If you have something to say about anything at all, blogging is one of the best ways to get people listening to you. Whether you are just looking to engage with different blogs, or even if you are interested in starting your own, this article will help you get to grips with what a blog entails.
There are plenty of words flying around the internet and it can be hard to understand them all. Chances are you already know what a blog is – after all, you are currently reading a blog post – but for the sake of this article we will pretend you don’t. So here we go…
What is a blog?
Wikipedia gives a great definition:
A blog (a portmanteau of the term web log)[1] is a discussion or informational site published on the World Wide Web and consisting of discrete entries (“posts”) typically displayed in reverse chronological order (the most recent post appears first). Until 2009 blogs were usually the work of a single individual, occasionally of a small group, and often were themed on a single subject. More recently “multi-author blogs” (MABs) have developed, with posts written by large numbers of authors and professionally edited.
So basically a blog is a website where articles or posts relating to a certain theme or opinion a published for consumption by web users. Blogs are a great way to quickly publish and promote your articles and encourage engagement by readers in the form of comments. For business websites, they are also a great way to optimise your site for search engine results.
What Can You Use a Blog For?
A blog can have many uses. If you are creating one for personal use then the sky really is the limit. Originally when blogs first started becoming popular, many young people would use it purely as an online diary which they just shared with the world. However personal blogs have evolved greatly since then and these days some people actually use them to earn a living. If you have a passion, then you can write a blog about it. Love reading? Write a book review blog. Love making cupcakes? Why not write a blog with all your cupcake recipes with pictures?
Alternatively, you could also run a more professional blog for your company. These usually consist of posts of company announcements or news. But also, they are a great opportunity to answer common questions about your industry and write interesting and informative posts. This way it will help you do three amazing things: position your company as an expert within your industry, drive more traffic to your site and most importantly it will help you visitors understand your industry better.
How to start a blog
There are several platforms that make it easy to set up and run a blog. WordPress (wordpress.org) is the most widely used, powering over 40% of all websites worldwide — it gives you full control over how your blog looks and what you can do with it. Wix and Squarespace are popular alternatives that are simpler to use, with drag-and-drop builders that require no technical knowledge. For businesses that want to combine their blog with their existing website, most website platforms have blogging functionality built in.
Why do businesses use blogs?
For businesses, a blog is one of the most useful tools available. Here is why:
SEO and search visibility. Every blog post is a new page that Google can index. The more useful, relevant posts you publish, the more chances you have of showing up when potential customers search for information. Businesses that blog consistently get significantly more website traffic over time than those that do not.
Establishing authority. A blog lets you show your expertise. If you answer the questions your audience is already asking, you position your brand as knowledgeable and trustworthy — which makes people more likely to buy from you.
Supporting your customers. Blog posts can answer common questions, explain how your product or service works, and help customers get more value from what you offer.
Content for social media. Every blog post gives you material to share across your social channels. One post can become multiple social media updates, an email newsletter item, or a short video script.
What makes a good blog post?
A good blog post has a few things in common:
A clear purpose. Know what question you are answering or what problem you are solving before you start writing. The best posts have one focus, not five.
A specific audience. Write for someone in particular, not everyone. A post aimed at “marketing managers at financial services firms” will be more useful than one aimed at “everyone in business.”
Enough depth to be genuinely useful. Google rewards content that actually helps people. Short, vague posts rarely rank well. A typical blog post that ranks on page 1 is between 800 and 2,000 words — but length should follow usefulness, not the other way around.
A clear structure. Use headings to break up the content. People scan before they read, and clear headings help them find what they are looking for.
A call to action. What do you want the reader to do next? Whether that is signing up for your newsletter, getting in touch, or reading another post — tell them.
If you are a business interested in using you blog to enhance your web content then Giraffe can help you achieve fantastic results – get in touch today to see what we can do for you.
