What is a Blog and How Does it Work?

Updated from a post originally published in 2016.

Do you find some of the online lingo spotted on this and other websites confusing? Well, you’re not alone. In this post, what is a blog and how does it work, my goal is to make a few of those murky terms a bit clearer.

As I create content for my website, I routinely find myself using words and phrases that I was unfamiliar with at the beginning of this online venture.

That’s not terribly surprising, is it?

After all, the explosion of the World Wide Web has unquestionably expanded our vocabulary.  We, as retirees, may not have kept pace with that expansion.

From the volume of comments in my inbox, I knew that I should share some background information I’ve learned with my readers. So, here goes!

What is the Definition of a Blog?

Here is the Wikipedia definition.  A blog is a discussion or informational site published on the World Wide Web consisting of discrete entries (“posts”) typically displayed in reverse chronological order (the most recent post appears first).

The word itself is a shortened version of the term web log.  We’ve come a long way since the term “blog” was first coined in 1999.

Popularity of Blogs

The first blogs began to appear on the scene in the late 1990s. The popularity of blogs has exponentially grown over time because tools have evolved. These phenomenal tools allow blog creation with virtually no technical skill required. There are also many avenues for creating free blogs such as blogger.com.

As a result of these technology advances, well over 200 million blogs exist today. Blog topics run the full gamut including personal online journals, news, political commentary, and any imaginable niche-related topic. The NY Times provides a categorized list of well-known blogs that may give you some sense of the diversity out there.

Go ahead and explore the list a bit. Or, bookmark a few for later because no matter what your interests are, you’re bound to find some excellent reads!

Blog vs. Website

All blogs are websites in that they have a unique address on the web. But it’s not true that all websites are blogs. Unlike blogs which are continuously updated with new and fresh articles, some websites contain only static pages of content. These pages are often referred to as evergreen content.

Brick and mortar businesses often have websites of a static nature that provide information on available products or services that the business offers. In many respects, these sites are similar to a product catalog or a brochure.

Distinctions Between Blogs and Other Websites Have Become Blurred

Today, many sites combine evergreen web pages with blog posts. The development of powerful Content Management System (CMS) software like WordPress has made this easy to accomplish. Niche websites, such as my own, often use this approach and many small businesses now see value in adding a blog.

The primary purpose of any site is to provide useful information to a target audience, and this is accomplished very effectively with a blog. Bloggers use keyword research and participate in online forums to stay abreast of the buzz and respond to reader concerns in a more timely manner.

Webmasters use web pages to communicate very basic but essential information that is relevant to core visitors and is not expected to change significantly. Some examples on my site are Getting Started Online, Build A Website and Monetize Your Site.  These are “evergreen” because they represent fundamental topics for anyone interested in making money online.

The blogging component of my site then allows me to consistently supplement these pages with additional information through new articles. As a result, I stay in touch and interact more frequently with my readers.

I write blog posts to

• answer specific questions from readers (like this one ),
• provide helpful tips to new bloggers,
• review useful tools,
• and share related and pertinent topics with my visitors.

One website page, frequently the homepage, functions as a blogroll. This page lists the title of each post published on the site individually along with a snippet of information. Just click the Read More button to explore the entire article. The blogroll is often a treasure trove of intriguing topics. Therefore, this is always my first stop when I discover a new website.

How Does a Blog Work?

Blogs function as a dynamic communication tool. You present relevant, fresh information to a target audience on a regular basis. The ability to use text, images, video, and links to related articles makes this medium a powerful one.

The multimedia aspect makes it easy to understand the almost universal appeal, doesn’t it? Another fabulous aspect of a blog is that it encourages and enhances reader engagement by soliciting comments and feedback. Popular bloggers write in an informal, conversational style. Thus, they invite dialog.

Quality blog posts offer numerous benefits including improved search engine rankings and increased traffic. Google loves to see the addition of information-rich blog posts and will crawl the website more frequently. The use of appealing keywords draws viewers to your site and may trigger return visits.

Please enjoy the video below. We’re all visual creatures, right? So, here is an easy to understand visual depiction of what a blog is and how it works. I know this will help pull these concepts together because it’s short, colorful and engaging.

 

 

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