The History of Blogs
Blogs evolved from online diaries and journals in the mid-90s. At that time, internet users were already running personal web pages where they published regular updates about their personal lives, thoughts, and social commentary. The term web log was first used during the late 90s, which later became ‘weblog’, then ‘we blog’, and finally just ‘blog’. Due to the growing number of such web pages, several tools started to appear, which made it easier for users to create online journals and personal blogs. These tools helped popularize blogging and made the technology accessible to non-technical users.
The same year, WordPress released its first version as a blogging platform in May 2003.
Today, WordPress is the world’s most popular blogging platform powering over 43% of all websites on the internet.
Blog or Website – Which One is Better?
As a beginner, you may be wondering whether you should start a blog or publish a website, which one is better? To be honest, the answer to this question really depends on what your goals are. Many small businesses around the world have traditional websites made up of just pages and no blog. Such small websites are often made to create an informational web presence for a business, organization, or individual. On the other hand, more and more businesses are realizing the potential of a blog in their overall marketing strategy. Business owners are adding a separate blog section to their traditional websites and using it to get more traffic from search engines. That’s because blogs are proven to improve search engine optimization (SEO).
Blogs also come with a RSS feed feature which allows users to stay updated with your latest posts. When a new post is published, the RSS feed is updated automatically.
Smart marketers often connect the RSS feed with an email newsletter or web push notification to send their users a notification alert about recent posts, product announcements, and more.
Take OptinMonster, it is a lead generation software and their website has traditional sales pages showcasing their product and features.
What is The Difference Between Blog and Website?
Blogs are a type of website. The only real difference between a blog and other types of website is that blogs are updated on a regular basis with new content, which is displayed in reverse chronological order (new blog posts first). Typical websites are static in nature where content is organized in pages, and they are not updated frequently. Whereas a blog is dynamic, and it is usually updated more frequently. Some bloggers publish multiple new articles a day.
Blogs can be part of a larger website. Often businesses have a blog section where they regularly create content to inform and educate their customers. You can use WordPress to create both, a website and blog, that’s why a lot of business owners use WordPress to build their small business website. In simple terms, all blogs can be a website or part of a website. However, not all websites can be called blogs. For example, WPBeginner is a blog and a website. Our website has other content which is published in a non-blog format like glossary, about us, and contact pages.
Why Do People Blog? What are The Benefits of Blogging?
Each individual blogger has their own motivation for blogging. Many of them use it as an alternative to keeping a diary or journal. Blogging sites provides them with a venue to share their creativity and ideas to a wider audience. Top brands and businesses create blogs to educate their customers, share news, and reach a wider audience. Blogging is an essential part of online marketing strategy for many businesses.
Following are just a few benefits of blogging.
Provides an avenue to organize your thoughts and ideas
Allows you to showcase your skills, creativity, and talents
Help individuals become an authority in their industry
Helps you socialize with interesting like-minded people online
Many bloggers make money blogging using various monetization methods
Businesses use blogging to bring more potential customers to their websites
Non-profits can use blogs to raise awareness, run social media campaigns, and influence public opinion
What is The Difference Between Blog Posts and Pages?
WordPress is the most popular blogging platform and a powerful content management system. By default, it comes with two content types: posts and pages. Often beginners get confused between the two. Blog posts are displayed in a reverse chronological order (newest to oldest) on your blog page because they are timely content which means your users will have to dig deeper to view older posts.Static pages are “one-off” type content such as your about page, contact page, products or services landing page, home page, and more.
To learn more, see our beginner’s guide on the difference between posts and pages.
Pages are usually used to create a website structure and layout. Even blogs can have pages alongside them (See our list of important pages that every blog should have.
How Do Bloggers Make Money?
Usually, people think of bloggers as hobbyists. While some people have lifestyle blogs, a large number of bloggers make money from their blog websites. This enables them to focus more on their blog, quit their day jobs, and build successful online businesses. The more successful blogs can make six-figure, seven-figure, and even eight-figure incomes in a year.
Below are a few ways that most bloggers use to make money from their blogs:
The most common and probably the easiest way to make money online is by displaying ads. However, as a new blogger, you will not be able to contact advertisers directly or manage them on your own. This is where Google AdSense comes in. It takes care of finding ads, displaying them, collecting payments from advertisers, and sending you those payments for a small cut. Many bloggers also make money through affiliate marketing. Basically, they recommend products on their websites and earn a commission when users buy those products. For example, you can share your favorite Amazon products and earn a referral fee when users purchase using your link.