What is a Blog?
Believe it or not, blogging has been around for a while. Blogging has been around ever since human learn how to read and write. Blogging actually evolved from the use of diaries and journals.
Why has Blogging become so popular?
The advancement in technology is the major reason blogging has become very popular. Blogging has many advantages to offer such as:
- An opportunity to create income.
- Connecting with like-minded people.
- Sharing your ideas and opinions
- Creating your brand.
- Keeping online diaries and journals.
- Ability to reach a wider audience.
These are some of the benefits, but for you to achieve your aim regarding blogging there are certain rules that must be established.
Diaries and Journals versus Blog.
What is a blog? To provide the right answer, let’s compare a hardcover or paperback book to an E-book.
The former is usually published in paper format, while the latter is published electronically.
Ideas and opinions are recorded in diaries and journals which are paper pack, eBooks are published electronically.
You create a web page and record materials you will normally record in your diaries and journal, this is how blogging started out.
Today blogging is more than some personal entries on a web page; the benefits listed above do show that blogging has evolved into something more beneficial.
Publishing personal materials over the internet must be done with care because of the overexposure your blog is likely to achieve at some point.
Blog versus Website.
What is a blog? This is not the only questions many people are trying to find out?
They are also curious about the difference between a blog and a website. People believe knowing the difference will help them to make the right decision.
Web site.
Creating a website is more suitable for big companies, for instance big stores like Tesco and Argos.
Although they could have a blog on the side if necessary, but for someone who wants to keep an online diary or create a brand, blog is the best option.
A website needs to be updated once in a while by changing the designs and layout.
It is much easier for Companies who are well established to get away with this attitude compare to new company or individuals.
Blog.
This must be updated on a regular basis; it is one of the major ways to attract readers to your blog.
Readers love visiting blogs that are constantly updated with fresh content. This is not something you can achieve with a website.
I made reference to creating a brand, for you to create one; you will have to prove to your readers that you are an expert.
This is not something that will happen overnight, the more you offer something interesting and fresh to your readers, then you are on your way to earning the title of an expert.
People blog for different reasons, before joining the club, you need to establish your goals. Why do you want to become a blogger?
There are different types of blog, below are five of the most popular blogs on the internet.
1. Personal Blog.
Blogging on the internet started out as a personal blog therefore is the most popular.
It doesn’t require much work and doesn’t really need to be updated regularly.
Content needed for this type of blog are things you normally record in your diaries and journals.
It’s safe to think twice before publishing personal content. Ask if you’re willing to share this content with others?
Contents are published on your blog and people can post comments if you allow them.
This type of blogging revolves around your lifestyle. It consists of personal, social and professional lifestyle.
This type of blog will attract like-minded people in no time because people love sharing experiences.
2. Business Blog.
A business blog is an extension of personal blog, rather than blog about personal issues you blog about business issues.
A business blog is an avenue for you as a business person to connect with your clients.
The blog allows you to talk about the benefits of your products and services, regular updates are required to be ahead of your competitors.
You should blog about products or services reviews.
It will be good to include your Company’s mission statements, vision for the future, goals, aims and objectives.
This means your client will take you more seriously and also share your content with others thereby attracting more clients.
Special offers and promotions are also vital to help keeping your blog alive, this will keep your client coming back for more.
3. Professional Blog.
The quickest way to be recognized as an expert is through professional blog.
Providing quality information on the topic you blog about will help to enhance your image.
For example, if you desire to become a motivational speaker and you want to talk about self-esteem, this is what you need to do.
Your blog must be quite helpful to people who are suffering from low self-esteem.
Perhaps you’ve dealt with this issue in your own life and willing to help others.
You must go beyond the call of duty in tackling this topic.
You could perhaps start with why people suffer from low self-esteem.
The next point could be the danger of not dealing with low self-esteem and finally the various solutions for overcoming low self-esteem.
If you do an outline and you post content on your blog on a regular basis, before long your readers will start paying extra attention.
The more you offer quality information means your blog getting wider exposure.
4. Media Blog.
This must be approached with extra caution, news, stories and gossips make the world go round.
A journalist or a reporter might create a media blog to attract readers.
This must be done in a unique way because of the various sources of news and gossips.
One thing you must do is to be ten steps ahead for your reader to recognize your blog as the number one source.
To make it easier you might consider blogging about the news that doesn’t really make headlines but still appealing.
Be careful, make sure your stories are accurate or else you will lose credibility, especially if you are into celebrity gossip.
Don’t give in to the temptation of getting more readers by feeding them with inaccurate information, thereby damaging your reputation in the process.
5. Writer’s Blog.
I’m in the process of creating a writer’s blog because I’m an aspiring writer.
Contents about my life as a writer will be regularly published. My blog will talk about series of question asked about writing and my answers.
I’m currently on a writing course with a coach assigned to help develop my skills and talents.
I will be sharing the progress of this course on my blog; in particular, I will be talking about both positive and negative comments regarding my writing career.
Five Benefits of Blogging.
1. Connecting with other people who blog on the same topic you blog about means, a wider exposure to knowledge about what you blog about. You will not only learn more, but will be a better blogger.
2. Blogging helps you to improve your writing skills; someone might leave a negative comment about your writing style. If this happens, you must handle it in a mature fashion by exploring ways to improve.
I have experienced this first hand and have helped me to become a better person. Spend time reading other blogs, especially the ones that attracts lots of readers. Pay extra attention to their comments and reply.
3. Keeping regular updates on your blog helps to improve your thinking pattern. Producing fresh contents on your blog regularly means your brain is constantly active and will lead to improve memory.
4. Bloggers command respect from search engines, once you are identified as a trusted source, search engines will start sending traffic your way.
I recalled the first time Google sent traffic to one of my mini websites. This experience has helped to boost my self-esteem.
5. Nothing else provides the great connection between you and your readers like the power of blogging. If your readers are allowed to post comments and you reply, it helps to create a strong communication system between you and your readers.
One of the best blogging platforms is WordPress, for you to get the full benefits of WordPress, you will have to discover the various resources that make up WordPress.
Resources such as plugins, you will have to discover how to configure various plugins for maximum benefits.
If you need help or you want to increase your knowledge about how your site will be optimized for the search engine, perhaps you want to start making lots of money from blogging then as you move onto the next page you’ll begin to discover more about blog setup, blog configuration, etc. These techniques will help your blog to get on the first page of search engines as soon as possible.