The world of social media has taken us by storm, revolutionising the way we interact and conduct business. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter have become our go-to sources for staying connected with loved ones, while LinkedIn offers endless opportunities for expanding professional networks. Moreover, these platforms provide advertising features that help businesses reach wider audiences and engage with existing customers.
Given these apparent benefits, you might wonder if maintaining a blog is still worth the effort in 2023. The answer is a resounding yes, with a few important considerations. Blogging has indeed evolved significantly over the years, adapting to the changing landscape of the internet and the shifting preferences of its users. However, the core effectiveness and purpose of blogging remain unchanged, at least for now.
But what exactly are blogs, and who reads them? The term “blog” is actually a shortened version of “weblog.” Blogs are online informational websites or journals that present text entries, known as posts, typically arranged in reverse chronological order. They started as online platforms for people to share their thoughts and experiences back in 1994.
Fast forward to today, and we have an estimated 600 million blogs worldwide, some dedicated entirely to blogging and others incorporating blog sections within multipurpose websites. Blogs cover a vast array of topics, and if you own a business website, chances are you run a blog to provide in-depth information about your products and services, share industry insights, and engage your readers.
The diversity of blog topics attracts people from all walks of life. While the primary reason for reading blogs is to gather information and find answers to questions, there are numerous other motivations that drive readership:
- Convenient information seeking
- Affiliation with specific communities
- Engaging in political debates
- Seeking specific inquiries not available on mainstream sources like Wikipedia
- Challenging traditional media sentiments
- Personal fulfilment
- Seeking up-to-date opinions and guidance
The world of blogging is as diverse as the topics it covers. You can start a blog on virtually any subject and find passionate readers. However, the size of your community will depend on the popularity of the topic and your blogging strategies. Let's take a look at some different types of blogs:
- Personal Blogs: These online diaries allow blog owners to provide written commentary on their experiences and thoughts. While most personal blogs are read primarily by friends and family, some bloggers have managed to break the norm and become famous, attracting lucrative sponsorship deals.
- Niche Blogs: These blogs focus on specific areas of specialisation within broader topics. Instead of covering broad subjects like sports, niche blogs narrow down to particular areas, such as basketball or sportswear. Creating a niche blog allows you to transform your passion into a business and offers relatively straightforward content generation and research opportunities.
- Affiliate Blogs: Although similar to niche blogs in some ways, affiliate blogs differ in their revenue generation models. Rather than creating their own products, affiliate bloggers focus on promoting and selling products from other companies in exchange for a commission. The goal is to encourage readers to purchase the products mentioned on the blog through affiliate links.
- Reverse Blogs: Also known as guest host blogs, reverse blogs turn the concept of traditional blogging on its head. Instead of relying solely on a single owner or blogger to create content, reverse blogs source their content from the public, particularly their users. While guest authors contribute the majority of the content, blog owners should still post their own articles to maintain the blog's voice. This isn't too dissimilar to Multi-Author blogging.
- News Blogs: Many editors and reporters now publish blog posts to share stories and generate additional revenue. By starting a news blog, even without being a seasoned reporter, you can share the latest developments and provide insights into topics that may not fit traditional media formats like newspapers. However, news blogs often require more formality, intensity, and resources to operate compared to other types of blogs, potentially necessitating a larger budget and a full-time team.
- Business blogs: These are blog sites focused specifically on helping potential customers make decisions. They belong to business owners and talk about the products and services relating to that business. They help potential customers make decisions for themselves. They tend to combine elements of all the above blogs. This is the type of blog that I specialise in.
Now, let's explore why blogging is still relevant in 2023…
- Blogging Builds Trust With Readers: Blogging is more like a marathon than a sprint. The bloggers who can play the long game effectively often emerge as winners. Imagine encountering a street vendor who aggressively promotes their product every Tuesday morning but offers no value beyond the sales pitch. It's unlikely that you would be interested in buying from them. Similarly, online consumers appreciate businesses that take the time to publish meaningful posts, engage with potential clients, and offer valuable products. Blogging acts as a bridge between modern consumers and businesses, allowing you to build trust, convert readers into customers, and stand out in a crowded marketplace.
- Blogging is Essential for SEO: In the digital age, businesses strive to attract high-quality online traffic and convert it into sales. However, with the staggering number of websites worldwide, reaching potential clients online without a solid SEO strategy is nearly impossible. Starting a blog is one of the most effective ways to improve your chances of ranking high in search engine results. Here's why:
- Blogs Keep Visitors on Your Website Longer: Search engines prioritise providing users with helpful information. When someone clicks on a search result and stays on the site for an extended period, the search engine's algorithms consider the page valuable. By sharing engaging blog posts, you increase the average dwell time on your site, giving visitors a reason to stay.
- Blogging Targets Long-Tail Keywords: Targeting highly competitive keywords may be challenging, especially for new businesses. Instead, focusing on long-tail keywords, which are more specific and often indicate clear purchasing intent, can attract high-quality traffic and help you climb the search engine rankings faster.
- Blogs Encourage Backlinks: External links from other reputable websites to your blog can significantly boost your search engine rankings. By providing valuable information and insights in your blog posts, you increase the chances of other sites linking back to your website, signalling to search engines that your site is an authority in your niche.
- Blogging Keeps Your Site Up-to-Date: Today's consumers value up-to-date information and trends. If they stumble upon a website that hasn't been updated in years, they may question its credibility. Regularly updating your site's content through blog posts signals to search engines that your website is active, resulting in more frequent indexing. While updating the homepage every week may not be feasible, consistently posting fresh blog content is an easy way to keep your site current and relevant.
- Blogging Creates a Community: The blogging community is known for its friendliness and approachability. Veteran bloggers are often eager to welcome new members and share insights and advice. Joining or creating a blogging community allows you to benefit from fresh ideas, build partnerships, attend meetups and workshops, and collaborate with like-minded entrepreneurs. The friendships you develop online can even extend to real-life connections if you have the opportunity to meet in person.
- Blogging Allows You to Give Back: Blogging not only offers financial opportunities but also provides numerous non-monetary benefits. Successful blogging can lead to a flexible and fulfilling lifestyle, including the chance to travel, meet incredible people, establish lifelong friendships, and collaborate with fellow entrepreneurs. It also allows you to leverage your influence and storytelling skills to give back to society. By connecting with readers and potential donors through your blog, you can raise awareness for important causes and contribute to making the world a better place.
Blogging is far from obsolete in 2023. Despite the ever-evolving nature of marketing, blogging remains a powerful tool for businesses and individuals alike. Until a groundbreaking advancement completely revolutionises internet marketing, the world still has plenty to gain from the art of blogging. So, if you're considering whether to start or maintain a blog, remember that the world is still far from seeing the last of blogging.
The last thing one wants is to have a brochure website because it doesn’t bring traffic unless you are a celebrity! Blogging is definitely still relevant Sarah and Kevin. What I love is mixing posts with videos and audio sometimes to provide variety and of course showcasing products and courses other than just services.