Are Blogs Still a Thing? 9 Effective Ways To Make An Eye-Catching Blog

When did you last check out a blog? Nowadays, things like videos, Instagram pictures, quick swipes, tweets, and other social media stuff seem more popular than blogs. Do people still read blogs?

A weblog, or blog, in short, is basically an online journal that an individual, a group, or a business entity stores and showcases their profiles, activities, ideas, and beliefs or feelings about certain topics. 

Has journaling or recording one’s activities, be it personal or corporate, gone out of style? Can that function be completely replaced by YouTube, IG, Twitter, or TikTok, for that matter? 

Let’s read through this article and find out.

What Is Blogging?

Blogging is one of the most talked-about methods of earning passive income, and practically every company or website has a blog. 

So, should you join the hype train too?

A blog is a website that produces articles or guides on all topics. They are primarily informational and can also act as a marketing tool, as the articles published on a blog can be short news articles, long how-to guides, comparison articles, reviews, or listicles. 

The main goal of blogs is to be informative. If they aren’t informative and catchy, they are lacking. If a blog lacks, readers spend less time and are less likely to return to your website. Having good quality content that is regularly updated is one of the best practices if you’re running a blog site or plan on making a blog site. 

Besides that, blogs act as a platform to show off products or services by businesses or as a personal safe haven that you can visit daily and write your mind off. After all, it’s fairly easy and cheap to start your own blogging website. 

Is Blogging Dead?

Since the majority of people nowadays are spending most of their time on their mobile phones, browsing social media sites where they get most of their information, some of them ask if blogging is already dead or not as popular as it used to be.

It’s still thriving, but people who aren’t working in the writing, marketing, or development industry might not be updated on how relevant blogging still is because they have nothing to do with it. 

Blogs are needed for certain industries, especially in business. 

Every business needs a good website, and a good website needs to be made great by the content on it. That content comes from the writers who write good quality blog posts. Those posts on the blog attract new and old readers, which means more traffic for the website, which is good for business. 

The other reason why people could be asking that question is that they want information as to how relevant it is because they want to start their blogging website and see how beneficial it is.

Since it’s an easy and cheap way to start something that could turn out to be big, it’s not that hard to think that people might be interested in it.

If you skip your usual takeout this week, you’ll be able to start a blog and start working on building a passive income. Blogging is my #1 passive income source nowadays, and I absolutely love and recommend it. 

Blogging: Then and Now

The first sign of blogging becoming famous came in 2003 when Google purchased Blogger; the blogging scene went mainstream. But, even before that, from 1994, the concept of online blogging had been around. 

Blogs back then were very tech-heavy. They were related to coding and primarily contained educational content. These requirements changed in 1998 when Jonathan Dube made a blog regarding a hurricane, and people realized the potential of blogging beyond just programming and technical subjects.

Blogging, Democratized

As a result, multiple new blogs popped up around the internet. 

1999 is when the term “blog” first came to light. Many blogs came and didn’t stand the test of time, but some refused to die and are still around. Blogging platforms, like LiveJournal founded in 1999, are still operational to this day. 

After that, the blogging platform Blogger, which Google purchased, made big waves and started the blogging trend that lasts to this day. 

In that same year, AdSense was introduced by Google, which allowed people to earn through their blogs. This development brought even more attention to blogging.

The Shift

When Google implemented strict SEO policies and mobile responsiveness, blogging websites were most affected. Statistics showed that, in 2015, half of the traffic was coming from mobile users, and older websites were not made compatible with small mobile screens.

Nowadays, blogging is necessary because it has transitioned from personal blogs to a marketing tool. Digital marketing is the way to go, and the days of hardcore marketing are long gone. Companies with high-quality blogs with the latest search engine optimization (SEO) policies implemented more than 50% extra traffic.

So, blog posts had a tough one-way start, but the approach has become more fluid throughout the years. Blogs are much more than they used to be and a crucial tool for businesses to make money. 

Why Blogging is Still Relevant: Some Statistics

There is no doubt that blogging is still very much relevant. It’s just not the same type of blogging that it once was. In the old days, blogs were more personal, and it was all about the person who was writing them. It could be about how their day went, memorable events, or struggles, but now it’s all about the person reading them. 

Below are some of the statistics that highlight the relevance of blogging: 

• 70 million WordPress blogs are published each month 
• Websites with blogs have more SEO-optimized indexed pages (434%).
• 97% more traffic through links for companies who publish blogs
• How-to articles drive 17% more traffic to your website
• 77% of the total users read blogs 
• 85% of B2C companies use blogs as a tool for marketing 
• 91% of B2B companies use blogs as a marketing tool

These are a few of the statistics, but even if we look at these numbers, it’s apparent that blogging is far from dead and even more relevant than before.

Why You Should Start Blogging?

If you’re not blogging, then, statistically speaking, you’re at a massive disadvantage. 

High-quality blogs boost your website to the top page, improve its SEO, and build authority. In addition, it’s an essential aspect of building trust between your company and the readers.

How does it build trust, you may ask? Human psychology has been an essential aspect of developing SEO strategies. Specific keywords that people are looking for, how to write headlines that people will click on, etc. All of these combined result in great content. 

Great content means more people clicking through to your site and even better marketing. People are more likely to stay on your website and click on affiliate links, which will generate revenue and make your blog more profitable. 

How To Start A Blog?

Do you want to know how to create a blog and make money blogging? Here’s a short guide for you to get started.

After you have identified your objectives for blogging, you can now think of and choose your niche. Basically, this is what your blog will be about or the topics that you will cover. For instance, you want to create a blog on DIY crafts; thus, all your content will be about this topic. 

The next step would be choosing your preferred blog platform. Personally, I use a WordPress blog hosted by Bluehost. 60% of bloggers are using WordPress to publish their blogs, and Bluehost is a very popular hosting platform – they host over 2 MILLION blogs worldwide.

How to Make Your Blog Stand Out?

There are a couple of ways to make your blog stand out and drive traffic to your site. But, before that, there is something fundamental that you need to understand.

Blogging nowadays is all about the person who is reading them. So, catering to the reader means making it short yet informative. If you don’t capture the reader’s attention in the first few moments, it’s doubtful that they’ll stay around for long. 

With that in mind, let’s move to the main bit, shall we?

There are a couple of popular categories you could start from or cater to make your blog stand out. These include digital marketing, writing about blogs, food, health, nutrition, and fitness. 

Some other niches you could target are self-care, music, finance, travel, fashion, sports, politics, etc. Write what you’re passionate about. 

Once you’ve decided what you want your blog to be about, it’s time to make it pop out from the rest of the competition. There are specific strategies and blog tips you could use to get that outcome. Check them out below. 

1. Provide Competitive Quality 

This point should be a no-brainer at this point. Good quality has been highly emphasized throughout this article, and that is for a good reason. 

The competition is very rough, and only the blogs with the highest quality stand out—survival of the fittest. 

2. Create a Strategy

Most people have no idea what to write about when starting a blog. It’s recommended to research and then formulate a strategy that best ties in with your goals. For example, starting a blog about politics when you’re passionate about food and travel isn’t the best strategy.

Write about what you’re good at and what you’re passionate about. It’ll come to you more naturally, and readers can sense that. The content will be more human. 

So, writing about food and travel will give you an edge in research, and blog content will be more informative and helpful for your readers, resulting in them revisiting your website.

3. Add Visual Content

Blogs are textual pieces that provide information, but that doesn’t mean a little diversity will hurt your blog website. Add visual content like videos and photos to increase your reach and make your blog more user-friendly and interactive. 

It’ll help people consume information quickly and through a comfortable format, building a sense of trust, a little of which goes a long way. 

4. Enhance User Experience 

It doesn’t matter how well optimized your content is or how informative it is. People will not visit your website if it doesn’t have a good user experience. 

I’m sure you know how frustrating it can be if the website is loading slowly. The color scheme is borderline trying to blind you, and the font style and text are horrendous. These are a couple of things you need to look out for and focus on. 

Your blog should have good readability, which means a reasonable font size and style and a color scheme to match it. For example, don’t go with a black background with orange text. Fast reload speeds and navigation are crucial. You risk losing blog traffic if it takes too long as readers will quickly shift to another website. 

5. Be Up to Date With SEO Strategies 

The SEO algorithm is constantly evolving and adapting. To make sure you hold your position in the ranks, you’ll need to be up to date with the current SEO strategies. Write your posts following it and change the old content.

If your content is not optimized correctly regarding the new updates, it’ll lose to its competition, and you’ll have to start again. This reality is a vital aspect of blogging that you cannot ignore. 

6. Expand to Other Platforms

If you’re only relying on your website to reach your target audience, you might be missing out on a lot. In the age of social media, it’s nothing less than foolish not to take advantage of multiple available platforms. 

Depending on the type of website or blog you run, you could use popular platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, etc. For example, if you have a DIY blog or a fitness blog, you could link your YouTube channel for a more in-depth guide and visual representation or link it the other way around. 

If you’re running a fashion or food and travel blog, you could use Instagram to post your pictures or shorts and then link your readers to your profile or link them to your website from your Instagram or TikTok account.

Your content will be easier to share and access, giving you more blog traffic. 

7. Update the Content Regularly 

Many people make the mistake of not updating their old content. Unfortunately, old content eventually loses its ranking if it’s not updated regularly.

For example, you’re writing about a series, and at that time, you covered everything there was about it. Then, two months later, a new season drops, bringing with it new content.

You should update your blog post with the latest information so it keeps its rank and drives more readers to your website. 

8. Hit the Right Format

Good format can be the deciding factor on whether readers stay on your website or quickly tab out. 

Great walls and blocks of text are off-putting and intimidating. Dividing and formatting your content is an excellent way to make it more readable. Add in more headers and bullet lists. The more division, the better. 

Title length is something the readers first lay their eyes on, so it should convey the message yet be catchy. Don’t have super long titles.

The consensus is that 6 to 13 words are the sweet spot for headings. It’s the right amount of words to get the point across without using too many words. 

There are free themes and WordPress themes and plugins that you can utilize to make your website look attractive. 

9. Pace Your Publishing Frequency

If you’re writing blog posts every day and publishing them all at the end of the month, that will do your website no favors. 

Instead, it’s better to divide and have consistent publishing frequency. At least one article a day will increase your reach tremendously compared to posting once or twice a week.

You need to consider these points if you’re looking to start your blog and make money when you monetize your blog. After that, you can take advantage of free blogging platforms and start your free blog. 

It’s fairly easy and cheap to set up a blogging website. Since it’s an easy and cheap way to start something that could turn out to be big, it’s not that hard to think that people might be interested in it. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Are Blogs Still a Thing?

Are Blogs Still a Thing?

Yes, Blogs are still a thing, and they are here to stay.

Are People Still Doing Blogs?

Yes, people are still using blogs for traditional journaling purposes and digital marketing. 

What Replaced Blogs?

In the modern age, social media is king, but blogs haven’t been replaced. People aren’t writing “online diaries,” but the use of blogs has shifted from personal diary-style to digital marketing. 

Nowadays, blogs combined with social media platforms are vital for every business and individual looking to stand out in the market. 

Is There a Future for Blogging? 

There is a future for blogging. The future consists of digital marketing, and blogging is at its core. 

Conclusion – Are Blogs Still a Thing?

Blogs have adapted and will continue to adapt to new technologies and social media’s advanced functionalities. Moreover, it will constantly redefine and retool itself according to the users’ changing needs. 

As such, blogs will never go out of style.

If you’re thinking about starting a personal blog, just do it. With the low costs, it’s very easy to start. Just be aware that it may take some time before you will get regular traffic to your site.