A blog is an online platform that displays a series of texts, usually in chronological order. A blog contains textual content (popularly called “blog posts”), written by an author or a group of authors. Blog posts contain views and opinions on different topics, depending on the subject matter and themes of the blog on which they are published.

Content quality, regular posting, good design and established social media presence are ranked as the four biggest factors for a blog’s credibility.

The average blog contains 1,050 words.

Blogs vs. websites

Blogs are often equated with traditional websites. In fact, many websites include a “Blog” category on their platform. Business owners see the benefits in establishing themselves as an authority in their line of work. Therefore, they publish their views and opinions on related topics in order to attract the attention of potential customers.

What are the key differences between a blog and a website?

First of all, websites that integrate a blog do not update their content regularly. They publish new “blog posts” when they want to promote a new product, or when they have a new activity and they want to “spread the word” about it. By attracting more readers, companies increase public awareness of their brand, and build trust with potential customers.

In contrast, a blog usually requires regular posting of new content (depending on the frequency of publishing, as set by the individuals or organizations running the particular blog) in order to remain relevant.

The purpose of blog posts published as part of business websites, is to promote the business’ own content, not to encourage discussion or debate on a particular issue. Blog posts are usually published in order to inform, but also to encourage discussion and debate on an issue. A blog such as Res Publica (www.respublica.edu.mk) deals with socio-political and social topics and is designed to offer citizens an arena where they can get informed, but also participate in the discussion of issues that directly affect them.

On the other hand, there are personal blogs that are created on popular topics, which offer advice to people who are interested in those topics (an example of this would be Monika Potter’s blog, which focuses on food and recommendations for places to eat in the city).

Nowadays, starting a blog is very simple. All you need to do is open an account on one of the blogging platforms (WordPress is the most popular), and decide what you want to achieve with your blog.

A blog is a great opportunity to share your opinion on some issues and attract like-minded people for discussion. A blog is also a tool through which you can express your interests. These can be a variety of topics for which there is a specific audience, be it food, design, fashion, or a politics blog.

A common misconception is that when writing a blog on a more complex topic (e.g. tax regulations, foreign investment, etc.) you have to write at a “grandiloquent” level. However, the best blog posts convey the main message in a concise and clear way, in a way that will be accessible to a wider audience.

The average reader does not stay on a blog for more than a minute. Therefore, it is necessary to immediately grab their attention with the offered content.

WordPress.com is the most popular blogging platform. A quarter of websites around the world (over 80 million websites) are supported on this platform.

Blog posts that include photos at every 70-100 words are shared more often on social media.

Why is blogging so popular?

Business blogs, for example, are a cheap and easy way to promote a company. Increasing customer awareness, increasing sales of products and services, keeping up with new trends and entering new markets are things that a business blog can encourage.

Nevertheless, blogs present two-way communication. Through blogs, citizens can be informed about topics that interest them, offering a method of consumption that is both quick and easy. Good blog posts are not too long, and do not contain “bureaucratic” terminology that deters the reader. Blog posts are an effective way to promote a charitable cause, or to spread information of public interest. Blog posts often call for action, encourage citizens to engage in discussion or learn more about how to exercise their civic rights.