WHAT IS A BLOG?
I had a client want me to teach them all about blogging. Years ago there was a book "All the things you wanted to know but was afraid to ask." With this book in mind, I wrote this article for you.
Simply put, a blog is merely as a column, similar to daily newspaper column but it’s published on a website rather than in print. It can be on any topic, including but not limited to; news, education, sports, health, politics, fashion, culture, business and so on. In the same manner columns are series of regularly published articles, blogs are series of frequently published posts, and while newspaper columns are read in print, blogs are generally read online. Using blogging as a tool makes it easier and faster disseminate information and also get readers’ opinion and impressions through comments.
The content is often referred to as entries or "blog posts,”and it’s usually presented in reverse chronological order, with the newer content appearing first on the site.
They are usually run by an individual or a group, presenting information in a conversational style. However, today, there are corporate blogs that disseminate tons of informational and thought-leadership style content. One unique feature of a blog is the comments section where users can respond to the article with their views and observations on the topic discussed.
Creating and running a blog is much easier these days, anyone can own a blog with a few simple steps. It is not only an incredible marketing tool but also can even become a great source of income. However, you need to set yourself on the right path if you would like to build not only a successful but also a profitable blog.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BLOG AND A WEBSITE?
A Blog is a type of website; however, the significant difference between a blog and other types of site is that blogs are frequently updated with newer contents appearing first (i.e., reversed chronological order).
Conventional websites are static, with contents being organized in pages and categories. Blogs, on the other hand, are dynamic and usually updated more regularly with some bloggers publishing multiple new articles on a daily basis.
Blogs can be an integral part of larger websites. Established businesses and corporations often have a blog section where they regularly post contents to inform and educate their customers and partners.
All blogs can be a website or an integral part of a site. However, not all websites can be called blogs.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BLOGGING?
Every blogger has a motivation for blogging. For some, it is used by many as a substitute or an alternative to keeping a diary or journal while to others, while providing an avenue to share creativities and ideas to a broader audience
Blogging can be a powerful marketing tool and has been adopted by top brands and businesses to share information and reach a wider audience.
The benefits of blogging include;
- Provides an avenue to organize thought and ideas.
- Means to showcase your creativities, skills, and talents.
- Helps individuals to become an authority in their industry.
- Platform to meet and socialize with enthralling and engaging like-minds.
- They can be an excellent source of income for those who can maximize its monetization method.
- They are also an affordable avenue to drive traffics and attract potential customers to your websites.
- A means to sensitize, run campaigns, raise awareness, seek ideas and influence public opinions by both profit and non-profit organization.
ARE YOU INSPIRED TO START A BLOG?
Here are things you should know before you jump into blogging.
First ask yourself, why?
Everyone has their reason(s) for blogging, but seriously, ask yourself why you want to start a blog
Perhaps you're a stay-at-home mom with antic and hilarious stories of your day that you want to share - not to mention great tips about things to do with the kids, get any stain out of any fabric, or any number of excellent share-worthy suggestions.
Blogging requires time and effort
Blogging requires a lot of hard work, patience, and perseverance. It takes a while to grow your audience. It is pretty disappointing if you publish your first post and no one visits your blog talk less of getting someone to read your content, but don’t be discouraged, successful bloggers also underwent these awkward and trying moments. So, do not expect immediate results.
Successful bloggers are patient enough to keep working on their site for a long time. Though it may be tough, but worth it.
However, if your interior motive is to make money online, blogging may not be the best choice for you because your expectation might get defeated sooner than you expected. There are hundreds of ways of making money online, and blogging is one of the harder ones to start and sustain.
Identify your niche
It is essential to identify your interest or topic you're passionate about. Then decide what you would like to write about while staying focused on that niche. There are millions of blogs on the internet you have to figure out how to make your blog stand out from the crowd. Pick a topic you are passionate about and do not unfold it too broadly.
Your target audience must be defined, and the answer to the following questions will help you a lot: Who are my readers? What are their needs, interests, and concerns? , and so on. These questions will help you come up with interesting topics and help you write quality contents to keep your readers addicted to your blog.
Content is King
There has been a long-running controversy debate whether a blogger should focus on Content, Quality or Quantity. While quantity matters to increase and maintain your traffic, but you should still focus on quality over quantity.
If your readers get value from the articles you write, they will engage you and become a part of your regular audience. On the other hand, shallow and uninformative articles will make your blog boring, and this will eventually reduce your traffic.
Get social
While it is good to write a great post, waiting for people to find it by themselves may get you disappointed. If your blog is still new, the chances of people finding your blog through search engines are pretty slim, so if you are going to get any traffic and an audience, you need to be proactive
One of the best ways to get your blog noticed is to use social media to promote your posts. You can buy traffic by creating ads on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter
Another easy way to drive more traffic to your blog is by sharing the same content more than once. However, be mindful, so you don't become a spammer.
Not essential, but it helps to learn basic SEO
Learning basic search engine optimization (SEO) like utilizing keywords, optimizing images and meta description, giving readers the opportunity to subscribe to your blog and so on is a fundamental and useful way to drive traffic. Traffic from search engines is essential to blog's growth. SEO is very complicated but learning a few tips can make a huge difference for you in the long run.
Learn about copyright issues
What do you do when your content was stolen without permission? This is not new in blogging. Learning to protect your articles and images is an important skill for any aspiring blogger. Nevertheless, it is more important to educate yourself to prevent becoming a "content thief" unintentionally.
Good design is a must
A book is sometimes judged by its cover. Your blog design plays a significant role in how people interact with your written contents. How your blog is designed can significantly affect how readers perceive and accept the content you upload. The structure and design of your blog can help you make a good first impression or may cause a bad one. If your blog design is ugly and impractical, it will discourage your readers and visitors from coming back.
Today, Google's algorithms prioritize mobile-friendly sites over sites that do not support mobile devices. This is because research by Smart Insights has revealed that people are now spending more time on mobile devices than ever before. As such, ensuring that your blog is mobile-friendly and responsive is vital to ensure you create a pleasurable reading experience for your audience and also reap low-hanging SEO fruits.
Be authentic
Always be yourself. Being authentic, unique and real helps you build trust with your readers and audience. People buy products from people they trust, so building trust is essential. It may take years to build trust but it can also be lost in a matter of minutes, so you should strive to remain trustworthy. Be open and continuously interact with your readers. When you make mistakes, be the first to admit it and offer a sincere apology.
IN CONCLUSION
Have you now understood what a blog is? If so, then don't be frightened and jump on in. I can send you a step-by-step article on how to begin. I hope that you've learned something valuable from reading this post when it comes to the world of blogging. If you've managed to start a blog and keep your readers satisfied and engaged, send me a message. I would love to hear your blog story.
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