your articles will be informational, educational, fun and entertaining. You’ll engage your audience with topics like “fun patterns for mowing,” “best after-mowing drinks” and “the ultimate lawn picnic” to informational things like “the best way to keep your mower in top shape” and “lawn seed for shady areas.” You’ll develop a reputation as a knowledgable and engaging businesss, and you’ll be on people’s minds when they need your products.
You become entertaining, and the blog becomes popular. Business increases, your social media followers increase, and you’ve successfully breathed new life into your stagnant business – all with your blog.
Blogging is a rich world of expression
Blogging is a wonderful medium to express yourself, raise awareness about a cause, promote your business or start a trend. The skills involved in blogging are fun, exciting and fast-paced. With some information and a little practice, you’ll be on your way to blogging in no time!