What is Blogging? Definition, Tools, and How to Monetize!

If you grew up in the 1990s and 2000s, blogging must have been a familiar term. As a digital native, you remember how blogs were an online sensation back then. People shared stories, opinions, experiences, and even troubles there. That was before social media came to the scene and changed the trajectory of the internet forever. Despite being rivaled by social media, blogs still exist. Why and how did that happen? Let’s dig deeper into what blogging is. 

What Does Blogging Actually Mean? 

Blogging is an activity of arranging an online journal or diary. A blog (an abbreviation of web log) was first introduced in the 1990s and emulated a personal diary where someone shares what they did, think, or plan. It is mostly random, but people were attracted to this personal journey.

In the 2000s–2010s, blogs were a prominent part of internet culture. Many bloggers were getting career breakthroughs because of their website’s popularity. As Google introduced the AdSense program, bloggers may get ad revenue from organic traffic. If you ask, can blogging earn you money? The answer is yes. Blogging can also open opportunities for partnerships with brands. Many authors or public figures started their careers as bloggers before hitting the jackpot, such as broadcasting or publishing contracts. 

Other Forms of Blog: Vlog and Podcast 

However, in the early 2010s, YouTube started to take over. Instead of regular blogging with text and images, people were intrigued by the new form of blogging that heavily relies on visuals. It is called a video blog or simply “vlog”. Instead of writing, video is deemed to be more engaging and visually pleasing.

When YouTube was acquired by Google, AdSense was introduced to content creators and attracted more users to publish their videos. Like their predecessors, those vloggers found themselves opening more commercial opportunities. Not limited to AdSense, they can also attach affiliate shop links, create collaboration videos with corporations or commercial enterprises, and much more. 

However, as vlogging became more saturated, in the mid 2010s, podcasts transformed into promising forms of content. With only audio, podcasts offer versatility and flexibility for consumers. It does not require your full attention as you can consume it while working, cooking, driving, or doing other activities. 

In the late 2020s, the competition was getting more difficult with the introduction of short-form videos. TikTok started the trend (although in the past, you may have known Vine), followed by Meta with Instagram Reels and Google with YouTube Shorts. Short-form videos gain popularity as it provides instant dopamine with fast transitions and enticing audio or background music. Compared to reading text, internet users, particularly younger ones, would be more enchanted by this. 

The Rise of Traditional Blogging: Medium and Substack 

The catch is that blogging is not actually dead. Despite competing with podcasts, vlogs, and short-form videos, blogging is slowly making a comeback. The rise of partially free platforms such as Medium and Substack is one of the triggers. In the past, you needed to make your own website with Blogspot (Blogger) or WordPress. It is mostly free, unless you want to add more features or plugins and rent a custom domain. 

However, they need you to do independent maintenance and adjustment. You need to handle SEO (search engine optimization) on your own, adjust security measures to prevent spam and attacks, and also customize the page design. With modern blogging platforms like Medium and Substack, you do not need to worry about those things. The mechanism is similar to creating a social media account, starting with registration and a little personalization of the profile, you can start to post an article and upload images. They offer minimalist design, drag and drop features, and relatively unlimited storage (there is no limit on the number of posts, only the maximum size of uploaded media). 

Another appealing feature is the community they have. You do not need to seek readers or visitors as the platforms already have users who post and consume content within their ecosystem, similar to social media. The difference is that the post emulates a blog with text as the main form of content. In the midst of the brainrot phenomenon, people started to come back to text again, preventing themselves from over-consuming short-form and fast-paced videos. Those platforms also offer monetization, permitting writers to earn income from users’ subscription fees. 

How to use a blog to build personal branding? 

So, do you still think blogging is outdated? If you are planning to upgrade your career, a blog can be the answer. It is not an exclusive path, but one of the most effective steps you can consider. If you look at successful bloggers in the past, they actually optimized their blogs to build what we now call personal branding.

What is blogging for personal branding? It is a deliberate practice of showcasing your skills and unique points of view. Using the same mechanism as vloggers and public figures, you can create a particular impression about yourself through blogging. If you are not the type of person who likes to perform in front of a camera, text-based content will benefit you like no other. A blog allows you to build a community consisting of like-minded people and, at the same time, hone your writing skills. Bonus, you do not have to look good for the camera.

Blogging for personal branding is ideal if you work in a sector that requires excellent writing skills, such as journalism, academia, and publishing & literature. However, if you work in other sectors, what is blogging still has its own benefits for you. There are many bloggers with a tech background, entertainment, and even health, who give fresh perspectives and necessary education. 

Blogging is beneficial for corporate

What is blogging without the benefit anyway? Corporations have used blogs for profit many times. They usually make a dedicated page for blogs on their websites. Yet, instead of promoting their products directly, they often lure visitors with educational or informative articles. This may not immediately affect the sales, but it will help them to spread brand awareness. 

Letterboxd’s Journal can be one of the great examples of this. For context, Letterboxd is a combination of film database and social media for cinephiles, but unlike other social media platforms, they regularly post long-form articles. On their blog, staff may recommend films, elaborate interviews, and sometimes promote their new features or products. Letterboxd’s Journal can also be used as collaborative projects with production houses, distributors, film festival organizers, etc. 

IBM and Coursera are other success stories of what blogging is for corporate interests. They often cover general topics, but offer rich and detailed informative articles, which makes their page authority grow really fast. LinkedIn Blog is another interesting practice of blogging principles. As a social media platform, but specialized for professional matters, LinkedIn adopted a blogging platform initiative. They allow users to create long-form posts that mimic traditional blogs, and many use that chance to build brand awareness, both for personal or collective interests.  

A blog is the heart of a non-profit organization

The context will be a little different if you work for a non-profit organization. Blogging can be the heart of your operation, as many non-profit institutions rely on donations and charity. In order to win people’s hearts, blog posts can be used to share stories of the beneficiaries or grantees, introduce initiatives or programs, and many other possibilities to explore.

How blogs evolve in the visual era 

The question is, does blogging matter in the light of visual content trends? Are they still relevant and attractive to internet users? The answer might be a surprise. Despite being rivaled by visual-based content, many users are still drawn to blogs. It is only natural that human brains process visual content more quickly and better than text. In the height of capitalism, people are also attracted to images, infographics, and short videos rather than regular text. They help us absorb information faster, and that is often necessary in a fast-paced work environment. 

However, for many reasons, texts are deemed more versatile. First, it is easier to edit or revise compared to images or video. You only need minimal effort. Second, search engines find text to be easier to index, meaning your text-based content is more evergreen compared to visual content. Those explain why blogs still exist and are consistently needed, despite being dubbed as outdated and less appealing. For corporations and businesses, text-based content helps them to stay relevant, particularly if they can maintain page authority and trustworthiness, which allows their pages to be shown on top of search engine result pages (SERP). 

Your blogs can also be cited by AI 

In the midst of growing AI usage, you can also still rely on blogs to stay germane. What is blogging relevance in the AI era anyway? You may think AI started replacing search engines, but the reality shows otherwise. AI relies on search engines to generate responses, which means there are chances that your page or blogs are cited by AI chatbots to answer users’ questions.

AI may make you feel writing is useless. When you need hours, even days and weeks to finish a piece of text, AI can do it in a matter of seconds or minutes. This seems unfair, but you need to understand that AI can make unique blog posts like you. They may emulate how humans write, but they can copy your personal thoughts and experiences. Internet users, particularly the chronically online ones, can easily detect which texts are made by AI and which are made by humans. There are clear patterns that can be read to distinguish them, so your anxiety about having to compete with AI is utter nonsense. 

How to monetize your personal blog

There are many questions regarding what a blogger is and whether blogging can make money. Well, a blogger is simply a person who posts content on a website, mostly as an individual rather than representing an institution. They may do it for a hobby or as a professional which means money plays a part there. It means, yes, you can earn income from blogging, whether from ad revenue, subscription fees, affiliate marketing, or partnerships with brands. However, do not think it is an instant process. Here are the steps and tips you ned to know before getting into a personal blog. 

• Create your own page or website; you can use free or paid platforms. Take time to read their terms and conditions and understand each of the points. If your budget allows, you can also rent a custom domain and hosting. This makes your page look more professional, easier to remember, and highly customizable. 
• Apply for the monetization option. If you use a custom domain and or host, including Blogspot and WordPress, you can apply for the AdSense program. Follow the steps and requirements, and after that, your page may display targeted ads, and if you have enough traffic, you can get cuts from ad revenue. If you use blogging platforms such as Medium and Substack, you need to apply for their own monetization programs. Their T&C will be different from AdSense. For Medium, you have to be registered for the Medium Partner Program (MPP) to activate the monetization option. Substack allows you to get paid directly by your audience through direct subscriptions. However, the platform will cut 10% from your revenue. 
• Consistency is the key, particularly if you are a new blogger or writer without a prior reputation. Post consistently can be the foundation to build trust and impression, it is also the essence of the subscription fees. Respect readers who are willing to pay to read your content. If you happen to use AdSense instead, consistency is still a prominent element. Remember, you need organic traffic to earn ad revenue. 
• Do not ever think of plagiarising content. The search engine system will automatically detect it and potentially flag your page as a scam. However, in some cases, they may miss it and allow your page to be indexed, but it is worth considering the risks. 

How to use a blog for marketing purposes 

To fulfill of understanding of what blogging is, we can start using blogging as a source of income. Earning income from a blog sounds like a dream come true. It offers a flexible career, but it is worth noting that not all bloggers can rely on their blogs as the main source of income. If you like to write and want to explore careers in blogging, consider doing it professionally for companies or businesses. Blogging can be one of the marketing strategies, and you can offer your services. So, what can you write for the company’s blog? These are several content ideas you can use to help them market their brands. 

• Industry trends and data

There are many reputable companies that share their annual data, projections, and predictions on certain issues, which may be used as a reference by various entities, journalists, independent researchers, or related industries. 

• General informations

You can also attract audiences to visit your company’s page by offering generic information. However, make it as detailed and accurate as possible. You can also add a CTA (call-to-action) to improve sales, use the soft-selling method if you can. 

• Mix your text with visual content 

Mixing text and visuals can be a great step to attract visitors. It can be an educational video or an infographic. It is not only appealing to visitors, but it can also help your page rank higher in search engine image results. 

• Myth-busters

There are many myths that orbit around your industry, and as an expert on that sector, blogs can be utilized to help you clear up the confusion and educate the public. 

• Human side of the company 

This can be shown from the perspective of consumers or employees of the company. What they did to be there, what benefits they earn, what their impressions of the products are, and many more. 

In short, the key to using a blog as a marketing tool for a company is slowly building trust and professional impressions of the company. A company’s blog needs to showcase and prove expertise as well as a deep understanding of the industry they are in. 

Platforms for blogging 

After answering the question of what blogging is above, we certainly need to know what platforms to use to post blogs. These platforms are important to ensure that your content is visible to all internet users. You need to know several platforms to upload and publish your blogs. 

We recommend six blog platforms you can use to start your blogging journey. For beginners, we recommend that you use the free blogging platforms to reduce the costs and just make high-quality content. You can learn first before trying paid blogging platforms. 

1. Blogspot/Blogger

Blogger, or Blogspot, is a free platform owned by Google that facilitates internet users to create and manage a website. They offer free hosting (with limited storage) and a built-in domain (your website address follows with .blogspot.com). However, you are allowed to use your own custom domain and link it to your free hosting from Blogger/Blogspot. As they offer a simple design and interface, this platform is quite light and fast. 

2. WordPress

If you want to add more personalization, WordPress might be the best option. WordPress offers two different options: WordPress.com and WordPress.org. What is the difference? WordPress.com is identical to Blogspot; they offer free, limited hosting and a built-in domain. Meanwhile, WordPress.org, despite being free, requires separate hosting and a domain. As WordPress does not provide them, you need to rent them separately from a third party such as Hostinger, Namecheap, or GoDaddy. 

3. Squarespace

If you want one-stop service, Squarespace can be the answer. Their system is identical to WordPress.org, but they offer domain and hosting within their service. That is why Squarespace has several plans and payment options. Each plan depends on the storage space and features you can enjoy as a user. However, it is possible to connect a domain name that you rent from other parties to your Squarespace account. If you like something like that, you can also check on Wix, which offers an identical type of service. 

4. Medium 

Medium is a free blogging platform that emulates how social media works. Here, you do not need to worry about the domain and hosting. You can focus on content creation, yet the downside is that you cannot customize anything. For monetization, you should also follow their terms and conditions. You have to join and fulfill the requirements that they set at the Medium Partner Program (MPP). 

5. Substack

Substack has similarities to Medium in many ways. Their interface and system are identical to social media. You can focus on content creation without having to manage the domain and hosting. Unlike Medium, Substack allows you to activate direct paid subscriptions or tier-based content. They will cut 10 percent of your revenue. 

6. Webflow

Webflow is a robust blogging platform and has gained popularity these days. This platform is similar to Squarespace and WordPress.com, which offer a domain and hosting service. By using Webflow, you can customize the blog website easily and create an intuitive CMS without the help of web developers. However, the Webflow free version is very limited, and you need to use the paid service to get a custom domain and protection.  

Conclusion 

Apart from that, many people try to re-learn how to “read” again to heal brainrot, reduce short video addiction, and prevent consuming AI slop, which means there is growing enthusiasm for long-form texts these days. If you love writing, this can be your sign to revive your blogging hobby and maybe utilise it to earn a side income. If you happen to run a business, blogs can be considered as one of your marketing strategies. However, you must consider optimizing your content to meet SEO standards and be ready to compete with other high-quality content at the top of the search engine result pages (SERPs). 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about What is Blogging?

1. Can you make a living through blogging? 

Yes, you can make a living with blogging, as blogs can be monetized. However, it needs patience and consistency. You need to build trust and reputation; in that case, you need to make sure to create high-quality content that offers freshness, accuracy, and unique value. 

2. Can anyone start and do blogging even without experience? 

Yes, absolutely. Anyone can do blogging, even someone who has no experience, as long as they have a willingness to write blog posts. However, people who love to write tend to do this because they have a skill in content writing and know how to engage and talk with the readers through their words.

3. Should businesses do blogging to promote their brand? 

Yes, we are encouraging businesses to do blogging and optimize their articles to meet the SEO standards and get a higher rank on Google search engine result pages (SERPs). This is one of the ways to promote their brand and increase brand awareness among the target audience. 

4. Is there a standard number of words to write a blog post? 

No, there is no standard number of words. However, in SEO content writing, there are target words to ensure that your content can compete with other similar content. Some of the articles have fewer words, but they still can rank in the top position if they focus on quality instead of quantity. 

5. What are other forms of blogging? 

The other forms of blogging are vlog, or video blog, and podcast. If blogging is writing-based content, vlogs are video-based content which showing about many topics, including daily lives, travels, reviews, and others. Meanwhile, podcasts are content that only uses audio, but they have similarities with vlogs and regular blogs. 

6. Does an article on a blog have to follow SEO standards? 

Yes, in particular if you want to monetize your blog post. However, the optimization of blog posts to meet the SEO standard is not required, and you can use it only for a diary to express your feelings. Therefore, blogging is actually up to the person who created it; if they pursue monetization, then they must follow SEO rules to be able to rank at the top and attract many visitors. 

7. What do we need to do before trying to write blog content? 

Before trying to write a blog, you need to do some research and find similar content. By doing this, you will understand the content format and make a difference to the published content, and ensure that you have your own authenticity. As we know, authorativeness is one of the assessments from Google to determine the content that is potentially to be ranked in the top 10. 

8. What free platforms can be used for blogging? 

The fully free platforms for blogging are Medium and Substack because you do not need to pay for a domain and hosting. You can just sign up for those platforms and start writing. However, by using Medium and Substack, you cannot customize and personalize your account. In addition, if you want to monetize the blogs, there are only limited options for monetization.  

9. What are the full-service platforms for blogging? 

If you want to use a full-service platform or a one-stop platform, then Squarespace and Webflow are the answer. By using Squarespace and Webflow, you do not need the help from third-party services to host your domain. However, you may consider the paid option for your subscription to get a custom domain and hosting on those two platforms.