If you are thinking about starting a blog and are wondering are blogs still popular, then let me put your mind at ease right here and right now.
Blogs are still very popular however the way people read blogs has changed drastically.
Let’s examine the current trends and what do readers want in a blog post to want to read them.
But first…
What Is Blog And Blogging?
“Never allow waiting to become a habit. Live your dreams and take risks. Life is happening now.” – Paulo Coelho
A blog is a website published on the internet and available to the general public to visit and read. It is a type of a website that consists of informal text entries. Blogs are often presented in a diary or journaling style and are usually displayed in a reverse chronological order where the most recent post appears first. Some websites are strictly blog websites where other websites only have a section dedicated to blogging.
Blogging is the act of composing and publishing blog posts.
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Why Blog In The First Place?
“You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.” – Henry Ford
Where are two different approaches to why someone would want to start blogging:
Approach #1 – use blogging to enhance your existing website
- make more money
- expend your professional network
- get more exposure
- market your business
You already have a website and you are using blog and blogging to keep this website relevant and fresh.
Approach #2 – want to express yourself and make a difference
You want to express yourself and make a difference in the world. You also want to do the following:
- share your passions
- share your knowledge and expertise
- make a difference in the world
- help people in need
Regardless of which approach motivated you to start blogging, they all interconnect in the end. If you are using approach number 1 to enhance your existing blog, you will find out very quickly that the best way to do it, is to share your passions, knowledge, expertise, to help people and to make a difference.
And vice versa, when you start your blog because of the reasons outlined in the second approach, you will find that it will lead you to being able to make money on your blog, to expend your network and get more exposure.
In the end, the starting approach doesn’t matter as both of them will naturally interconnect. However, in my personal experience, the second approach is more exciting and pleasurable. Focusing on your passion and wanting to make a difference in the world allowed me to focus entirely on what I enjoyed doing most. The second approach aspects came in later on, almost as a site effects of the first.
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Why Are Blogs And Blogging Important?
“It’s never too late to become who you want to be. I hope you live a life that you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start over.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald
Whether you are thinking about starting your own blog or if you already have an existing website and thinking about adding a blog component or revamping your existing blog section, below are very important aspects to keep in mind:
- Blogs are important for SEO
Google seems to favor sites that have large amount of quality and relevant content. Blogs allow you to create quality content using relevant keywords and as a result increase Google search ranking.
- Blogging helps with traffic
Blogging will significantly increase traffic to your site by making your site fresh and relevant. It will make your site appear bigger and gives you the flexibility to highlight different keywords.
- Blogging builds authority
Blogging can be used to showcase your knowledge and expertise as well as fresh and unique outlook on current topics. You can build authority by posting quality content with relevant information and consistent frequency. Posting relevant and informative articles several times a week will get the attention and give you the reputation of an authority source in the industry.
- Blogs keep your website fresh and relevant
Whatever the niche of your website, blogging is a way to keep it current and relevant. By posting fresh and interesting content frequently you will improve the relevance of your entire website.
- Blogs as a soft approach to selling
How customers buy products and services has changed significantly over the years. Gone are the days of hard selling and cold calling. Customers will buy if they feel a connection. People tend to do business with companies that really know their stuff. You can achieve that by frequent blogging posts.
- Blogs engage people
Blogging will allow you to engage people. By asking questions you can engage people in conversations and build on their initial interests. You can further engage people by asking for their inputs, feedback, opinions, suggestions, etc. and participate in meaningful exchanges.
- Blogs allow connecting on a persona level and building relationships
Blogs will allow you to connect with people and build relationships with them. By inviting your visitors to interact, you can further develop the connection.
Now that we have discussed why you would want to start a blog and why blogs are important, let’s look at some strategies to make sure our blogs are successful. You will be putting a lot of time and effort into blogging, let’s make sure we do it the right way so that people are reading your posts. Blogging is still very popular and relevant but the way people read blogs has changed drastically. Let’s see how:
How To Write A Blog So People Will Read It
“Whatever is good for your soul…do that.” – Unknown
The way people read blogs changes over time. If you want people reading your blogs you have to stay on top of the changes and adopt accordingly. Below are some pointers to writing blog posts that people will want to read:
- easy to skim
Make your blog posts easy to skim for your readers. Use headings and subheadings as well as visual aid. People do not read articles word for word, they skim through them first for the information that they are seeking and only if you are able to capture their attention with headings and visual aid, they might go back and read the entire post.
- personal approach
Your readers are looking for a connection. If you can make your articles relatable, you have captured their attention. They might even contribute by engaging in a conversation in your comments section.
- unique content
There is a lot of information on a lot of topics on the internet. Your readers are looking for a unique content. If you can present your content in a different and unique approach from everyone else, you will be able to capture your readers attention.
- captivating introduction
Your introduction must be captivating enough for the reader to want to continue reading.
- use sensory words
If you can engage the readers senses, you have captured their attention. Put yourself in their shoes and appeal to their senses. Ask questions and use images to achieve that.
- give advice
If you can offer a valuable advice, whether the reader is asking for it or not, your blog will have value to the reader. Not only they will continue to read the post but they will be back for more.
- offer inspiration
Regardless of the topic of the blog post, always find a way to offer inspiration to the reader. It will make them feel good and they will be back for more inspiration.
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Other Questions About Blogs And Blogging
“Do something now; your future self will thank you for later.” – Unknown
Is it possible to start a blog for free?
Yes, you can start a blog for free but if you are hoping to eventually start earning money from your blog, you should get your own domain and self-hosted platform.
Is it difficult to start a blog?
No, but it helps if you enjoy writing. Also, consistency and strong quality content is required for a successful blog.
How much does it cost to start a blog?
There are many different free platforms if the purpose of your blog is a hobby. If you are looking to build more professional looking blogging website as a business it could be anywhere from $5 – $100 per month depending on which platform you choose. My personal favorite is Wealthy Affiliate.
How often should I blog?
4 times a week is best but the key is consistency. Whatever frequency you decide on, make sure you stick to the schedule. Consistency helps with Google ranking and helps your visitors know what to expect.
How to consistently come up with ideas for new posts?
You will have to do research. Keep taps on important issues happening around the world. Subscribe to forums that will tell you what kind of questions people are asking and address them in your blog.
How long should my posts be?
There in no ideal length of a post. Some successful posts are 300 words and some are over 2500. With practice, you will know what is your ideal post length. My personal suggestion is not less than 1000 words. Longer posts are better as long as you do not sacrifice quality. Make your posts as long as it takes to get your point across.
What is the best advice for blogging?
- listen to your readers, get ideas for posts from them
- take the time to understand your readers
- always answer questions in a timely fashion
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I hope you have enjoyed the article. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below.
Now, that most of your questions are answered, why not take the next step? Jump right in, start your own blog. What do you have to lose?
Wow, I absolutely enjoyed visiting this site. It is motivational, the choice of quotes that you so elegantly add to each post, the display and colours are great. The content is truly helpful, relevant, and beautifully shared. It is kind of uplifting and refreshing. Very informative, I have lots to learn from it. Thank you
Thank you Tania, I’m glad you have enjoyed the article. We all have a lot to learn from each other and this is the best part about Wealthy Affiliate. The community is very supportive and encouraging. We have a lot of experts that are willing to share their knowledge and expertise with everyone.
Hi,
What a great post for those considering starting a blog.
Having been a keen writer for some year, but never really knew a way of expressing those thoughts I held off until I decided to start a blog myself.
It’s daunting to do so as you can feel exposed as your putting your thoughts, feelings and emotions out there.
However, you should not worry, as people will no doubt find your content interesting if you put your unique spin on things.
Even if it doesn’t make money, it’s still a great way of expression.
Great read thanks.
Thank you for your comment. You make a really good point, that I remember struggling with a bit at first. As much as I was eager to start blogging and share my experiences with the world, the feeling of being exposed surprised me at first. When I think about it, it is not surprising at all, but I just didn’t consider it prior to starting blogging. You are very exposed to judgement and harsh opinions of others. You just have to learn to not take it personally and continue with your passion.
This is a well written and informative post. I think blogging is definitely the best way to share ideas, attract a targeted audience, and ultimately, make money. You are right that regular posting is key in getting traffic, and making each post clear and easy to read helps keep visitors on your site.
Thank you Kathy for your comment. Yes, consistency is very important. I have a regular schedule that I stick to no matter what. It also helps if you can have some spare articles written in case something happens and you are not able to write a new one. That way you will be able to follow your schedule.
I love browsing the internet and reading blogs. There are so many exciting things to learn. The internet is like a vast magazine that is always waiting to be opened and read. People are making a difference in this world by sharing what they know. I like the quote, “Do something now: your future self will thank you for later.” Those are inspiring words to keep trying and doing things that will bring a different tomorrow.
Hi Sharon, thank you for your comment. I agree with you 100%, people are making a difference by sharing their experiences with others. It is great to find a good advice, but the best experience is when you are going through something difficult in your life and you are able to connect with other people that have gone through the same thing or are currently going through it. The feeling of not being alone in the world, is a great feeling.
What a nice post you wrote! I really enjoyed reading it and I could not be silent about your post so I decided to leave my comment here and say Thank You for sharing this quality post with others.
Actually this is exactly the information that I was looking for information about the popularity of blogs and blogging in 2021 and when I landed on your website and read this post, it answered all my questions in detail.
So I’m happy that you decided to write about this topic and share it with people. It’s very useful and can definitely be used as a great source for everyone who is interested in this topic.
I will come back to your website again for sure and I’m looking forward to reading your new posts.)
Thanks!
Ali
Hi Ali, thank you for your comment. I’m really glad you found the information useful. Blogging is very popular and not hard to start but people still need to be aware of the effort, hard word and commitment that goes into it. Whether it’s just a hobby or a professional website, if we want anyone to be able to read our posts, we need to do our due diligence, learn the rules and apply them when blogging.
The way people read blogs change all the time. We need to stay on top of those changes and adapt accordingly to stay relevant to continue to have readers.
Hi Anna,
I really enjoyed reading it and I could not be silent about your post so I decided to leave my comment here and say Thank You for sharing this quality post with others.
This is so true, that regular posting will help in increasing the traffic to your page. Your post about blogging is so motivating. It is kind of uplifting and refreshing. Very informative, I have lots to learn from it.
I wasn’t bored even for a second while reading your posts because of your interesting tips and tricks about blogs and simple and crisp language.
Thanks
Cheers!
Hello Samantha, thank you for your comment. I’m glad you have enjoyed the article. That was exactly my goal, to share with others what I have learned. When it comes to blogging and content creation, there is so much to learn. If we can help each other, everyone wins.