“Blog” is a relatively new form of communication, and, naturally, a new term as well. Having a personal website and a blog allows ordinary people to share opinions, ideas, and thoughts.
A blog is an online platform where an individual or a group of individuals can publish written content. Usually, that is done in an informal or conversational style, but that is not necessary for the medium to be called a blog. Blogs can cover a wide range of topics and are typically updated regularly. A blog could be commentary or in the form of a diary.
With the development of the internet industry and the hosting services getting cheaper and more widely available, some entrepreneurs started creating what is now called “affiliate blogs” in which they share seemingly unbiased information for a product (or a service) but have a contract with the company behind that product and are making profit from each sale that occurs through the links they’ve put into their content.
Affiliate blogs could be considered a form of advertorial, although they are more like a catalog of advertorials.
There are many other reasons to create a blog, except for the commercial one. You could:
- Share personal opinions, experiences, or expertise
- Provide information or news on specific topics
- Engage with readers through comments and interactions
And therefore, except for the affiliate blogs, there are:
- Personal blogs (journals, lifestyle)
- Professional blogs (industry insights, business)
- News blogs (current events, commentary)
- Niche blogs (travel, fashion, tech, food)