Basically, blogs were first introduced as web logs that refer to a “server’s log file.” It was created when web logging hit the virtual market. Since its inception in the mid-1990s, web logging gradually saturated the virtual community making the Internet a viable source of greater information.
However, with web logging, you still need a web site and domain names, but with blogging, you do not need anything just an account with blog providers. In most cases, these kinds of blogs are free of charge. Examples include Blogger, WordPress.com and Live Journal.
Generally, at first, blogs were created for personal use. Like a journal, people wrote their daily adventures, sentiments, and whatever ideas they want to express online. I started one myself, you can view it at Random Thoughts.
Nevertheless, with the advent of the online businesses, blogs gradually have been used to provide businesses with a chance to boost their productivity online.
Business blogs are, basically, created to advertise the services or products of a certain website or online business in order to increase online sales. Business blogs are also a way of promoting the company so that other readers will know that a certain company exists online. This blog is an example of just that. With blogs, entrepreneurs are able to establish a name in the virtual market through articles that can be very useful to readers.
From there, you can make money from blogs by simply syndicating your posts using RSS technology, adding Google Adsense, including links to affiliate ads and more.
For those of you who are thinking of creating a blog, whether for business or for pleasure, here are some tips that could help you get good traffic.
1. Consider your audience.
Even if your blog is generally personal, you should consider the interests of your readers. After all, one of the reasons people who write blogs start them is to be “heard” (or read) – to be known, in some way or another, even for just a minute. Hence, it is very important to write something that everybody can understand.
2. Pictures speaks a thousand words.
To make your blog worth reading, it would be very nice if you put some pictures in it. This does not necessarily mean you have to place a picture of yourself. Any photographs will do as long as it does not pose danger or insult anyone who will be reading your blog.
3. Make constructive and beneficial blogs.
Even if you are free to write anything you wan to say to the world, still, it would be better to create something that will benefit your readers. Readers won’t come back to read your blog again if they don’t gain a benefit from it – the benefit could be something productive like business advice or something entertaining like a humor blog.
4. Avoid making multifaceted and complicated blogs.
OK. My Random Thoughts blog is not a good example of that, but I use it mainly as a sounding board and a way to get those random thoughts out of my mind so I won’t annoy the people around me with them. My other blogs, however are quite focused. In order to have an interesting blog, try not to use highly technical and highfalutin words. After all, it is not a science discourse or a debate that you are making, so stick to simple facts and short blogs.
Bear in mind that most people who use the Internet usually do more scanning than scrutinizing each site word for word. Therefore, it would be better to come with blogs that will not bore your readers just because you have these lengthy articles.
5. Make it interactive.
As much as possible, make your blog interactive. You can do this by placing video or audio clips in your blog. You can even place an area for comments or for feedback. In this way, you can get reader impressions or reactions. Who knows, you might even gain some friends just by making them feel at home in your blog site.
Indeed, blogs are no longer created just for the mere fun of it. They also have a purpose in the world of the Internet. They are an excellent business tool and a simple way to get a website up on the ‘net that is easy for those who are not that technically savvy.
