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What Is Blogging?

Definition and Examples of Blogging

How Blogging Works

Blogging vs. traditional websites, pros and cons of blogging, requirements for a blog.

Burak Karademir / Getty Images

Blogging refers to writing, photography, and other media that's self-published online. Blogging started as an opportunity for individuals to write diary-style entries, but it has since been incorporated into websites for many businesses. The hallmarks of blogging include frequent updates, informal language, and opportunities for readers to engage and start a conversation.

Here's an overview of what a blog is, why it's popular, and tips for starting your own blog.

The word blog is actually a shortened form of its original name, "weblog." These weblogs allowed early internet users to "log" the details of their day in diary-style entries. Blogs often allow readers to comment, so as they became more common, communities sprung up around popular blogs.

The content of blogs varies significantly. For example, travel blogs may feature many pictures with few written passages, while political blogs may weigh in with wordy takes on the news of the day. The popularity of YouTube and similar sites also gave rise to video blogging, or "vlogging."

Like most internet-based innovations, many entrepreneurs saw marketing potential in having a blog, and the adoption of blogging among the business community helped further increase the popularity of the medium. Not only can a blog be used for marketing a business, but it can also become a home business in and of itself.

Blogging is as simple as obtaining a website and publishing original content on it. Tech-savvy bloggers can buy a domain name and build the website themselves. Those with less HTML knowledge can create an account with sites like WordPress that simplify the web design and publishing process.

Blogs are usually simple websites. Older pieces may be archived in separate sections of the site, and there may be a separate page with contact info or a bio, but the blog itself is usually just a single page that can be scrolled through—similar to the news feed on social media sites like Facebook. As with a Facebook news feed, a blog displays the newest content at the top of the page.

All of the posts on a blog are usually created by a single author. However, when a company or organization maintains a blog, it may pay for blog content—either by hiring a team of writers or buying content to post.

Another unique feature of blogging is interlinking. This occurs when a blogger links to another person's blog within their own blog post. For example, if a music teacher maintains a blog, and they write a blog post about how to form a chord, they might link to a musician's blog to show an example of the chords in action. A political blogger may link to another politics blog and then discuss how they agree or disagree with a post on that blog. Interlinking, along with the comment section, fosters the sense of community that makes blogs unique.

Some people are confused over what constitutes a blog over a website. Part of the confusion stems from the fact that many businesses use both, usually by adding a blog section to the company website. However, there are two features of a blog that set it apart from a traditional website.

First, blogs are updated frequently. Whether it's a mommy blog in which a woman shares adventures in parenting, a food blog sharing new recipes, or a business providing updates to its services, blogs have new content added several times a week. Websites might occasionally have new information, but for the most part, they offer static information that rarely changes.

Secondly, blogs allow for reader engagement. Blogs and social media accounts often go hand-in-hand because they serve a similar purpose of connecting an audience with each other and the content creator. Some websites may incorporate features that allow for conversation, but generally speaking, a blog allows for more conversation and interaction than a traditional website does.

Good for SEO

Maintains communication with customers

Builds rapport with customers

Generate alternate income

Time-consuming

Constantly requires fresh ideas

Payoff is delayed

Blogging in and of itself won't generate income

Pros Explained

• Good for SEO : Search engines love new content, and as a result, blogging is a great search engine optimization (SEO) tool. A defining feature of blogs is the frequency with which they're updated, and that fresh content helps improve a website's SEO performance.
• Maintains communication with customers : Blog posts can keep your customers and clients up-to-date on what's going on, let them know about new deals, and provide tips. The more frequently you post useful content, the more often a customer visits your blog, and the more likely they are to spend money.
• Builds rapport with customers : Not only does a blog allow you to show off what you know—building your expertise and credibility—but people can also post comments and interact with you. That allows customers to get to know you, and hopefully, develop relationships that turn into purchases.
• Generate alternate income : Successful blogs can make money themselves. Along with your product or service, blogs can generate income from alternate sources such as advertising and affiliate products.

Blogging is flexible and portable, making it a great option for people who want to be a lifestyle entrepreneur .

Cons Explained

• Time-consuming : The success of blogging comes from having people return, and they only return when there's new stuff to read. That means bloggers need to generate content at least several times a week to be effective at engaging readers and increasing SEO.
• Constantly requires fresh ideas : Posting several times per week won't be beneficial if the ideas aren't fresh and engaging. It can be draining to constantly conceptualize and execute fresh content. The good news is that you don't have to do it all yourself. You can have guest writers or hire freelancers. Another option is to curate content from others. You can buy private label right (PLR) content and modify it for your blog.
• Payoff is delayed : One of the biggest frustrations with blogging is that it's time-consuming with little payoff in the beginning. It takes time to build up a readership and momentum.
• Blogging in and of itself won't generate income : At one time, posting an article was enough to generate traffic and income. Today, a successful blog needs email marketing, additional perks such as content upgrades, and an engaged social network, such as a Facebook group.

The good news is that starting a blog or adding a blog to your existing site is relativity easy and affordable. All you have to do is follow these four steps.

Set Up the Blog

There are free blog options such as WordPress and Blogger, but to retain control and a professional image, consider investing in a domain name and a hosting service. You can install WordPress or another content management system on your host if you don't want to create the whole site from scratch.

Add Content

Once your blog is up and running, you need to keep it active with new content to grow your business. Develop a set schedule for writing and posting blog articles. Create a content calendar so you always know what you're going to post.

Like all other business ideas, your success comes from marketing and getting your message in front of your target market. Great ways to reach your market are through social media apps, email lists , and by reaching out to other bloggers, podcasters, and media outlets for publicity. Repurpose your blog content to promote your business across platforms, such as by using quotes on your Twitter or Instagram profiles, or by creating a video of your article to share on YouTube.

Add Income Streams

While your blog can complement an existing business, it's also a great way to add additional income streams to your home business. You can promote other companies' products and services in affiliate marketing. You can advertise or feed ad networks, such as AdSense, on to your blog. If you have a service business you're promoting with your blog, you can create your own information products to complement it. Or, if you have your own product, you can offer a service.

Key Takeaways

• Blogging is a shortened version of "weblog," which began as a diary-like outlet for early internet users.
• Modern blogging is an expansive medium that incorporates written words, photography, videos, and all kinds of subject matters.
• Businesses can use blogs to drive customers to their website, increase SEO performance, or generate alternate streams of income.
• Blogs are different than traditional websites because they're frequently updated, and they make it easier for the audience to engage with each other and the content creator.

• What is a Blog? – Definition of Terms Blog, Blogging, and Blogger

Do you know what a blog is?

If you don’t, then you’ve come to the right place. In 1994, when blogs began, a blog was more of a personal diary that people shared online. In this online journal, you could talk about your daily life or share about things that you were doing. Then, people saw an opportunity to communicate information in a new way online. Thus began the beautiful world of blogging.

What is a Blog?

Definition | meaning of blog:.

A blog (a shortened version of “weblog”) is an online journal or informational website displaying information in reverse chronological order, with the latest posts appearing first, at the top. It is a platform where a writer or a group of writers share their views on an individual subject.

Today, there are more than 570 million blogs on the web. The number of bloggers in the USA alone is set to reach 31.7 million users by 2020.

What is the purpose of a blog?

There are many reasons to start a blog for personal use and only a handful of strong ones for business blogging. Blogging for business, projects, or anything else that might bring you money has a very straightforward purpose – to rank your website higher in Google SERPs, a.k.a. increase your visibility.

As a business, you rely on consumers to keep buying your products and services. As a new business, you rely on blogging to help you get to potential consumers and grab their attention. Without blogging, your website would remain invisible, whereas running a blog makes you searchable and competitive.

So, the main purpose of a blog is to connect you to the relevant audience. Another one is to boost your traffic and send quality leads to your website.

The more frequent and better your blog posts are, the higher the chances for your website to get discovered and visited by your target audience. This means that a blog is an effective lead generation tool. Add a great call to action (CTA) to your content, and it will convert your website traffic into high-quality leads. A blog also allows you to showcase your niche authority and build a brand.

When you use your niche knowledge for creating informative and engaging posts, it builds trust with your audience. Great blogging makes your business look more credible, which is especially important if your brand is still young and fairly unknown. It ensures presence online and niche authority at the same time.

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Blog structure

The appearance of blogs has changed over time, and these days blogs include a wide variety of items and widgets. However, most blogs still include some standard features and structures.

Here are common features that a typical blog will include:

• Header with the menu or navigation bar.
• Main content area with highlighted or latest blog posts.
• Sidebar with social profiles, favorite content, or call-to-action.
• Footer with relevant links like a disclaimer, privacy policy, contact page, etc.

The above example is the basic structure of the average blog. Each item has its own importance and helps visitors to navigate through your blog.

Blogs and websites

Many people still wonder if there is any difference between a blog and a website . What is a blog and what is a website? It’s even more challenging to differentiate between the two today. Many companies are integrating blogs into their websites as well, which further confuses the two.

What differentiates blogs from websites?

Blogs need frequent updates. Good examples of this include a food blog sharing meal recipes or a company writing about their industry news.

Blogs also promote reader engagement. Readers have a chance to comment and voice their different concerns and thoughts to the community. Blog owners update their site with new blog posts on a regular basis.

On the other hand, websites consist of the content presented on static pages. Static website owners rarely update their pages.

Key elements that identify a blog post from a static website page include a publishing date, author reference, categories, and tags within a byline. While not all blog posts have all of those byline elements, static website pages do not have any of these items.

From a visitor’s perspective, the content on a static site will not change from one visit to the next. However, depending on the blog owner’s publishing schedule, the content on a blog will offer something new each day, week, or month.

What is blogging?

In the early 2000s, blogging emerged in a variety of forms when several political blogs were born. Blogs with how-to manuals also began to appear. Established institutions began to note the difference between journalism and blogging.

Definition of blogging

Blogging is a collection of skills that one needs to run and supervise a blog. This entails equipping a web page with tools to make the process of writing , posting, linking, and sharing content easier on the internet.

Why is blogging so popular?

It’s important to mention that the popularity of blogging grows with each passing day! To answer the question ‘what is blogging’, we need to look at the factors behind its rise.

In the early stages, blogs became mainstream, as news services began using them as tools for outreach and opinion forming. They became a new source of information.

Through blogging, businesses saw a positive way to improve their customer’s level of satisfaction. Blogs assist companies in keeping clients and customers up to date. Also, the more people that visit your blog, the more exposure and trust your brand gets.

Personal and niche bloggers saw the potential to reach more people interested in specific topics. Through a blog, visitors can comment and interact with you or your brand which helps you to create a network of loyal followers.

Did you know that you could earn money through blogging? Once your blog receives enough attention and fans, you can investigate ways of monetizing your blog . Through the blog, you can offer your services and sell products.

Who is a blogger?

In recent times, bloggers have become famous for various reasons. Blogging has become an alternative career or side gig for many. Seeing this, even more, people are choosing to join the blogging ranks.

So who are bloggers? Bloggers are individuals who love sharing parts of their lives with you. They post on various topics from arts, home designs, carpentry, and finance articles. Bloggers are mobile and don’t need to be in one place. They live on the internet!

Definition of a blogger

A blogger is someone who runs and controls a blog. He or she shares his or her opinion and knowledge on different topics for a target audience.

Why are many people blogging today?

Would you want to have a blog of your own? Yes!

Most people today are creating blogs for a variety of reasons. Every human being has their own story to tell. Through the internet, bloggers can communicate with a massive number of people.

Blogs allow you to talk about any topic you are interested in and express your opinion. You’ll find some bloggers writing on every activity that took place during their day. These activities may range from small things like waking up to major issues like human rights and climate change!

Remember that as a blogger running your own blog, you need to focus on the topics that you are passionate about, and through that focus strive to become one of the best blogs on the web.

Are bloggers getting paid?

Our blogging industry survey proves that bloggers do earn money, but this is not a get-rich-quick kind of profession. Before you can start monetizing your blog, you need to build both your Google SERPs ranking and your niche influence. Those tasks take a lot of time and quality content.

Money-making opportunities won’t present themselves until you’ve gained some credibility in the field. So, get down to business.

Here’s how you can make good money as a top-ranked niche blogger:

• Selling ad space on your blog privately or via Google AdSense.
• Becoming an affiliate partner privately or through ads networks.
• Selling your own digital products such as eBooks and tutorials.
• Selling memberships for access to exclusive content or advice.
• Using your blog as a content marketing tool for your business.

If you’re starting a blog as a way to market and boost your existing business, you probably won’t be selling ad space or memberships. However, you can create and start offering exclusive digital products such as eBooks, guides, or online courses as a lead capturing tool in exchange for visitors’ email addresses. That way, you’ll nudge them one step further down your sales funnel.

Want to start a blog on your own?

Creating your own personal blog takes a few steps. First, you need to decide on a name for your blog, also called a domain name. Then, you need to choose the best blogging platform for your needs. We recommend going with a self-hosted platform. There are a few choices when it comes to self-hosted platforms, but the most popular is WordPress.org .

The next step is to choose a web hosting service . For new bloggers, we strongly recommend Bluehost . You will get a Free domain name when you sign up with them and if you don’t like their services, they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee .

• Free domain name
• 63% off regular price
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• Set up a blog with a one-click 

We hope that you’ve learned some helpful information about the world of blogging. If you’ve managed to start a blog, then your next step is to work on your blog content in order to keep your future readers satisfied and engaged. Feel free to check out our extensive list of blogging resources which will help you to run and grow your new blog!

114 comments on “What is a Blog? – Definition of Terms Blog, Blogging, and Blogger”

Great article! I found the information really helpful and insightful. Looking forward to reading more posts like this in the future. Keep up the fantastic work!

Thanks so much! Be sure to check out our most recent post about how to use Pinterest for Blogging !

Very useful informations to us. I can clearly understand the concept of BLOG through this article.

We’re so glad we could help! If you need more information, check out this guide for a step-by-step to starting a blog.

Thank you for the information. As a beginner it was very helpful to me to know about this.

You’re so welcome! Glad we could help!

Thank you for the great and useful article.

Well written, thanks for the guidance.

Thanks for your comment.

Thank you for sharing this, Artem. This was very helpful and straightforward.

Really useful for beginners like me Thanks for sharing this

Very basic but useful stuff for beginners. Thanks for sharing this article. This will definitely be informative for beginners like me.

Thanks Bishnu! We’re glad that you find it useful.

Good post!!!

Thanks Jason!

I like this one:

“So, the main purpose of a blog is to connect you to the relevant audience. Another one is to boost your traffic and send quality leads to your website.”

Thanks for the article.

Outstanding post, well done! To me blogging is an art. The art of turning presentation into curiosity. To me, it is all about the ability to share, inspire and learn. But like many other bloggers I started off chasing the money. Big mistake! Because to have a profitable blog will take months and even a few years. No such thing as “quickly” with blogging because SEO takes time. I am however really glad I didn’t give up all those times I considered doing so! Blogging is not easy, but I can assure you it will be worth it!

Very good explanation.

Thanks Ajoy!

Thanks for the information. That was quite an insight for a beginner.

Thanks Nilesh…glad you find it helpful. Let me know if you need any further help!

Great and useful post. Maam could I use your thoughts about blogging in my class? Because I am handling Home Economics and Livelihood Education subject and I am very interested to integrate education in ICT.

Hi Vanessa, Feel free to use stuff from our article. All the best!

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What Is A Blog? The Essential Guide For Beginners

Blogging has been around for years and it has infiltrated all areas of the internet. But still many people fail to understand what a blog is and how reading one can have an impact on their lives.

This guide aims to demystify blogging for those of you who are complete beginners. We’ll cover exactly what a blog is, essential structures and even which platforms you can get started on.

So, what is a blog? Let’s take a look at the fundamentals:

What is a blog?

The most common definition of a blog goes as follows:

A regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style.

But what this doesn’t tell you is that a blog is like an online journal with information appearing in reverse chronological order. The information in a blog is usually written in posts which are updates posted at intervals. This is much like how you would write a diary entry in intervals.

Fun fact: Blogs began like journal entries where people shared updates about their life online.

The information in blog posts varies depending on what the blog is about, which is what we’ll cover in the next section.

What do you do with a blog?

What you can do with a blog is an important question. The serious answer is that you can do almost anything with a blog.

A blog can be:

• Daily updates about your life
• Regular posts about a topic you’re interested
• Regular examples of the work you do
• Insights about a particular industry
• Educational guides and tutorials about one or more subjects
• Product reviews (possibly monetized with affiliate links)

What you do with a blog is entirely based on your personal preferences. Some people like to keep their blog a personal experience. While others use it as a platform to grow their own brand and earn an income.

When it comes to the main purpose of a blog, it can be a place to connect you to a certain group of people or audience.

A blog can also increase your traffic and send people (leads) to your site. More importantly, it helps you show your authority in a field of interest or niche and build your brand.

What’s the difference between a blog and a website?

Example: Funnel Overload left (blog) and Venngage right (website)

Sometimes it’s not easy to differentiate between a blog and a website. Especially since more businesses are integrating blogs into their websites to reach more people.  What’s more, with the advent of smarter design tools, blogs can look a lot like a website and vice versa.

But the fact is, blogs differ from websites because they need frequent updates. A good example of this in action is a food blog that posts cooking recipes. Or a music blog that posts frequent music reviews. It could even be a business posting updates with industry news and developments.

The thing is, blogs drive reader engagement. People can comment (usually), interact and voice their concerns for others to read.

A blog is dynamic with many moving parts that change often, whereas a website is static. The content on a website rarely changes and readers don’t have much of an opportunity to interact.

The elements that define a blog include but are not limited to:

• Publish dates
• Categories and tags
• Author bylines
• Reader comments

Yet, static websites rarely have any of these elements. If you visit a website, things won’t be any different from day to the next. But a blog will always have something new to offer readers (providing the owners publish new content, of course.)

Popular blogging platforms

Since we’re talking about what a blog is, it’s important to discuss blogging platforms . You’ll need to look into these to create a blog .

Blogging platforms are also known as Content Management Systems (CMS). They’re usually software or services you use to publish your content on the internet.

Many of these platforms are free to use, while others you need to pay a premium for. Here are 4 of the most popular blog platforms used today.

WordPress is one of the most popular Content Management Systems used worldwide. Plus it powers over 30% of websites on the internet. There are two ways to use WordPress;

• com : a for-profit blogging service hosted on WordPress servers, with premium paid-for upgrades for more features. The content you post here is owned by the platform and monetization options are limited.
• org : the free open source version of WordPress, which you can install on your own hosting servers, where you 100% own your own content (self-hosted).

Self-hosting your own WordPress blog is a great option if you want to have full control over the entire look and performance of your blog. With WordPress, you can publish almost any type of content from text posts, videos, mp3s and much more.

There is a large repertoire of templates you can use to customise how your blog looks to your readers. These are also known as themes, and there are plenty of free themes you can use.

WordPress also has thousands of plugins which are like add-ons for your blog that adds extra functionality. Learn more in our post on must-have WordPress plugins .

Ghost is a non-profit, open-source blogging platform aimed at powering blogs and online magazines. It’s a text-focused platform, with less functionality for making complicated websites. Think of Ghost as a lighter, simpler alternative to WordPress.

To use Ghost you either need to host the software on your own server or pay a subscription fee for Ghost Pro. Ghost Pro hosts your blog on their managed infrastructure. It also automates much of the setup process, meaning you can get started with your blog much faster.

Blogger is a free blogging platform powered by Google. The combination of a free platform and the flexibility offered makes it a popular choice for new bloggers. There are plenty of designs and layouts to make your blog look good and it’s connected to many of Google’s other services.

What you may not realise, is that if you use this platform, your content won’t belong to you. In fact, it will be owned by Google. And chances are that one day you could try to log in to your blog and find that your access is denied.

So, if you’re serious about running and growing a blog, I wouldn’t recommend Blogger. Years of hard work could suddenly go up in smoke.

Want to learn how Blogger compared to WordPress? Check out our comparison .

Squarespace

Squarespace is an all-in-one website builder for sites and blogs of all kinds. It bills itself as a viable WordPress alternative. And in terms of style and structure, it is, but it lacks the full flexibility and the control you get with WordPress.

It does a great job of offering stylish and beautiful templates to make your site look great. It also integrates with Social Media, Email Marketing Services and the use of your own domain name.

Squarespace is a hosted service, so ownership of the content you publish is not your own. In fact, it exerts control over almost every other aspect of your site, from how to style it, to how you can export your data.

Understanding blog structure

Most blogs have a lot in common when it comes to how they are set up. The layout is often similar across blogs and the content flows top-down with the most recent updates appearing at the top of the page.

Let’s take a look at the average blog structure in greater detail.

A blogs homepage can either be a feed of recent blog posts or a static page built of various modules.

Usually, the homepage will begin with a header area. This is where the blog logo, blog name and tagline will display. Alongside this will be the blog’s menu bar, where readers can navigate to different pages and sections.

After is the main content area. A homepage with a recent article feed will show a list of blog posts with a headline, image, date and author for each.

A static homepage consists of many modules or widgets displaying different information throughout the page.

This might be:

• An introduction paragraph
• Call to action buttons
• Testimonials
• A small selection of recent blog posts

And more. How you set up your homepage depends on what the goal of your blog is and the type of look you wish to achieve.

Also included on many blog homepages is a sidebar. This a content area that sits either to the left or right of the main content. It contains information about the:

• Blog author
• Email subscription forms
• Social profile buttons
• A list of recent blog posts

Finally, will be the blog’s footer, a content strip along the bottom of the page. Like the sidebar, you can add various information here, that you can’t fit elsewhere on your homepage.

Most blogs will have a menu in the footer listing important pages like their privacy and cookies policy and contact details. Below all this will be a small statement about copyright ownership.

Content pages

Besides frequent posts or articles, blogs have some static content pages. This is where key information about the blog, that doesn’t change often put on display. Some of the pages you can find on a blog may include:

• About Page : Information about the blog owner, editor and authors and what the main blog topic is. Need help writing yours? Check out our guide to writing an about page .
• Blog Page : Particularly with WordPress blogs, you create a page set with a blog template, which lists your recent blog posts. This is often used when you have a homepage with a more magazine or modular layout.
• Contact Page : Where readers can find details of how to contact you. This may include a form for them to fill in and your social profiles.
• Privacy Policy : A page where you describe how your blog will use personal data.
• Cookie Policy : A page where you layout the details of the cookies you use to track user behaviour.
• Disclosure : A page where you disclose any paid partnerships that may influence a reader’s purchase decisions.

The fundamentals of a blog post

One thing every blogger should know when embarking on starting their first blog is how to put together the ingredients to make a great blog post.

Without knowing the essentials of a good blog post and cutting corners, you’ll only make your job harder in the future when you try to improve things.

First, you need to begin with a solid concept or idea for your blog post. To truly build an audience, you need to write about something they’ll find interesting and valuable.

Think about a problem your readers face and explain a solution in the content of your post. Some keyword research here will help people to find your content more easily in search engines.

With your content idea fleshed out, written and awaiting publication, you need to think about the title or headline of your post. Headlines with statistics and numbers generally perform really well. Ideally, you should keep your headline to 60 characters or between 8 and 12 words.

Throughout the content of your blog post, you should also use subheadings which are either h2 or h3 tags. These bold subheadings, make it easier for readers to scan your content and find the sections that relate to them to most.

Similarly using images in your blog post further breaks up your text and adds interest. A strong featured image at the top of your post can work well to draw a reader in – particularly if it illustrates your content well.

When coming to the end of the post, a good closing paragraph to summarise your content will help fix the information in your reader’s mind. Follow this up with a Call to Action – a phrase that encourages readers to do something. You could ask them to subscribe to your newsletter or encourage them to share your post on social media.

Final thoughts

A blog doesn’t have to be a confusing mass of pixels. With a little time to understand the features that set blogs apart from websites, things will soon become clear.

Through learning what you can do with a blog, it’s easy to see the potential a blog can have for you. From helping to grow your business, to building your own personal brand, a blog can both inform and improve your life in many ways.

The possibilities are endless if you spend some time to really think about them. So what are you waiting for?

Further reading:

• How To Promote Your Blog: The Complete Beginner’s Guide
• Blog Monetization: How To Earn Enough Money To Maintain Your Blog

Aside from managing editorial here at Blogging Wizard, Nicola runs Your Creative Aura where she teaches people how to write music. Nicola has the rare ability to take inspiration from the most mundane objects and turn it into catchy, and memorable lyrics. And, she is rather fond of penguins.

WEBSITE ESSENTIALS

What is a blog? Definition, types, benefits and why you need one

• Amanda Weiner
• 10 min read

With over 600 million blogs on the internet, you’ve likely encountered one or two blogs—you’re even on one right now. But you may still wonder what exactly is a blog? How does it differ from a website? Why does every business seem to have one? You may even ask yourself, how can I start my own blog?

In short, many individuals and businesses create a blog to share their ideas and expertise as well as boost their online presence. This article will answer your most pressing blogging questions and help you understand how and why blogs succeed, plus show how you can utilize them.

Ready to start blogging today? Get started with Wix .

What is a blog?

Definition of a blog.

Blogs are a type of regularly updated websites that provide insight into a certain topic. The word blog is a combined version of the words “web” and “log.” At their inception, blogs were simply an online diary where people could keep a log about their daily lives on the web. They have since morphed into an essential forum for individuals and businesses alike to share information and updates. In fact, many people even make money blogging as professional full-time bloggers.

As the publishing world has evolved, and more of it has moved online, blogs have come to occupy a central position in this digital content world. Blogs are a source of knowledge, opinion and concrete advice. While not yet posed to replace journalism as an art form, people increasingly look to trusted blogs to find answers to their questions, or to learn how to do something.

Blogs are always evolving both in terms of how they're created and what they are used for. They can be a vehicle for creativity and for marketing. They're also increasingly created and read on mobile apps, as mobile blogging also comes into its own.

What does a blog look like?

A blog consists of a series of articles or posts. While the appearance of your blog can vary depending on the platform and design choices made by you as the blogger, here are some common elements you may find in a typical blog and include in your own, keeping in mind the importance of user experience design and web design:

The top section of a blog often contains your blog's title or logo, along with a navigation menu that helps visitors explore different sections or categories of your blog. You might decide to categorize blogs from the same topic together, for repeat readers who are looking specifically from posts from that area of interest.

Content body

This is where the content of your blog posts is displayed. Each post usually includes a title, author name, date of publication, and the main content of the post, which can include text, images, videos, or other multimedia.

A blog may have a sidebar on one or both sides of the main content area. The sidebar often contains additional information or features such as a search bar, recent posts, popular posts, categories, tags, social media links, an about section, and advertisements. You can this part of your blog to help establish your blogs navigation, and site hierarchy to users and search engines.

Many blogs allow readers to leave comments on their posts. The comments section typically appears below the main content of each post and may include the ability for readers to reply to comments or upvote them. Before enabling comments on your blog, make sure you have the time and resources to manage comments effectively. You'll need to monitor them for spammy messages which should be deleted, or for messages from genuine readers who you'll need to connect with.

The bottom section of your blog usually contains copyright information, links to your privacy policy and terms of service, additional navigation links, and sometimes widgets like a subscription form, social media icons (social share buttons) , or related posts.

Blog designs can vary greatly depending on the theme, customization options, and personal preferences that you chose. These elements provide a general overview of what a blog looks like, but blogs may have unique layouts or additional features based on your chosen platform and your design choices.

Generally to create and manage a blog, you'll need a blog platform or CMS . Within this you'll also need a domain name and web hosting service like Wix hosting .

Types of blogs

Different types of blogs cover varying topics, from food and fashion to marketing. Blogs are composed of individual posts on more specific subjects within the blog’s field of expertise. To get started with blogs on social media, check out microblogging . These posts often serve as a platform for discussions, as many blogs have active comments sections. You can think of a blog almost as a newspaper that adds articles and continually maintains the archive.

Whether you’ve seen stand-alone blogs or blogs as website sections, you’ve probably encountered blog examples all over the internet. Some of the most popular types of blogs in the blogosphere include:

Travel blogs

Health blogs

Fitness blogs

Lifestyle blogs

Fashion blogs

Beauty blogs

Parenting blogs, Mom Blogs

Business blogs, Finance blogs , Tech blogs

Sports blogs

Art blogs , Poetry blogs

Music blogs

Gaming blogs

Coaching blogs

Interior design blogs

Want to learn more about blogging? Visit Wix Learn .

Website vs blog

As you now know, a blog often deals with a given topic and is updated with regular posts, mostly in the form of articles. Websites, however, are often broken down into inner explanatory pages, each with varying purposes. This can mean anything from an FAQ page to a welcoming homepage design. These pages are occasionally updated, making a website more static than a blog. Oftentimes websites have internal blogs, while other websites are entirely blogs without any additional pages.

When blogs are a section of a larger website, the website provides the bulk of the information and uses a blog feature to keep users updated and engaged. For example, think of an online store that also offers a blog about their various products and how to use them.

Blogs that make up the entire website usually rely on the content itself rather than sell a product or market a service.

Importance of blogs

Whether it’s personal or professional, a blog provides endless opportunities for a website’s traffic growth. Not to mention, the popularity of blogs hasn't diminished. In fact, the opposite is true: As Neal Shaffer, founder of the digital marketing consultancy PDCA Social says, blogging isn’t dead , “blogs are useful for a lot more than just sharing your thoughts. In fact, 60% of consumers will buy something after they’ve read a blog post on the topic.”

Blogging is still important today, for establishing your web present, and for the following reasons:

Relationship and community building

Much like social media platforms, blogs allow people to share their thoughts and experiences with others. Given the active comment sections, they enable people to interact with one another and build relationships based on shared interests that aren’t limited by geographic location. They're an impactful form of information exchange. Essentially, blogs have become a social platform unto themselves and a central part of online community building.

For this reason blogs are also a key part of brand management. Your content creation efforts, published via a blog can be used to represent your brand, its values and your products.

Monetization

Another reason why blogging has become so popular is that many people have started monetizing their blogs . Bloggers tend to make money off of advertisements in a couple of different forms. One of the most common types of advertisements is affiliate marketing . Since bloggers often discuss a given topic and experience in their field, they are reliable sources for those topics.

For example, if you've started a travel blog and write about your experiences and what you did in various destinations, your readers might follow your advice. Because you provide information about travel attractions and promote them to your readers, those travel attractions might be willing to pay you to increase their visitor count. Bloggers could also make money on digital ads through an advertising network (such as Google Adsense) or sell their blogs to larger media entities.

Easy to create

On a technical note, blogs have surged because it has become easy for individuals to create and update their own blogs regularly using a code-less website building platform. And because blogs are about any topic of choice, anyone can choose to create their own. Still not convinced? Let our blogging for beginners guide show you how.

Get your blog started with these totally customizable blog website templates

Blog templates

Personal blog templates

Food and travel blog templates

Fashion and beauty blog templates

News and business blog templates

Blogging for business, why it matters

Here are three ways blogging for business can help you promote your business:

Keep customers up-to-date

Most businesses have turned to blogging as an effective form of digital distribution to effectively keep customers or clients up-to-date. Since blogs are updated regularly, they enable businesses to share company changes, inform users about deals and provide the best tips possible for using their product.

Inbound marketing opportunities

Blogs also allow businesses to provide a wider breadth of content, thereby helping them attract a larger audience of readers. This tactic is called inbound marketing, and is the act of creating content to draw your audience to your brand.

Let’s say you sell flowers and your site offers various bouquets. Logically, anyone looking to buy flowers can find what they need on your site. But, if you come up with relevant blog content ideas with posts like, “How to Care for Your Flowers” then people who aren’t explicitly looking to buy flowers, but searching for similar keywords, could reach your site. You drive traffic to your site as a result.

A blog can be an important of wider marketing strategies and more specific content marketing efforts. Blog posts can be repurposed and shared on social media platforms too as part of your social media marketing work.

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the practice of improving a website’s position on search engine results, thus improving its visibility. When search engines like Google notice that more people visit a given site, they may consider their content more relevant. In turn, search engines might increase exposure of that website, allowing it to appear closer to the top of the results page. And, of course, the closer to the top of the results a site gets, the more likely people will click on it.

Additionally, search engines often look for fresh and timely content. While many websites have relatively static content, a regularly-updated blog provides the perfect forum for content changes. While SEO can feel a bit intimidating, these SEO for bloggers tips can help ease the process.

Why start a professional blog?

A blog is an excellent way to establish your professional expertise in a given field. When you include practical information and regularly updated guides, you present yourself as an authority in your line of work and a leader in your field.

Blogging as an expert can also open the door for potential monetization and turning your blog into a career.

Why start a personal blog?

Blogs allow individuals to share updates with friends and family. For example, if you're traveling somewhere exotic and want to share photos and info about your trip with a number of different people, you can direct them to a centralized blog.

How to start a blog?

Now that you’ve learned all about blog essentials, you’re ready to start a blog . First, head to a website builder and create an account in order to start making a website . Then, choose your favorite customizable blog template to fit the style and needs of your blog design . Finally, you add your authentic content, create blog posts and hit publish.

As you plan your blogging strategy you may be wondering, how much does it cost to start a blog ? You may encounter different expenses like domain name registration and web hosting fees. It's important to understand the potential costs of blogging so you can make a better informed decision about how to pursue your blogging goals. 

Looking to start a blog quickly? Consider using an AI website builder to get started.

What to include in a blog

Once you’ve created your blog, it’s time to think about your blog posts. When figuring out your content type, think about your target audience. Be sure to produce evergreen copy and regularly update your blog content.

Blog posts should be relatively easy to read and understand, but should nonetheless provide a complete summary of the topic at hand. Check out this article for a complete explanation of how to write a blog post and read through our best blog post templates for inspiration.

Writing a blog starts with knowing how to write a catchy blog title . The title is the first thing that readers see before they even reach your blog. Your title will appear on Google, and most potential readers will judge you by those few words alone. Consider what keywords people would search for to get to your blog or blog post. If you need guidance, a blog title generator can point you in the right direction.

By getting into your readers’ minds, you can optimize your blog and your writing to become a content powerhouse.

How to make your blog succeed?

After launching your blog, you can add elements to your blog to please both readers and Google. Those elements range from quick supplements, such as adding quality visuals to your blog posts, to doing intensive keyword research for SEO purposes. To get a full sense of how to boost your blog, check out these essential blogging tools .

You'll also want to understand more about your blog analytics - how it's performing in terms of how much traffic it generates and where that traffic is coming from.

How to promote your blog

You also need to know how to promote your blog to make it successful. There are many ways to promote your blog, but some of the most effective methods include:

Social media: Sharing your blog posts on social media is a great way to reach a wider audience and drive traffic to your blog. Be sure to use relevant hashtags and tag other users to increase your reach.

Email marketing : If you have a list of subscribers, you can send them email newsletters with links to your latest blog posts. This is a great way to stay in touch with your audience and keep them coming back to your blog for more.

Guest blogging: Guest blogging is a great way to get your name out there and reach a new audience. When you guest post on another blog, you write an article for their site and include a link back to your own blog.

SEO : Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your blog so that it ranks higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). This means that when people search for relevant keywords, your blog is more likely to show up in the results.

Paid advertising: Paid advertising can be a great way to reach a larger audience and drive traffic to your blog quickly. However, it's important to note that paid advertising can be expensive, so you'll need to set a budget and track your results to make sure it's worth the investment.

While social media is an accessible blog promotion channel for most, look at these highly recommended tips for how to promote your blog . Here’s to becoming the next viral sensation.

What is a blog? FAQ

What is a blog post.

A blog post is an article or entry that is published on a blog. A blog, short for "weblog," is a platform or website where individuals or businesses can share their thoughts, ideas, opinions or information.

What is a blog post used for?

Where to start with writing a blog post, related posts.

How to make money blogging: the complete free guide

How to easily start a blog and make money in 2024

Why blogging for your business can make a huge difference

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Home » Building Websites » What Is a Blog? Definition, Benefits, and Challenges

What Is a Blog? Definition, Benefits, and Challenges

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Written and researched by:

So you’d like to have a blog, but you aren’t sure what blogging even is, nor how to use a blogging website builder to make one in the first place.

That’s why we’ve made this comprehensive guide, where we walk you through everything you need to know about blogging and answer all your blogging-related questions. If you’ve ever found yourself asking “What is blogging?”, you’re in the right place!

So strap yourselves in, and get ready to begin your blogging journey.

What Is a Blog and What Is a Blogger?

A blog is like a very public diary entry that’s created, run by, or contributed to, by a blogger.

It’s a place where you – either individually or with a group of people – share your ideas, experiences, thoughts, and whatever else about a particular theme or subject in posts that are generally displayed in date order.

More Information

If you want to know how to set your blog up, we recommend checking out our detailed article on how to start a blog . Here, we’ll give you step-by-step instructions to help you get your blog up and running in no time.

Types of Blogs

You can blog about basically anything that interests you, but when it comes to defining specific types of blogs, they generally fall under four categories:

Personal Blogs : The vast majority of blogs are personal. This is you talking about something important to you, whether that’s life experience, your beliefs, or a unique passion. They can literally be about anything, so long as it’s personal to you .

Business Blogs : These are spaces that represent what’s important to a business, no matter the business’ industry or size. They generally reflect the nature of the business as well as the brand voice and values. They also help to attract customers, assist people with business-related problems, show off specific products, and establish that blog as an authority in its industry.

Niche Blogs : These blogs zero in on a niche topic and run with it. It doesn’t matter what the niche is, they exist for and cater to a specific audience segment.

Professional Blogs : These blogs can belong to both individuals and groups of people, but their main distinguishing feature is that they’re monetized. This means that bloggers use them to make money through things like sponsored posts, affiliate marketing , adverts, and direct merchandise sales. These generally need a lot of time to establish and make successful – especially if they’re run by one person.

Why You Need to Start a Blog

So you might be asking, “ Why should I start a blog ?”

The answer varies from person to person, but below, we’ll explore some of the most popular reasons for putting fingertips to keyboard.

Sharing Knowledge and Expertise

If you know a lot about something, why not step onto the stage and share it with the world? For every person who’s an expert on something, there’s an audience looking to learn about it.

You can also use your voice to talk about issues that are important to you, educate the public, and advocate for change. It doesn’t matter what the issue is (it could be something local like a park or library that needs funding, or a big issue like global warming or mental health), your passion can change things, and recruit others to the cause.

There are tons of conversations going on globally right now and starting a blog is a great way to become part of them. It gives you the chance to meet others with common interests and get to hear lots of different perspectives.

Attracting New Visitors and Growing Business

Blogging isn’t just its own reward. In fact, when done right, it can be a really powerful tool for your business or website, driving traffic and organic growth.

Writing consistent high-quality content ( i.e. content that’s reliable, engaging, and solves the problems of your target audience ) will bring more visitors to your blog and keep them on your website for longer. It can increase conversions and will keep your audience coming back for more.

When you regularly update your blog and optimize it with the right keywords and links, you can increase website traffic and SEO rankings. This means your website is more easily discoverable through internet searches. And the more traffic you bring to the site, the better your chances of converting those visitors into paying customers.

The more high-quality content you publish, the more you can establish your authority and credibility in the space. This not only gives you an advantage over your competition, but it builds trust with your audience. And – bonus – it makes collaboration with others a lot easier.

You can also connect with and engage your audience not only with your content but in the comments and discussions that come with it. This allows them to get to know who you are and what you’re about.

Lastly, with good content, you’ll bring in leads and revenue. That comes from the content directly but also through monetization strategies like adverts, sponsored posts, and affiliate marketing.

Need some help creating content for your blog? Check out some of our helpful articles below:

• How to Write a Blog Post
• 19 Expert Tips for Writing for the Web

Blogging as a Marketing Tool

There are a lot of positives to blogging, but using blogging as a marketing tool is one strategy that can bring in a lot of goodness. Here’s a list of reasons why having your blog double as a marketing tool is a good idea.

• Thought leadership : Every topic in the world needs thought leaders. Thought leaders aren’t just people who know a lot about something – rather, they’re generally disruptors with a different point of view that is unique and intriguing. It gets attention and builds trust.
• Attracting potential customers : It can be hard to bring in new customers who aren’t familiar with you. But if your content specifically targets them and fills a need others aren’t filling, you’ll attract them.
• Community building : We all need strong communities where we feel we’re understood. When we feel connected to others, we feel valued and are far more likely to stick around. That’s why community-building is a great benefit of blogging.
• Leverage partnerships and cross-promotional opportunities: Networking and showing people what you can do leads to others getting excited about working with you. You may get new opportunities including short and long-term partnerships, along with chances to promote similar blogs that might do the same for you.

The Joy of Blogging

Sometimes the biggest reason to start a blog is just about enjoying the process for the process’s sake. It’s a chance to express your creativity and demonstrate your talents, no matter what they may be. The beauty of a blog is that because it’s your space you can experiment and innovate in whatever way you like. The sky’s the limit!

Blogging is its own intrinsic reward too. It feels good to know that what you have to say influences other people. When you share your ideas with the world, and find out that what you’ve done is meaningful to others, it can give you a real buzz.

Challenges of Blogging and How to Overcome Them

As wonderful as blogging can be, though, that doesn’t mean everything will come easily. There are always challenges with this kind of thing. So what are they and how can you deal with them?

Generating Content Ideas

One of the major challenges is consistently generating content ideas that are unique and engaging. Here are a few ideas to help you keep things fresh:

• Keep an idea journal (on paper or on your phone/device) – write everything down, no matter how trivial the idea!
• Keep up on industry trends and stay updated
• Figure out how what you think is different to others
• Explore related message boards and research what your potential audience is looking for but can’t find in existing content
• Ask your audience directly what they want

Dealing with Low Traffic and Engagement

It’s hard when you haven’t got a lot of traffic or comments on your blog. After all, you’re working hard! Don’t panic – everyone goes through periods like this, especially when they’re first starting!

So how can you change this?

• Get updated information on the best times to post for your target audience
• Use SEO techniques as much as possible
• Use social media to share your blog posts
• Engage with your readers – don’t leave their comments unnoticed!

Time Management and Consistency

Blogging saps a lot of time, even if you love it. It can be hard to balance everything else you need to get done in life while giving your blog the time it needs to grow. How can you keep that consistent posting schedule going?

• Make a content calendar: If you can look at everything at once, you’ll see what’s coming up and plan accordingly.

• Do tasks in batches: It can save time to do loads of the same tasks in one go. For example, try content batching and film or write a bunch of posts at once. Or create and draft all of your social posts for the following week together,
• Use automation tools: There are loads of tools you can use to schedule posts, send out alerts and emails about new content, and post on social media. Take advantage of them – when used right, they can be very cost-effective!
• Set goals you can meet: It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the newness and commit to rapid-fire content. Be careful of this! It’s so much better to post less often but meet your commitment than not to deliver what you promise.

Getting Started with Your Blog

So, now that we’ve gone through the blogging basics our shared some of our top blogging tips , are you chomping at the bit to get started?

If so, here are the steps that you can take to turn that blog from an idea into a reality:

Choose a niche and target audience : What do you want to talk about? And who would be most interested in it? Is there a segment you relate to whose needs aren’t currently met?

Select a blogging platform : Which platform would best meet your needs and attract the audience you want? We’d recommend checking out our list of the best blogging website builders to help you decide.

Design your blog : When designing your website , what design elements of your blog best suit your personality, talents and the blog’s point of view? And what can you do to make it as intuitive and user-friendly as possible?

Set up your blog : Whichever platform you choose will have a process for setting this up. Keep everything clear and ask questions if you need to along the way!

Craft high-quality content : Keep the priority on making content that engages, has value for your audience, and is share-worthy.

Promote your blog : Take advantage of social media, SEO principles, and networking to get your blog visible.

Measure success and adapt : Your platform (and Google, and other tools you might decide to bring on board) will give you analytics to track performance so that you can see what works, and what doesn’t, giving you the opportunity to tweak accordingly.

What Is a Blog: Summary

So now you should feel more secure in your understanding of what a blog actually is, and we hope you’re starting to get excited about creating your own blog.

Blogging offers so many benefits including giving you a platform for sharing knowledge, promoting your site or business, and allowing you a space for creative expression. It also gives you a way to join a global community and establish your voice as an authority on whatever topic you want to blog about.

Now that you know what a blog is, you can start your blogging journey today and bring in all the benefits it has to offer. Make sure you let us know about your experience in the comments below!

Which factors should I consider when choosing a platform?

• How user-friendly it is for both you and your audience
• How much you can customize it to fit your brand and type of content
• Whether it fits comfortably in your budget
• Whether it can give you the support and community you need as a new blogger

How much time do I need to devote to starting and then continuing a new blog?

The nature of the content you make can also impact your time. If you’re creating short posts or on-the-spot candid photographs, then it shouldn’t take too long. Long-form articles, on the other hand, are more time-intensive.

You’ll also want to set aside extra time for community building, networking, and responding to your audience.

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What Is a Blog: Definition of Blogging + Examples of Blog Websites

• July 11, 2023
• Blogging Tips

What is a blog? What is blogging? Should you become a blogger? 🤔

These are common questions nowadays when it seems like everyone and their dog has their own blog.

But if you haven’t joined the blogging revolution yet, you might not be familiar with what a blog is and why so many people are blogging right now.

That’s what this post is here to help with. Below, we’re going to cover everything you need to know about blogging, including:

• What a blog is and how it’s different from a website
• Some real-life examples of blogs
• The biggest benefits of blogging
• What you need to create a blog
• How to set up your own blog using WordPress

Let’s dig in!

What is a blog?

A blog is a type of website that contains individual posts (called “blog posts”) and lists them in reverse chronological order, with the most recently published blog posts appearing at the top of the list.

You can kind of think of it like an online journal or diary, where each day gets a separate entry.

Nowadays, though, blogs have evolved far beyond simple personal journals. You can create blogs centered around a specific topic, region, hobby, and so on.

For example, you’re reading a blog right now. It’s a blog about helping people make websites and use the WordPress website building software ( which we’ll talk about later in this post ).

You can find some blogs that post recipes, travel tips, personal finance help, self-help, and lots, lots more.

Looking for more info on how to start a blog?

• 🧰 Best Blogging Platforms
• 📄 What to Blog About?
• ✍️ How to Write a Good Blog Post
• 📚 Best Books for Bloggers
• 🏠 How to Build a Blog Homepage
• 📢 How to Promote Your Blog
• 💰 How to Monetize a Blog

Key characteristics of a blog

There are a few key characteristics of a blog:

• Dynamic, fresh content – blogs are always publishing new content, which is different from more “static” types of sites that don’t change very much.
• Publish dates – most blog posts will have a public publish date or a “last updated” date. Having a publish date is one of the key things that differentiates a “blog post” from a generic “page” on the internet.
• Reverse chronological order – a blog’s posts are ordered in reverse chronological order. That is, the newer posts are listed before the older posts.
• Public author – most blogs have a public author associated with each blog post, which usually isn’t the case for static website pages.
• Comments section – this isn’t a must-have, but many blog posts will allow comments from readers. Typically, the comments section is below the content of a blog post.
• Categories/tags for posts – this also isn’t a must-have, but many blogs use categories or tags to organize blog posts. This lets readers filter posts by the topics that they are interested in.

What’s the difference between a blog and a website?

The difference between a blog and a website is a bit fuzzy because there can be some overlap.

All blogs are websites, but not all websites are blogs. What’s more, a website can also have a blog.

For example, Themeisle is a digital eCommerce website that sells WordPress themes and plugins. However, if you go to themeisle.com/blog , you can see that Themeisle also has a very popular blog.

Here’s the general difference:

A website is any site on the internet that you can access. It could be a portfolio, an eCommerce store, a business website, or even a blog.

A blog is one specific type of website ( or part of a website ) that meets the characteristics of a blog that we defined above.

Five real-life examples of blogs

Now that you know what a blog is, let’s look at some real-life blog examples.

1. CodeinWP

First off, the very site you’re reading right now is a blog. If you go to our main blog page , you’ll see a fresh list of content in reverse chronological order, complete with authors and publish dates.

2. Pinch of Yum

Pinch of Yum is a popular food blog that posts recipes and cooking tips. You can see that there’s a constant feed of new recipes listed in reverse chronological order.

3. Themeisle

As we mentioned above, Themeisle is a good example of how you can have both a blog and an eCommerce website. The main Themeisle site is a website to sell WordPress plugins and themes, while the Themeisle blog is a popular blog about WordPress.

4. RadReads

RadReads is a personal blog by Khe Hy that focuses on productivity, finances, and just generally working harder. It’s a good example of how a blog can be very minimal, as it has a simple design with lots of white space.

It also shows how some blogs are tied to a specific author (like this one), while other blogs have multiple authors.

5. FinMasters

FinMasters is a personal finance blog that covers a range of topics around making money, credit, debt, investing, and more.

What is blogging?

So if a blog is the actual website where you post content, what is blogging?

Blogging is just the act of publishing content on a blog. It could be any type of content – pure text, images, art, and more. If you’re publishing it on a blog, then you’re blogging.

Similarly, a blogger is a person who engages in blogging.

Put it all together and…

A blogger is blogging on their blog .

(You’ll have to forgive me; I couldn’t resist.)

What are the benefits of blogging?

If all these people are creating blogs, your next question might simply be – why?

What are the benefits of blogging that have attracted so many people and businesses?

There are several potential benefits to blogging, and you can choose the ones you might want to focus on:

• Personal expression – a blog is a great avenue for personal expression and sharing thoughts with the world. For many people, that might be the only thing they care about.
• Making money – blogs can make a lot of money if you’re able to grow an audience. You can find full-time bloggers who earn all their money from blogging, as well as part-time side hustlers who make a nice side income in addition to their day job. It takes time, but you can make real money blogging.
• Building an audience – building an audience with your blog can be valuable, even if you don’t make money directly from your blog. For example, if you want to become an expert in your field and get speaking gigs and consulting deals, having a popular blog is a great way to establish yourself.
• Level up your knowledge – blogging is a great way to “learn by doing.” If you want to become an expert on a topic, creating a blog is a great way to immerse yourself and grow your knowledge.

This is by no means a complete list. The idea is just that there are a lot of benefits to having a blog, including both personal and financial incentives.

Here’s what you need to create a blog

Okay, now you know what a blog is, and you also know some of the benefits of blogging.

If you’re intrigued and want to get your feet wet, the next step is to figure out what you need to make a blog.

Well, beyond your content and ingenuity, there are only two fundamental pieces you need to make a blog:

• A domain name that should reflect the name of your blog .
• A blogging tool. Basically, some software or a service that lets you make a blog.

1. A domain name for your blog

Your blog’s domain name is its permanent address on the internet. Our domain name is codeinwp.com , Facebook’s domain name is facebook.com , Google’s domain name is google.com , and so on.

While .com is the most popular domain ending ( AKA domain extension ), there are tons of other options, including generic endings, location-specific endings, and topic-specific endings.

For example, Emily Luxton is a popular UK-focused travel blogger, and her domain name is emilyluxton.co.uk , which is a location-specific ending that indicates the blog is focused on the UK.

Farnam Street is a popular blog and podcast, and its domain name is fs.blog , which is a topic-specific ending that obviously indicates the website is a blog.

We’ll talk about how to choose and purchase your domain name in the next section.

2. A blogging tool

In addition to your domain name, you’ll also want some tools or software to help you manage your blog.

While you could technically code your own blog, that’s super complex! There’s also no need to reinvent the wheel when you have tons of great blogging tools that are already available to you.

There are two broad types of blogging tools that you can choose from:

• Self-hosted blogging software
• A blogging service or website builder

With self-hosted software, you’ll first need to purchase web hosting, which is basically like renting space on a computer to power your blogging software and make it accessible to readers around the world.

The most popular example of self-hosted blogging software is WordPress , which powers over 43.2% of all websites on the internet. While WordPress actually started as a blogging tool, you can now use it to build any type of site, including blogs [1] .

With a blogging service or a website builder , you usually just sign up for an account by entering your email and username. Then, you can start blogging.

Popular examples here are Squarespace and Wix .

While the blogging service might sound more appealing because of its simplicity, using a self-hosted tool like WordPress will actually be better for most serious bloggers who are looking to earn an income.

This is because the extra flexibility that WordPress gives you far outweighs the somewhat added complexity.

Additionally, because WordPress is so popular, it’s still very easy to use and most hosting services make it simple to purchase hosting and install the WordPress software.

How to create your own blog and start blogging using WordPress

Next, let’s get into how you can actually create a blog using WordPress. Because this post is mostly focused on what a blog is rather than how to make a blog, we’re going to keep this brief.

💡 If you want a more detailed look, you can follow our full guide on how to make a website using WordPress . While the tutorial uses the term “website,” the process is exactly the same to launch a blog because WordPress already includes blogging functionality.

👉 We also have a huge post on details to consider before starting a blog , which is a useful starting point once you’ve set up your blog.

1. Purchase hosting (and claim your free domain name)

To get started with a WordPress blog, you’ll need to purchase WordPress hosting and your domain name.

To make this simpler, you can get both from the same spot. In fact, the hosting service that we recommend will give you a free domain name as part of the deal.

For blogging beginners, we recommend Bluehost because it’s affordable and makes it easy to set up your site.

Go ahead and sign up. You can use the cheapest package to start – it only costs $2.75 per month with our special discount. You’ll also enter your domain name as part of the process.

💡 If you’re having trouble coming up with a good domain name, you can use a domain name generator .

2. Set up WordPress

Once you sign up for Bluehost, Bluehost will prompt you to set up your site and install WordPress.

You don’t need to deal with any code – just follow the simple steps in the Bluehost interface to set up your WordPress blog.

3. Choose a blogging theme

Once you’ve set up your WordPress blog and logged in to the WordPress dashboard, you can set up the design of your blog by choosing a WordPress theme .

While there are lots of great WordPress blogging themes , we recommend the Neve theme because…

• It’s free.
• It has multiple blogging templates that you can choose from.
• It’s lightweight and performance-friendly, which means your blog will load fast for visitors.

You can install the Neve theme by going to Appearance → Themes → Add New , and entering “Neve” into the search box, like so:

Then, you can check out what the theme is going to look like on your blog, and click on Install .

4. Start writing content

Once you have your theme, you’re ready to start writing content.

In WordPress, you can easily spin up a new blog post by going to Posts → Add New in your WordPress dashboard.

This will launch the WordPress content editor, AKA the “block editor,” AKA “Gutenberg.”

You can start writing by just clicking on the page and typing. If you want to add media – like images or videos – or switch up the layout – like add a multi-column design – you can use the many included “blocks” by clicking the plus icon in the top left corner:

💡 If you want a deeper look, we have a very detailed guide on using the block editor .

5. Install plugins for more features

One of the biggest benefits of choosing WordPress over other blogging platforms is that you’re able to use plugins to add more functionality to your blog.

Plugins can add all sorts of features, from a basic contact form to letting you add an eCommerce store or online course to your blog.

💡 For some ideas of which plugins to add to your blog, check out these posts:

• Essential WordPress plugins all blogs need
• The best WordPress plugins for a range of different features

👉 To learn how to get started with plugins, check out this WordPress plugin install guide .

Further reading on how to start a blog

We’ve intentionally kept this tutorial brief because it’s not the main focus of this post.

👉 If you want to see much more detailed guides on how to start a blog and make it successful, please check out these posts:

• How to make a WordPress blog/website – this covers the technical process in detail.
• 45+ things to know before starting a blog – this has a bunch of great tips to make your blog a success.
• Important blog settings – once you’ve installed WordPress, this post has some important tips for configuring your WordPress blog.
• Best blogging tools and guides – this post has tons of tools and guides to help grow your blog.

What is a blog? Now you know!

A blog is a type of website where you can publish blog posts. Each blog post typically contains an author, a publish date of each post, categories/tags, and potentially a comments section.

Your blog will then list these posts in reverse chronological order (newest first) so that visitors can easily consume the latest content.

Creating a blog is a great way to express yourself, grow an audience, and maybe even make some money.

While there are lots of different tools to help you create a blog, WordPress is the best blogging tool for most people, which is why it powers over 43.2% of all the websites and blogs on the internet.

👉 If you want to make your own WordPress blog, you can follow the abbreviated instructions above or dig into our detailed guide on making a blog with WordPress .

Do you still have any questions about what a blog is or how to make a blog? Let us know in the comments!

Don’t forget to join our crash course on speeding up your WordPress site. Learn more below:

Colin Newcomer is a WordPress power user who has been writing about WordPress for over seven years and using the WordPress software since all the way back in 2006. He also has hands-on experience with SEO, content marketing, affiliate marketing, and other digital marketing areas.

Or start the conversation in our Facebook group for WordPress professionals . Find answers, share tips, and get help from other WordPress experts. Join now (it’s free)!

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What is a Blog?

Note : check out our more recent article on how to start a blog .

So what is a Blog anyway?

I am asked every week via emails, conversation and Instant Messaging chats to define: ‘what is a blog’.

If you’re reading this you may well be asking the same question.

There are a number of ways I could answer this question ranging from the broad to the highly technical.

Before I define the ‘what is a blog’ question – here are a few definitions from other much wiser people to get us started:

‘A weblog is a hierarchy of text, images, media objects and data, arranged chronologically, that can be viewed in an HTML browser.’ Source

‘A frequent, chronological publication of personal thoughts and Web links.’ Source

‘From “Web log.” A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is “blogging” and someone who keeps a blog is a “blogger.”‘ Source

‘A weblog is kind of a continual tour, with a human guide who you get to know. There are many guides to choose from, each develops an audience, and there’s also comraderie and politics between the people who run weblogs, they point to each other, in all kinds of structures, graphs, loops, etc.’ Source

‘A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is “blogging” and someone who keeps a blog is a “blogger.” Blogs are typically updated daily using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain the blog. Postings on a blog are almost always arranged in cronological order with the most recent additions featured most prominantly.’ Source

‘A blog is a website in which items are posted on a regular basis and displayed in reverse chronological order. The term blog is a shortened form of weblog or web log. Authoring a blog, maintaining a blog or adding an article to an existing blog is called “blogging”. Individual articles on a blog are called “blog posts,” “posts” or “entries”. A person who posts these entries is called a “blogger”. A blog comprises text, hypertext, images, and links (to other web pages and to video, audio and other files). Blogs use a conversational style of documentation. Often blogs focus on a particular “area of interest”, such as Washington, D.C.’s political goings-on. Some blogs discuss personal experiences.’ Source .

What is a Blog???

Confused yet? Don’t be – its really quite simple. To put it as simply as possible – a blog is a type of website that is usually arranged in chronological order from the most recent ‘post’ (or entry) at the top of the main page to the older entries towards the bottom .

Have a look at the main page of my blog at here for an example. for a different example you might like to look at this one (another of mine).

Ok – now you are a seasoned blog reader – you’ve seen two already at least.

Blogs are usually (but not always) written by one person and are updated pretty regularly. Blogs are often (but not always) written on a particular topic – there are blogs on virtually any topic you can think of. From photography, to spirituality, to recipes, to personal diaries to hobbies – blogging has as many applications and varieties as you can imagine. Whole blog communities have sprung up around some of these topics putting people into contact with each other in relationships where they can learn, share ideas, make friends with and even do business with people with similar interests from around the world.

Blogs usually have a few features that are useful to know about if you want to get the most out of them as a reader. Lets examine a couple briefly.

Archives – You might look at the front page of a blog and think that there is not much to them. A few recent entries, some links to other sites and not much else. However its worth knowing that there is a lot more going on under the surface that might initially meet the eye. For example in addition to the main page of this blog – at the time of writing this post there are over 520 other pages or posts below the surface that I’ve written over the past few months.

When I write a post like this one it goes to the top of the front page. As it gets older and as I add more current posts it begins its journey down the page until it disappears from it. This is not the end of its life however, because it goes into the ‘Archives’ of my blog. It sounds like a dusty dark place but its really just like a filing cabinet that is easily accessible in a couple of ways. You can read my ‘archives’ simply by looking on the ‘sidebar’ (over on the left of this blog) at the ‘archives’ or ‘categories’ section. There you will see links to all my old posts which you can access either by category. You’ll see a category for ‘Advertising’ – click that link and you’ll see all my old posts on the topic of Advertising with the most recent at the top and the oldest at the bottom.

Comments – Not all blogs use comments – but most do. This blog is not a monologue but a conversation. You can give me feedback on almost everything I write simply by clicking the ‘comments’ link at the bottom of each one of my posts. This will take you to a little form where you leave your name, email and a link to your own blog if you have one as well as your feedback, comment, critique, question, essay on why you love my blog, promise of money…. etc). Try it now. Scroll to the bottom of this page, click ‘comments’ and fill in the blanks with a little introduction to yourself.

A great way to learn about blogs is to read a few. Leave some comments, ask questions and bookmark your favourites. An even better way to learn about blogs is to start your own blog . Ok – you might be laughing at me now – you think you are not web savy enough to have your own site? You wouldn’t know where to start? You don’t know how?

Let me share a secret with you – three years ago I knew nothing about blogs, I had never used the internet for anything more than email, surfing and chatting to friends and I could only barely do any of that! But one day I discovered a blog and after surfing from one to another (blogs tend to link up to other blogs a lot) for a few hours I was hooked and wanted to start my own.

I found that there are tools that enable almost anyone could set up in a matter of minutes. Really it is that simple.

Note : check out my guide on how to start a blog .

Literally millions of people blog from around the world. Its not just something for young people, or geeks, or cool folk, or Westerners, or even for people with their own computers – instead its something virtually anyone with access to a computer and the internet once or twice a week can start up.

Are you still confused? Would you like more information? Below are a few helpful articles on the topic – there are many more on the web – just do a search on your favourite search engine. Otherwise shoot me an email using my ‘contact’ button with your question and I’ll do my best to get back to you.

Update : If you’d like to start a blog I’ve written a book – ProBlogger the Book – which is specifically written for new bloggers. I hope you find it helpful. Also check out my How to Start a Blog tutorial and my How to Make Money Blogging guide .

• Rebecca Blood has written a helpful history of blogging for those who are interested in learning more about the blogging evolution over the past few years.
• Harvard Law has a helpful article titled What makes a Weblog a Weblog
• Trudy Schuett writes a good article title What is a blog and why do we need one?
• WordPress: Introduction to Blogging

If you are new to blogging and want some hints on how to get started – keep an eye on my Blogging for Beginners Page for more ways to explore blogging.

So now you know WHAT a blog is – learn how to start one and use it to build an online income with ProBlogger the Book .

@ Melody McCollum

You serious? Link us to this course! and ugh email or twitter me when you respond please.

http://twitter.com/brynyoungblut http://bryn.me

For me it is a freedom of expression.

I have just started searching on how I could network with people that are looking to build second homes on Lake Winnipasauke in New Hampshire. I am a builder and am looking to reach more people around the United States that have thought about building in New Hampshire. As I am searching I noticed that blogging is a big thing now. I know nothing about it and was wondering if I needed a web page in order to blog? Please let me know your thoughts.

Its a great knowledge about blog. It will help me to start my new blog.

Thanks for this site. It’s helping me to establish my own blog.

what a wonderful write up you have, i have been interested in setting up a blog but i don’ t know how to do that, i will appreciate if you can guid me on how to do it and i want to know if i must have a website b/4 i can start blogging thanks.

I was introdroduced to blogging when I started a page on Myyahoo 360 but I was working two jobs and managing 4 kids from 1 to 14 yrs old. But the thought always stuck in my head. I am a nurse…an LPN (licensed practical nurse and love what I do!!!) But I am getting burnt out. I am totally interested in blogging and my husband is really encouraging me. I lost my job a month ago and wanted to use my skills in other ways and he and my former co-worker think I should give it a go. I have NO experience or idea how this works. I have began some research today. Could you send me in the right direction? I do not even have a name for my site. I would really appreciate it. Thanks Alot!!!!

i watch your video but still dont understand how to create a blog i am not computer literate but i am trying.

very nice definition of blog. thanks a bunch …

Blogs could be defined as ‘human journals’ with the emphasis on ‘human’. Whether individual, collective or commercial, blogs are a representation of human ideas, knowledge and mood in time and space. Too philosophical? :-)

Hi, Thanks for sharing, I am computer semi literate but do not really have the handles on the urls…..links an and out and reciprocal etc that go with blogging properly. I am trying ebay and wordpress bloggs. but it is a bit overwhelming.

i never knew there were different types of blogs. I thought blogs were only online diaries, only describing the blogger and his experiences. so it could be about cameras, recipes, work, movies, etc..

i learned a lot. thanks.

I will check the article about blog chronological history. I suppose can find something, which can help me guess what is the future of blogging

Now i know! i think can use this as an electronic suggestion box for my retail outlet.

I am wanting to take a shot at making some money by blogging, and I am more than a little overwhelmed by all the alternatives from which to choose. Many of the choices were outlined in your Choosing a Blog Platform, but there are too many options and I have too little knowledge. I am about ready to just DO something, anything, even if it is wrong! I suppose that would be better than doing nothing.

Only time will tell if I have anything to say, and that will make more difference than any other variable. A leap into the unknown is always a little intimidating.

Great Help! Im doing work in class, and this site helps alot. thx

To me a blog is a place to share your passion with others.

It facilitates the exchange of Ideas with other interested parties.

Perhaps my definition is a little more abstract than others’ but that’s how I see it.

I think a blog should be treated as a conversation you would have face-to-face with someone. It should be respectful, content worthy and open minded.

You have left me a lot clearer.Tell me something? How do Bloggers earn through blogging? I mean by the end of the day is it just sharing and airing your views or there is money matters involved also? Seriously.

I just put my first blog up on Dec 13 ’08. It is my journal of my online income success. I am at this site to learn more about blogging too. My current mentor says the way to earn with a blog is to build an opt-in mailing list and provide them valuable content.

dont have a site yet looking for help in making one, for my films I make

glad to have found your blog.It helps a lot on topics regarding blogging etc. Plan to craete one blog web but just not sure where to start. Anyway,keep on writing .I’m sure i wanna follow your guides and advice in time to come. Cheers!!!!!

thank you very much for this great blog. your post about the explanation of blog was very useful, to me. you explained the blog world in such a good and easy language that i as a german understood the meaning of blogs better then in any other german article i read. thanx

Yep, agree with all of that! I’m just getting into blogging and using WordPress – can’t believe I’m so far behind with it all. It’s just such a wonderful thing that’s happened to the internet

I am so glad I found your site; it is well written and easy to understand. The company I used to work for had a blog and I would read the postings but never fully understood what a blog was. After losing my job of 16+years I have time on my hand to learn more and maybe start my own blog. Your information is great and your advice perfect for me because learning and understanding the little things first helps me to not get overwhelmed and give up before I understand what I am learning.

Thank you, Rebecca

well said darren, you have taken care of many aspects in the defination of blog…

I’ve seen a few sites about blogging but yours is the most informative I’ve come across so far. Thank you for providing such a neat service. Reg

Up until yesterday I had no intention of subscribing to or contributing to a blog. Our teenage daughters seem to be pretty proficient at blogging, but I was not that interested in such a thing. Having just found out that some of our family members have blogs and use them as an avenue for personal growth, maybe there is something to this after all. Who knows, maybe one day I will start my own and the fact that we could even make some extra money would just be the icing on the cake. Thanks Darren for letting me see another thread of the blogging experience. I am definitely going to click that RSS thing at the upper right hand corner of your page…

Clear explanation! I more like to manage blog than web. :)

thanks, for the inspiration and the guidance u have given in ur blog. i think i still need to do enough study on perfect presentation

I found this to be very educating. Like you I surf the net and do the email thing but that was about it. Everyday there always seems to be something going on that strikes a nerve and leaves me to want to express my opinion but wasn’t sure how to do that. From what I hear “blogging seems to be the way to go but I have one question. It seems like most keep to a handfull of subjects on there blogs, I do not necessarily have any one subject or subjects but would rather vent on numerous items. Is that ok or popular or does blogging only work if you concentrate on a few.

Thank You, Scott

I have been writing blog posts for almost two years now. And I finally wrote one that pretty much says what I think a blog “is”. I try not to be radical when blogging for obvious reasons. But when I wrote this post I just couldn’t resist taking a shot at newspapers. Because I think blogs and newspapers are the yin and the yang of the news collecting world. They are rivals certainly and they are trying to coexist in some fashion. I guess the question that comes to my mind is “If your sanity depended on reading blogs instead of newspapers would you give up your newspaper?” http://davidnotes.com/2009/03/11/riding-richmond-darkness-settles/

I am trying to learn as much as I can about blogging. My brother, suggested your site if I wanted to blog as more than just a hobby using Blogger. I am really fascinated with the whole Blogging, Facebook, Twitter, Podcast, thing. The flow of knowledge and ideas has changed so much in just a very short period of time, as well as the audience one can reach.

Very good article. Gives a clear definition and what not. :D

I’m new to this world and I’m so happy to find someone that can explain it so clearly. thanks

I saw the title to this post and although you posted it several years ago, I thought I would see what your take on this question was because surprisingly enough, I still see this question a lot. Especially on Yahoo Answers.

When I give an answer to this question, I quickly realize that it’s pretty hard to narrow the answer down to some key basics. Of course, as always, you provide a great answer here.

Thanks for this great video–it was “blogging for dummies” like me! My husband is a geek and understands it and is trying to get our blog up at the moment, but this was very helpful so thank you for posting it on your webpage. And I found you through Google and enjoyed watching your videos.

i found this site, cause blogcatalog just rejected my listing, and said it is not a blog… so i’m surfing around, and found your site. i have to re-think what should i do now.. thanks for sharing.

Three years ago, a lot of people were asking what a blog is. Now, they know the answer and want to earn from it.

Great Post! Thanks for giving detailed description about blog.

How does a blog advertise itself? And how can it be used by businesses instead of junk mail (adverts through email). I was reading one of the articles explaining the virtues of blogs but this part didn’t really make sense to me.

Will an answer be sent to me or would I have to find this site and keep waiting to see if there is an answer. I’m not likely to do the latter.

Hello, Darren! I just found you through a link from another page (AccentuateWritersforum.com; a member named Raiscara Avalon…). Great stuff here, I must say. I’ve been meaning to start SOMEthing, and it looks like a good blog may be the way to kick it off (or around). Like a soccer ball.

Thanks for all the meaningful info!

Its a nice post and every article on problogger is very in interesting. Cool to have people who share knowledge like that, this really helps.

This is definitely great information. I’m doing some social media optimization myself and this was very helpful. However, can you possible explain to me how posting commets to blogging article boosts the pr. I’m pretty new at this. Thanks

I’ve been looking at this feature on WordPress blogs for ages and wishing Blogger would implement it. Followed your instructions and it works a treat!

I think the actual definition of a what constitutes a blog is becoming more and more hard to define with all the latest social networking platforms modeling themselves in similar fashions.

Hi, Daren! Can you help me to find “archives” & “advertising” sections as your post mentioned?

• Older Comments

A Practical Podcast… to Help You Build a Better Blog

A Practical Podcast…

What is a Blog, Blogging & Blogger? Definition, Meaning & Examples

Last Updated on November 8, 2020

You must have heard the term “blog” or “weblog” and you’re probably thinking “what is a blog and what’s it all about?” Let’s make this clear, when I was in college, a lot of people talked about “blogs” and “blogging”, but back then I never knew exactly what it was, never mind how to go about creating a blog or knowing which were the best blog hosting sites! I had absolutely no idea…

Fortunately, I’ve now published and managed many different blogs, so I can truly say I know what blogging is (check out our free blogging course at the button on the top of the page if you want help starting one).

Before I give you an in-depth explanation of blogs and blogging, let’s see other definitions for that:

Definition of a blog according to Wikipedia…

You might also like:

• How to start a blog

According to Harvard Law School website …

You’ve probably read blogs more than once, to be honest, you’re actually reading one now.

But let’s get back to the point. What exactly is a blog?

Table of Contents

So what is a blog?

A blog is very similar to a website. I would say that a blog is a diary/journal that is (mostly) maintained by one person – blogger . Usually, blogs are being updated quite often (once a day, once a week, once a month). Blogs can be private, but most of them are available on the internet for others to see.

Blogs have certain topics. My blog’s topic is “blogging” and “how to start one” – I’m helping beginners to start a blog, get more visitors and much more… BUT, it can also have several other topics. Bloggers are usually passionate about a specific topic thus they’ll create one.

Blog posts are the fundamental of a blog. Every blog on the internet consists of different blog posts written by the blogger. Blog posts can contain content (obviously!), videos, images, bullet-points, different headings and so on.

Blogs (and blog posts) can be shared on social networks (Twitter, FaceBook, Google+) and people can leave comments under the blog posts in order to start meaningful conversations.

Blogs can have a LOT of visitors. When your blog has enough posts and it starts to become popular, you’ll start receiving traffic from other sites, social networks and even from search engines.

Definitions that are tied with a blog

Blog definition (n.), blogger definition (n.), blog post meaning (n.).

An article or writing that is inside the blog. For example, the article you are currently reading is a “blog post” that is written for my blog.

Blog meaning (v.)

Blogging meaning (v.).

What do professional bloggers think about the blog meaning?

To make this post more compelling, I talked to 9 very popular bloggers who are doing well and asked them one simple question:

“What is a blog? Please explain it in 3-5 sentences”

As you will see, the answers are not the same as those produced by editors on Wikipedia or Harvard Law School.

… anyhow, here are the answers:

Blog definition according to the pros

“A blog is a channel where you share your thoughts. Think of it as a public journal, diary, or even book. You can share personal thoughts, quick updates, or even educate others on what you learned. What you publish is up to you, but I recommend that everyone try to at least blog for 6 months. Why? Because it is a great way to get feedback from others. In which people can leave comments and give you advice.” – Neil Patel Tweet

“For me, a blog is more than just a place to post new content on a regular (or, lately, semi-regular) basis. It's a hub for people to share their thoughts around my contributions to the industry (in my case, startups & marketing), and a home for anyone to discover new ideas about those topics.” – Rand Fishkin Tweet

Check out his awesome post “ 21 Ways to Increase Blog Traffic “.

UPDATE: For a more recent article, check out Nadya’s post .

“A blog is whatever you make it! This can be a personal journal to share stories about life, food, travels and other adventures with your close friends and family. Or it can be a booming website with the community and design of the NY Times. It's up to you. The point isn't what, it's when. Try to ditch the perfectionism and start blogging today, and you'll soon be learning more than you could have ever imagined.” – Greg Narayan Tweet

Not sure about your blog’s purpose? Read his 3 Reasons You Need a Compelling Purpose for Your Blog .

“A blog is a magnet that attracts your potential customers if you write high-quality relevant content. Once you have relevant traffic you can then start working on the conversion of this traffic. A blog is also a good reason to learn more about your industry. As you are always looking for new angles to write about you read more and when you're writing you research more about the topic. So it's a fantastic education tool. Finally, it is a great tool for networking. To be really successful with blogging you need to build relationships with a lot of people so you need to network.” – Ian Cleary Tweet

Ian is a social media enthusiast who blogs at RazorSocial.com .

“A blog is so much more than just a written diary or journal these days. Now a blog is a place for sharing knowledge and views, and for connecting with people. It's a place that can become the entire foundation of your online world and a key to unlocking incredible opportunities.” – Corbett Barr Tweet

Corbett created a blogging course named “ Blog that matters “.

“Blogs are the new resume, the new business card, the new marketing brochure or advertising billboard and they’re quickly becoming a source of excellent income for many.” – Amy Lynn Andrews Tweet

"How we think of blogs has changed a lot in the years. I used to think of a blog as just an online journal to put our thoughts – nothing more and typically they would only be read by friends & family (or nobody apart from a strange stalker). Fast forward to today and our perceptions have completely changed because blogs can be used to expose our thoughts and opinions to the masses. Now we have the tools and technology to make a serious change. If you do it right – a blog can be a tool to drive serious change, build yourself as an authority or build a community of like-minded people to connect with." – Adam Connell Tweet

Read about his blogging tips at BloggingWizard.com .

“Writing is organized thinking,” as they say, so a blog is just thought leadership at scale. That term slightly annoys me, but I do believe the sentiment to be true! The wonderful thing about blogs is that they offer a universally accessible way to publish such thoughts in segments. Books, essays, and letters (I'm fond of Letters from a Stoic) have always had similar properties, but none had the technological advantage of being able to host such thoughts on a perpetually available medium that can be accessed by anyone, from anywhere. When you think of it that way, blogs really are a special part of the internet. :)” – Gregory Ciotti Tweet

Gregory reveals how to build blog success with psychology .

“A blog is whatever YOU want it to be or whatever you make it be. It is all about you, your dreams and your aspirations. It is a very flexible content publishing platform that allows you to showcase your passion, your knowledge, your experience, and skills, and find an audience that is looking for someone like you to help them out, inform them, educate them and/or entertain them.” – Marko Saric Tweet

Marko has a YouTube channel , where you can learn the nuts and bolts about blogging.

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What is blogging? The history and trends

Unofficially, the first blog ever was made by Justin Hall ( links.net ) in 1994. At that time, no-one actually knew the word “blog” or “weblog”. Actually, Justin’s web property was more or less of a simple website, but it looked like a blog. He posted regularly (still doing it!) about the “stuff” he found on the internet and it was sort of “personal diary”.

The term “weblog” was first (officially) announced in 1997 by Jorn Barger . In 1999, weblog was shortened to blog. At this point, some folks (who had computers and internet access) started blogging, still, it wasn’t popular at all…

Then came WordPress (in 2003) and it changed a lot… Why so? WordPress started to offer FREE blogging platform. A lot of people have found it useful (including me) since it’s really easy to install, maintain and use. More than 75% of the blogs are using WordPress blogging platform.

Let’s see the search trends on Google about blogs, blogging and WordPress:

“ What is a blog? ” vs “ How to start a blog ” –

“ WordPress ” vs “ Blogger ” (most popular blogging platforms)

What can we say about that graph? For me, it seems that blogs are still quite popular and thousands of blogs are being published on a daily basis.

Currently, in 2020, there are more than 500,000,000 blogs on the internet !

Why do people blog?

Blogs are made and used for many different reasons. I’ll explain that to you shortly. But in the meantime, let’s have a look at all the different reasons people blog.

• To express themselves
• To delivery valuable information and news to other people on the internet
• To make money (Yes, some people are making a lot of money with blogging)
• Self-promotion
• To connect with like-minded people
• To gain knowledge
• To find a better job
• To improve writing skills

Your turn...

So what is a blog? Do you now understand what they are, or is there still something confusing? Leave a comment below and I’ll explain it to you once again! 🙂

By the way, if you really liked the idea of a blog and you want to start one, feel free to head over to my homepage where I explain how to set up a blog on your own. There’s no need for technical programming or HTML, so everyone can have a blog:)

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• Blogging course

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What Are the Major Difference Between a Blog and an Essay

• on Aug 29, 2022

Table of Contents

Did you know that WordPress, a platform famous for blogging, publishes 70 million new posts each month?

We read many kinds of writings during our school life. All our life, we come across multiple types of writing such as articles, essays, blogs, comprehension, etc. Our cerebral brain is quick to catch the difference. Some writings are short; some are long; some are formal, while some are informal. It is necessary to understand the difference to write correctly.

There are many essay writing help services which provide this information. Essay writing help has been a part of academics for a long time. As students, we often get such essay writer . In contrast to that, blogs are modern mediums, and it comes under journaling. You must have come across many blogs online, which has become a career path. Be it blog-writing or essay writing help , knowing the differences is imperative to understanding writing skills.

Essays and blogs are writings dissimilar to each other. Let’s find out how.

Difference between Blog and Essay

1.  definition.

Blog : Short for ‘web blog,’ it is a journal written for personal self. It can be shared with a group of people and does not require extensive research. Often, people use it to observe or note about their personal life, but now it has also become a business tool.

People have turned to online blogs as a kind of diary entry, and sharing them publicly enables people to associate and feel connected to each other’s experiences. The Internet and technology have made it possible, and everyone can access it, whether one-way or two-way communication.

Essay : It talks about a particular topic in length from a professional point of view. It requires extensive research as it contains information and ideas. Essay writer have to gather information and structure it in a proper format. Often given as an assignment, it improves a student’s critical thinking, problem-solving and analytical skills. Essay writer can also express their ideas here. It is one-way communication.

Blog: According to Adaptive, an average reader spends 37 seconds reading a blog post.

So, it is kept straightforward. It aims to share experiences and is often light-hearted. Here, there are no rules regarding plagiarism. Information could be reliable or unreliable. Businesses use it to promote their brand and products and share relevant information. They expand the reader’s knowledge by providing details related to the company. In this case, the blogger offers reliable information. Blogs are continuously published online.

Essay: It aims to pass on the information and has a serious tone. If the essay is well-researched containing verified facts, it can be used as a reliable source of information. It can also be published in an academic journal for the masses to read and can be available online and offline. 

3. Structure

Blog: There is no particular structure to a blog. It comes in all shapes and sizes. There’s no rule as to how long or short it should be. It is all about sharing experiences. It could be personal or related to fashion, health, recipe, home, business, technology, etc. Bloggers can also write about trending topics and share their opinions and views on the subject matter. By making it relatable, a blogger establishes a community.

It can contain text, audio, images, GIFs, links to other websites, etc.

Essay: It is well-structured. There is a proper format, font style, font size, etc. It should be grammatically correct. There is a particular topic on which the essay is written. All points should be direct to it, and there’s little deviation.

Usually, it is divided into three sub-sections, i.e., Introduction, Body and conclusion. An introduction gives an overview and attracts the readers, and the Body contains information and facts, which forms the crux of the whole. The conclusion provides concluding lines that leave the readers with additional reading material or ideas to think about.

4. Target Audience

Blog: It is for people across gender, ages, class, etc. It is also used by businesses to promote their brand. 

Essay: It is used by professionals to convey information and is one of the academic writing styles.

Blog: It is light-hearted and humorous. It is like talking to a friend. It may be formal or informal, depending on the purpose. A blogger talking about fashion will share some information and their point of view while keeping it funny. It has a personal and casual tone. In comparison, a business blogger may have a professional manner.

Essay: It has a formal tone making it academically sound. It is professional.

6. Who uses it?

Blog: Anyone can write a blog, and there’s no qualification required.

Essay: It does not limit to only students. Though, most students use this as a form of academic writing. It is evidence and fact-based, so the essay writer has to verify all the details used.

7. Feedback Forum

Blog: Often, it has a feedback forum where the readers can share their views, comment on how they felt or talk about their experiences. It is an online space where people can interact with each other. Readers can also recommend or suggest improvements. There is a particular area designated for it.

Essay: There is no such feedback forum.

One is disciplined, whereas the other is personal. Now that you know the difference, which do you choose?

Writing serves many purposes, such as relieving stress, improving critical thinking, improving clarity, providing information, boosting memory and mood and so on. Knowing what to write and how to write is essential to target the audience. According to the purpose, the medium is select. Also, it depends on where the target audience is most active. Researching about it gives you clarity. Then, you can narrow down your requirements. We hope this article has helped you with essay writing help . Blog and Essay writer , we hope you come out with excellent blogs and essays. This will help you in your educational, personal and professional career. For more information, keep reading.

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• Knowledge Base
• How to structure an essay: Templates and tips

How to Structure an Essay | Tips & Templates

Published on September 18, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction , a body , and a conclusion . But for many students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the body.

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Table of contents

The basics of essay structure, chronological structure, compare-and-contrast structure, problems-methods-solutions structure, signposting to clarify your structure, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay structure.

There are two main things to keep in mind when working on your essay structure: making sure to include the right information in each part, and deciding how you’ll organize the information within the body.

Parts of an essay

The three parts that make up all essays are described in the table below.

Order of information

You’ll also have to consider how to present information within the body. There are a few general principles that can guide you here.

The first is that your argument should move from the simplest claim to the most complex . The body of a good argumentative essay often begins with simple and widely accepted claims, and then moves towards more complex and contentious ones.

For example, you might begin by describing a generally accepted philosophical concept, and then apply it to a new topic. The grounding in the general concept will allow the reader to understand your unique application of it.

The second principle is that background information should appear towards the beginning of your essay . General background is presented in the introduction. If you have additional background to present, this information will usually come at the start of the body.

The third principle is that everything in your essay should be relevant to the thesis . Ask yourself whether each piece of information advances your argument or provides necessary background. And make sure that the text clearly expresses each piece of information’s relevance.

The sections below present several organizational templates for essays: the chronological approach, the compare-and-contrast approach, and the problems-methods-solutions approach.

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The chronological approach (sometimes called the cause-and-effect approach) is probably the simplest way to structure an essay. It just means discussing events in the order in which they occurred, discussing how they are related (i.e. the cause and effect involved) as you go.

A chronological approach can be useful when your essay is about a series of events. Don’t rule out other approaches, though—even when the chronological approach is the obvious one, you might be able to bring out more with a different structure.

Explore the tabs below to see a general template and a specific example outline from an essay on the invention of the printing press.

• Thesis statement
• Discussion of event/period
• Consequences
• Importance of topic
• Strong closing statement
• Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages
• Background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press
• Thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation
• High levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe
• Literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites
• Consequence: this discouraged political and religious change
• Invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg
• Implications of the new technology for book production
• Consequence: Rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible
• Trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing press’s invention
• Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation
• Consequence: The large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics
• Summarize the history described
• Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period

Essays with two or more main subjects are often structured around comparing and contrasting . For example, a literary analysis essay might compare two different texts, and an argumentative essay might compare the strengths of different arguments.

There are two main ways of structuring a compare-and-contrast essay: the alternating method, and the block method.

Alternating

In the alternating method, each paragraph compares your subjects in terms of a specific point of comparison. These points of comparison are therefore what defines each paragraph.

The tabs below show a general template for this structure, and a specific example for an essay comparing and contrasting distance learning with traditional classroom learning.

• Synthesis of arguments
• Topical relevance of distance learning in lockdown
• Increasing prevalence of distance learning over the last decade
• Thesis statement: While distance learning has certain advantages, it introduces multiple new accessibility issues that must be addressed for it to be as effective as classroom learning
• Classroom learning: Ease of identifying difficulties and privately discussing them
• Distance learning: Difficulty of noticing and unobtrusively helping
• Classroom learning: Difficulties accessing the classroom (disability, distance travelled from home)
• Distance learning: Difficulties with online work (lack of tech literacy, unreliable connection, distractions)
• Classroom learning: Tends to encourage personal engagement among students and with teacher, more relaxed social environment
• Distance learning: Greater ability to reach out to teacher privately
• Sum up, emphasize that distance learning introduces more difficulties than it solves
• Stress the importance of addressing issues with distance learning as it becomes increasingly common
• Distance learning may prove to be the future, but it still has a long way to go

In the block method, each subject is covered all in one go, potentially across multiple paragraphs. For example, you might write two paragraphs about your first subject and then two about your second subject, making comparisons back to the first.

The tabs again show a general template, followed by another essay on distance learning, this time with the body structured in blocks.

• Point 1 (compare)
• Point 2 (compare)
• Point 3 (compare)
• Point 4 (compare)
• Advantages: Flexibility, accessibility
• Disadvantages: Discomfort, challenges for those with poor internet or tech literacy
• Advantages: Potential for teacher to discuss issues with a student in a separate private call
• Disadvantages: Difficulty of identifying struggling students and aiding them unobtrusively, lack of personal interaction among students
• Advantages: More accessible to those with low tech literacy, equality of all sharing one learning environment
• Disadvantages: Students must live close enough to attend, commutes may vary, classrooms not always accessible for disabled students
• Advantages: Ease of picking up on signs a student is struggling, more personal interaction among students
• Disadvantages: May be harder for students to approach teacher privately in person to raise issues

An essay that concerns a specific problem (practical or theoretical) may be structured according to the problems-methods-solutions approach.

This is just what it sounds like: You define the problem, characterize a method or theory that may solve it, and finally analyze the problem, using this method or theory to arrive at a solution. If the problem is theoretical, the solution might be the analysis you present in the essay itself; otherwise, you might just present a proposed solution.

The tabs below show a template for this structure and an example outline for an essay about the problem of fake news.

• Introduce the problem
• Provide background
• Describe your approach to solving it
• Define the problem precisely
• Describe why it’s important
• Indicate previous approaches to the problem
• Present your new approach, and why it’s better
• Apply the new method or theory to the problem
• Indicate the solution you arrive at by doing so
• Assess (potential or actual) effectiveness of solution
• Describe the implications
• Problem: The growth of “fake news” online
• Prevalence of polarized/conspiracy-focused news sources online
• Thesis statement: Rather than attempting to stamp out online fake news through social media moderation, an effective approach to combating it must work with educational institutions to improve media literacy
• Definition: Deliberate disinformation designed to spread virally online
• Popularization of the term, growth of the phenomenon
• Previous approaches: Labeling and moderation on social media platforms
• Critique: This approach feeds conspiracies; the real solution is to improve media literacy so users can better identify fake news
• Greater emphasis should be placed on media literacy education in schools
• This allows people to assess news sources independently, rather than just being told which ones to trust
• This is a long-term solution but could be highly effective
• It would require significant organization and investment, but would equip people to judge news sources more effectively
• Rather than trying to contain the spread of fake news, we must teach the next generation not to fall for it

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Signposting means guiding the reader through your essay with language that describes or hints at the structure of what follows.  It can help you clarify your structure for yourself as well as helping your reader follow your ideas.

The essay overview

In longer essays whose body is split into multiple named sections, the introduction often ends with an overview of the rest of the essay. This gives a brief description of the main idea or argument of each section.

The overview allows the reader to immediately understand what will be covered in the essay and in what order. Though it describes what  comes later in the text, it is generally written in the present tense . The following example is from a literary analysis essay on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein .

Transitions

Transition words and phrases are used throughout all good essays to link together different ideas. They help guide the reader through your text, and an essay that uses them effectively will be much easier to follow.

Various different relationships can be expressed by transition words, as shown in this example.

Because Hitler failed to respond to the British ultimatum, France and the UK declared war on Germany. Although it was an outcome the Allies had hoped to avoid, they were prepared to back up their ultimatum in order to combat the existential threat posed by the Third Reich.

Transition sentences may be included to transition between different paragraphs or sections of an essay. A good transition sentence moves the reader on to the next topic while indicating how it relates to the previous one.

… Distance learning, then, seems to improve accessibility in some ways while representing a step backwards in others.

However , considering the issue of personal interaction among students presents a different picture.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

College essays

• Choosing Essay Topic
• Write a College Essay
• Write a Diversity Essay
• College Essay Format & Structure
• Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

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The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

An essay isn’t just a loose collection of facts and ideas. Instead, it should be centered on an overarching argument (summarized in your thesis statement ) that every part of the essay relates to.

The way you structure your essay is crucial to presenting your argument coherently. A well-structured essay helps your reader follow the logic of your ideas and understand your overall point.

Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways:

• The alternating method, where you compare your subjects side by side according to one specific aspect at a time.
• The block method, where you cover each subject separately in its entirety.

It’s also possible to combine both methods, for example by writing a full paragraph on each of your topics and then a final paragraph contrasting the two according to a specific metric.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

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Definition Essay

Definition Essay - Writing Guide, Examples and Tips

14 min read

Published on: Oct 9, 2020

Last updated on: Jan 31, 2024

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Interesting Definition Essay Topics for Students

Definition Essay Outline - Format & Guide

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Many students struggle with writing definition essays due to a lack of clarity and precision in their explanations.

This obstructs them from effectively conveying the essence of the terms or concepts they are tasked with defining. Consequently, the essays may lack coherence, leaving readers confused and preventing them from grasping the intended meaning.

But don’t worry!

In this guide, we will delve into effective techniques and step-by-step approaches to help students craft an engaging definition essay.

Continue reading to learn the correct formation of a definition essay. 

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What is a Definition Essay?

Just as the name suggests, a definition essay defines and explains a term or a concept. Unlike a narrative essay, the purpose of writing this essay is only to inform the readers.

Writing this essay type can be deceivingly tricky. Some terms, concepts, and objects have concrete definitions when explained. In contrast others are solely based on the writer’s understanding and point of view.

A definition essay requires a writer to use different approaches when discussing a term. These approaches are the following:

• Denotation - It is when you provide a literal or academic definition of the term.
• Connotation - It is when the writer provides an implied meaning or definition of the term.
• Enumeration - For this approach, a list is employed to define a term or a concept.
• Analogy - It is a technique in which something is defined by implementing a comparison.
• Negation - It is when you define a term by stating what it is not.

A single or combination of approaches can be used in the essay. 

Definition Essay Types

There are several types of definition essays that you may be asked to write, depending on the purpose and scope of the assignment. 

In this section, we will discuss some of the most common types of definition essays.

Descriptive Definition Essay 

This type of essay provides a detailed description of a term or concept, emphasizing its key features and characteristics. 

The goal of a descriptive definition essay is to help readers understand the term or concept in a more profound way.

Stipulative Definition Essay 

In a stipulative definition essay, the writer provides a unique definition of a term or concept. This type of essay is often used in academic settings to define a term in a particular field of study. 

The goal of a stipulative definition essay is to provide a precise and clear definition that is specific to the context of the essay.

Analytical Definition Essay 

This compare and contrast essay type involves analyzing a term or concept in-depth. Breaking it down into its component parts, and examining how they relate to each other. 

The goal of an analytical definition essay is to provide a more nuanced and detailed understanding of the term or concept being discussed.

Persuasive Definition Essay 

A persuasive definition essay is an argumentative essay that aims to persuade readers to accept a particular definition of a term or concept.

The writer presents their argument for the definition and uses evidence and examples to support their position.

Explanatory Definition Essay 

An explanatory definition essay is a type of expository essay . It aims to explain a complex term or concept in a way that is easy to understand for the reader. 

The writer breaks down the term or concept into simpler parts and provides examples and analogies to help readers understand it better.

Extended Definition Essay 

An extended definition essay goes beyond the definition of a word or concept and provides a more in-depth analysis and explanation. 

The goal of an extended definition essay is to provide a comprehensive understanding of a term, concept, or idea. This includes its history, origins, and cultural significance. 

How to Write a Definition Essay?

Writing a definition essay is simple if you know the correct procedure. This essay, like all the other formal pieces of documents, requires substantial planning and effective execution.

The following are the steps involved in writing a definition essay effectively:

Instead of choosing a term that has a concrete definition available, choose a word that is complicated . Complex expressions have abstract concepts that require a writer to explore deeper. Moreover, make sure that different people perceive the term selected differently. 

Once you have a word to draft your definition essay for, read the dictionary. These academic definitions are important as you can use them to compare your understanding with the official concept.

Drafting a definition essay is about stating the dictionary meaning and your explanation of the concept. So the writer needs to have some information about the term.

In addition to this, when exploring the term, make sure to check the term’s origin. The history of the word can make you discuss it in a better way.

Coming up with an exciting title for your essay is important. The essay topic will be the first thing that your readers will witness, so it should be catchy.

Creatively draft an essay topic that reflects meaning. In addition to this, the usage of the term in the title should be correctly done. The readers should get an idea of what the essay is about and what to expect from the document.

Now that you have a topic in hand, it is time to gather some relevant information. A definition essay is more than a mere explanation of the term. It represents the writer’s perception of the chosen term and the topic.

So having only personal opinions will not be enough to defend your point. Deeply research and gather information by consulting credible sources.

The gathered information needs to be organized to be understandable. The raw data needs to be arranged to give a structure to the content.

Here's a generic outline for a definition essay:

Are you searching for an in-depth guide on crafting a well-structured definition essay?Check out this definition essay outline blog!

6. Write the First Draft

Drafting each section correctly is a daunting task. Understanding what or what not to include in these sections requires a writer to choose wisely.

The start of your essay matters a lot. If it is on point and attractive, the readers will want to read the text. As the first part of the essay is the introduction , it is considered the first impression of your essay.

To write your definition essay introduction effectively, include the following information:

• Start your essay with a catchy hook statement that is related to the topic and the term chosen.
• State the generally known definition of the term. If the word chosen has multiple interpretations, select the most common one.
• Provide background information precisely. Determine the origin of the term and other relevant information.
• Shed light on the other unconventional concepts and definitions related to the term.
• Decide on the side or stance you want to pick in your essay and develop a thesis statement .

After briefly introducing the topic, fully explain the concept in the body section . Provide all the details and evidence that will support the thesis statement. To draft this section professionally, add the following information:

• A detailed explanation of the history of the term.
• Analysis of the dictionary meaning and usage of the term.
• A comparison and reflection of personal understanding and the researched data on the concept.

Once all the details are shared, give closure to your discussion. The last paragraph of the definition essay is the conclusion . The writer provides insight into the topic as a conclusion.

The concluding paragraphs include the following material:

• Summary of the important points.
• Restated thesis statement.
• A final verdict on the topic.

7. Proofread and Edit

Although the writing process ends with the concluding paragraph, there is an additional step. It is important to proofread the essay once you are done writing. Proofread and revise your document a couple of times to make sure everything is perfect.

Before submitting your assignment, make edits, and fix all mistakes and errors.

If you want to learn more about how to write a definition essay, here is a video guide for you!

Definition Essay Structure 

The structure of a definition essay is similar to that of any other academic essay. It should consist of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. 

However, the focus of a definition essay is on defining and explaining a particular term or concept. 

In this section, we will discuss the structure of a definition essay in detail.

Introduction 

Get the idea of writing an introduction for a definition essay with this example:

Body Paragraphs

Here is an example of how to craft your definition essay body paragraph:

Types of the Term/Concept 

If applicable, the writer may want to include a section that discusses the different types or categories of the term or concept being defined. 

This section should explain the similarities and differences between the types, using examples and anecdotes to illustrate the points.

Examples of the Term/Concept in Action 

The writer should also include real-life examples of the term or concept being defined in action. 

This will help the reader better understand the term or concept in context and how it is used in everyday life.

Conclusion 

This example will help you writing a conclusion fo you essay:

Definition Essay Examples

It is important to go through some examples and samples before writing an essay. This is to understand the writing process and structure of the assigned task well.

Following are some examples of definition essays to give our students a better idea of the concept. 

Understanding the Definition Essay

Definition Essay Example

Definition Essay About Friendship

Definition Essay About Love

Family Definition Essay

Success Definition Essay

Beauty Definition Essay

Definition Essay Topics

Selecting the right topic is challenging for other essay types. However, picking a suitable theme for a definition essay is equally tricky yet important. Pick an interesting subject to ensure maximum readership.

If you are facing writer’s block, here is a list of some great definition essay topics for your help. Choose from the list below and draft a compelling essay.

• Authenticity
• Sustainability
• Mindfulness

Here are some more extended definition essay topics:

• Social media addiction
• Ethical implications of gene editing
• Personalized learning in the digital age
• Ecosystem services
• Cultural assimilation versus cultural preservation
• Sustainable fashion
• Gender equality in the workplace
• Financial literacy and its impact on personal finance
• Ethical considerations in artificial intelligence
• Welfare state and social safety nets

Need more topics? Check out this definition essay topics blog!

Definition Essay Writing Tips

Knowing the correct writing procedure is not enough if you are not aware of the essay’s small technicalities. To help students write a definition essay effortlessly, expert writers of CollegeEssay.org have gathered some simple tips.

These easy tips will make your assignment writing phase easy.

• Choose an exciting yet informative topic for your essay.
• When selecting the word, concept, or term for your essay, make sure you have the knowledge.
• When consulting a dictionary for the definition, provide proper referencing as there are many choices available.
• To make the essay informative and credible, always provide the origin and history of the term.
• Highlight different meanings and interpretations of the term.
• Discuss the transitions and evolution in the meaning of the term in any.
• Provide your perspective and point of view on the chosen term.

Following these tips will guarantee you better grades in your academics.

By following the step-by-step approach explained in this guide, you will acquire the skills to craft an outstanding essay. 

Struggling with the thought, " write my college essay for m e"? Look no further.

Our dedicated definition essay writing service is here to craft the perfect essay that meets your academic needs.

For an extra edge, explore our AI essay writer , a tool designed to refine your essays to perfection. 

Barbara P (Literature, Marketing)

Barbara is a highly educated and qualified author with a Ph.D. in public health from an Ivy League university. She has spent a significant amount of time working in the medical field, conducting a thorough study on a variety of health issues. Her work has been published in several major publications.

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Definition of essay

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Definition of essay  (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

• composition

attempt , try , endeavor , essay , strive mean to make an effort to accomplish an end.

attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort.

try is often close to attempt but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something.

endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty.

essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting.

strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort.

Examples of essay in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'essay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Middle French essai , ultimately from Late Latin exagium act of weighing, from Latin ex- + agere to drive — more at agent

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing essay

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• essay question

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“Essay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essay. Accessed 12 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

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Kids Definition of essay  (Entry 2 of 2)

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Stanford University School of Medicine blog

Why detecting the earliest biological signs of Parkinson’s disease is so crucial

Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, behind Alzheimer's disease, and affects nearly a million people in the United States.

The disease causes dopamine-producing brain cells to die and patients typically experience tremor, stiff muscles and slow movement as well as cognitive deficits. Medications to increase dopamine levels can help alleviate many of the motor symptoms -- but there is no cure.

Kathleen Poston , MD, the Edward F. and Irene Thiele Pimley Professor II in Neurology and the Neurological Sciences, has dedicated her career to helping patients with Parkinson's and to studying its root causes in the lab.

There were also a lot of unknowns, which piqued the interest of the research part of my brain. Kathleen Poston

Her interest in Parkinson's developed during her medical training. "As a clinician, it was a rewarding field because, compared to other neurodegenerative diseases, there were many therapies we could offer patients," she said. "But there were also a lot of unknowns, which piqued the interest of the research part of my brain."

Recently, Poston's lab has been part of an international effort supported by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research to develop a diagnostic test that can detect the earliest biological signs of the disease.

They've shown that the new biomarker -- a clumping protein in the brain -- can predict who will go on to develop Parkinson's, giving patients and researchers more time to test experimental treatments.

We asked Poston about the latest advances in the field and how early diagnosis may finally lead to a cure. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

How has our understanding of Parkinson's disease changed in recent years?

The biggest shift recently has to do with our understanding of how to diagnose the disease. With certain types of brain scanning and now with a biological marker, we can be more precise and accurate in our diagnosis earlier.

Traditionally we've only been able to diagnose people with Parkinson's disease based on the same standardized exam that's been done for 50, 60 years. We rate someone's motor symptoms -- slowness, stiffness, tremor. But it's hard to identify people early on in the disease. Until somebody really had those symptoms, it was hard to say for certain, "Yes, you have Parkinson's disease." Patients often say it took two years for them to be diagnosed, or they had to see four or five different doctors.

I think it's meaningful to people living with the disease just to get the right diagnosis as early as possible. People can manage once they know what they're dealing with. But when you're in that unknown time, it's very, very hard.

The newer biomarker we can test for now is alpha-synuclein. Does everyone who has this biomarker go on to develop Parkinson's?

Alpha-synuclein is a protein we all have in our brains, but for some reason it's in these clumping forms in people who have Parkinson's disease. We now know it's the primary protein that makes up Lewy bodies, the protein aggregates that form in the brain cells that die in people with Parkinson's disease.

It wasn't until after someone died that a pathologist could look at their brain under a microscope and make a definitive diagnosis. Blood tests and brain scans didn't seem to work. Kathleen Poston

We've never been able to definitively identify, during a person's lifetime, whether they have these Lewy bodies in their brain, even if they have a clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's or a similar clinical disorder called dementia with Lewy bodies. It wasn't until after someone died that a pathologist could look at their brain under a microscope and make a definitive diagnosis. Blood tests and brain scans didn't seem to work.

We now have the first test that accurately identifies clumping alpha-synuclein. Researchers put seeds of alpha-synuclein in a sample of the patient's cerebral spinal fluid, then stress it by putting it through a series of heating, shaking and fragmenting to see if this nucleus clumps together. The test has extraordinary accuracy to the final pathology. It's about 99% accurate in people with a clinical diagnosis and also very accurate in people prior to a clinical diagnosis.

• Stanford Medicine-led study finds genetic factor fends off Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
• Alzheimer's and Parkinson's biomarkers show promise for early diagnosis

What we don't know -- and the reason this is all still in research -- is whether a person with a positive test will develop Parkinson's disease in a year, or five years, or 10 years. It's just a "yes" or "no" readout, which doesn't tell you anything about how bad the disease is or when it will develop. So there's a lot more work that needs to be done.

You're part of a group that recently published a proposal for a biological definition of Parkinson's based on alpha-synuclein. What does that mean and why is it important?

If we're trying to come up with a therapy that can prevent someone who has the underlying biology of Parkinson's disease from ever developing clinical symptoms, we need a biological definition that's 100% based on biomarkers -- such as clumping alpha-synuclein -- and not dependent on clinical symptoms.

Right now, this biological definition is proposed strictly in research settings so we can identify people with that biology who we would want to enroll in preventative clinical trials.

The earlier we can identify people who we feel confident have Parkinson's disease, the more we can think about slowing or stopping the disease progression. It gives us a window into the disease when there's not as much damage done, when it's easier to test potential therapies.

You have an exciting paper coming up later this year. Can you tell us what that will be about?

Here at Stanford we've been banking cerebral spinal fluid samples for a long time. In the new study, we showed that the alpha-synuclein test was able to predict a future diagnosis of Parkinson's in multiple people.

Also, it turns out, about 10% to 20% of people with Alzheimer's disease at death will also have this Lewy body pathology in their brain -- and now we can detect that earlier. That could change how we think about treating people with Alzheimer's as well.

That could change how we think about treating people with Alzheimer's as well. Kathleen Poston

This is the big advantage of having the combination of banked samples, longitudinal clinical testing and individuals agreeing to autopsy and having that final diagnosis -- being able to put the whole story together. It's wonderful that all these participants volunteered to give all this information over the past 15 years and we were able to rapidly make use of it.

Looking forward, what are you most excited about?

There are two things that really excite me.

I'm working with other researchers to translate this alpha-synuclein test into a simple blood test or some other test that is readily accessible. Doing this test in the cerebral spinal fluid is quite restrictive and not every person is going to get a lumbar puncture at their annual wellness checkup.

We're doing plasma banking for all the people diagnosed with Parkinson's in our clinic. When one of my collaborators here develops something that takes it from cerebral spinal fluid into plasma, we can then quickly test it on 500 to 600 samples from our clinic.

What also excites me is figuring out how we can really accelerate therapeutic development to get to that preventive therapy. I'm working with researchers here at Stanford who are interested in therapies targeting these clumping proteins.

I hope that, in a couple of years, we're having this conversation and I'm telling you about the first FDA-approved disease-modifying therapy for Parkinson's disease. That would be wonderful.

Image courtesy Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research

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What is the difference between a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse?

It almost time! Millions of Americans across the country Monday are preparing to witness the once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse as it passes over portions of Mexico, the United States and Canada.

It's a sight to behold and people have now long been eagerly awaiting what will be their only chance until 2044 to witness totality, whereby the moon will completely block the sun's disc, ushering in uncharacteristic darkness.

That being said, many are curious on what makes the solar eclipse special and how is it different from a lunar eclipse.

The total solar eclipse is today: Get the latest forecast and everything you need to know

What is an eclipse?

An eclipse occurs when any celestial object like a moon or a planet passes between two other bodies, obscuring the view of objects like the sun, according to NASA .

What is a solar eclipse?

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes in between the Earth and the sun, blocking its light from reaching our planet, leading to a period of darkness lasting several minutes. The resulting "totality," whereby observers can see the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere, known as the corona, presents a spectacular sight for viewers and confuses animals – causing nocturnal creatures to stir and bird and insects to fall silent.

Partial eclipses, when some part of the sun remains visible, are the most common, making total eclipses a rare sight.

What is a lunar eclipse?

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon and the sun are on exact opposite sides of Earth. When this happens, Earth blocks the sunlight that normally reaches the moon. Instead of that sunlight hitting the moon’s surface, Earth's shadow falls on it.

Lunar eclipses are often also referred to the "blood moon" because when the Earth's shadow covers the moon, it often produces a red color. The coloration happens because a bit of reddish sunlight still reaches the moon's surface, even though it's in Earth's shadow.

Difference between lunar eclipse and solar eclipse

The major difference between the two eclipses is in the positioning of the sun, the moon and the Earth and the longevity of the phenomenon, according to NASA.

A lunar eclipse can last for a few hours, while a solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes. Solar eclipses also rarely occur, while lunar eclipses are comparatively more frequent. While at least two partial lunar eclipses happen every year, total lunar eclipses are still rare, says NASA.

Another major difference between the two is that for lunar eclipses, no special glasses or gizmos are needed to view the spectacle and one can directly stare at the moon. However, for solar eclipses, it is pertinent to wear proper viewing glasses and take the necessary safety precautions because the powerful rays of the sun can burn and damage your retinas.

Contributing: Eric Lagatta, Doyle Rice, USA TODAY

• You can now send clearer, crisper photos in high definition and create shared albums with friends in Messenger chats. 
• You can also now send larger files up to 100MB in your Messenger chats.

We’re excited to start the rollout of a number of new features to make your Messenger conversations and connections even better.

Send Your Photos in High-Definition

You can now send clearer, crisper photos in your chats. To send an HD photo, select an image from your chat composer, then turn the HD toggle on and tap Send. Tap on additional photos to send multiple in HD, then tap Send.

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Create Shared Albums With Friends

From chats about a recent spring break trip, to your grandma’s 80th birthday celebration, you can now create albums of photos and videos to share, organize and reminisce over the best memories and moments. 

To create a new album in a group chat:

• Select multiple photos from your chat composer
• Tap Create album (you can also long press a photo in the chat and tap Create album)
• To add to an existing album, tap Add to album

To rename the album: 

• Tap the three dot menu
• Tap Edit Name
• Confirm new album name

From there, everyone in the chat can view, add, delete and download pictures and videos from the album. To locate the album at any time, tap on your group chat name then tap Media. This feature will be rolling out over the coming weeks.

Add New Connections With a QR Code

Now you don’t have to type out someone’s name or number to add them on Messenger – you can easily connect with folks by scanning their Messenger QR code or sharing yours via a link.

To start a message thread with a new connection, go to your Settings and tap the QR code icon at the top. From there, they can scan your code using their device’s camera, or you can share a link by tapping Share.

Send Files Up To 100MB Right From Your Phone

You no longer have to rely on email to send large files. When you’re in a Messenger chat, tap the + button and then select a file up to 100MB. All major file formats are supported, including Word, PDF and Excel. 

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