If you have a blog or a website, you know how important it is to get visitors to come back for more content. A blog is where you can literally put your thoughts and feelings into words and connect with potential customers in a very personal way. When done right, a blog can be massively effective at driving business with incredible engagement and inbound marketing techniques.

If you’re currently looking to grow your blog, you might be wondering where to start. Where do I find the best content to promote on my blog? How can I make the most of my blog? What platforms should I use to grow my audience?

We’ve all been there. We’re eager to dive into the world of blogging and take advantage of its massive reach and opportunity, but we don’t know where to start. Hopefully, this article will help you figure out the basics so you can begin to build your audience and ultimately your business.

Why Blogging?

The benefits of a blog are endless, but here are just a few of the most obvious and common reasons why you should consider blogging:

• It’s free. You don’t have to pay for hosting or upgrades to stay up-to-date on content.
• Blogs are built on a foundation of content, so you’ll always have fresh content to pull on.
• It’s a fantastic way to establish yourself as an expert in your industry. If you can string together a series of solid blog posts, you’ll gain credibility in your niche and attract potential customers to your brand.
• Blogs are searchable. This means that if someone is searching for a term related to your blog’s content, they’ll find your blog and its articles.
• Blogging is a fantastic way to build a community. Whether you have one or several blogs, you can always find a way to connect with your readership and engage with them on a personal level.
• Blogging is a fantastic channel for inbound marketing. Inbound marketing is all about attracting, engaging, and delighting people to grow your business. Since blogs are established around content, they’re a fantastic place to house inbound marketing campaigns.
• The list could go on.

The Different Kinds of Blogs

It’s important to understand what kind of blog you should be building before you begin. Although the name suggests otherwise, a blog isn’t always just a collection of blog posts. There are actually seven different types of blogs, and the most efficient and effective way to grow your audience and business is by understanding what each type of blog is and why you should be using them.

Here is an overview of the different types of blogs and why you should use each one.

Blogs for SEO

If you are new to the whole concept of blogging, you might want to start with blogs for SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Why? Well, SEO blogs are used to attract organic traffic from search engines like Google. In other words, these are the blogs that Google’s algorithm ranks highly. When someone types in a search query into their search bar, your blog’s content should appear near the top of the list.

Why? Well, when someone is searching for something, they will often click on the first few websites that appear on their screen. Unless your content is extremely relevant to their needs, they probably won’t bother clicking on your site when there are a million others that appear on the first page of their search results. In other words, having a blog that is optimized for search engines is an excellent way to gain exposure and credibility.

There are a few different types of SEO blogs. For example, you might want to build a WordPress blog and use plugins like Yoast’s SEO starter kit to maximize your content’s reach.

Blogs as a News Publication

Next, let’s discuss blogs as a news publication. A news publication is similar to a blog in the sense that it features current events and often times, prominent people or products in the news. However, a news publication typically prints out news articles and sells them as a physical product (e.g., a newspaper).

Why do we need to differentiate between blogs and news publications? Well, if you’re already a news publication, you can take advantage of the fact that people are already searching for stories related to your niche. If someone is searching for “cryptocurrencies,” for example, they’ll find your news article about bitcoin and possibly even read all the way through it, gaining valuable knowledge and hopefully becoming a loyal reader. At the end of the day, you’ll want to try to build a following of loyal readers and brand advocates who appreciate your content and help to spread the word about your business.

If you have a physical newspaper, you might also want to set up a blog to complement your product. For example, if you run a pet store and write about animals and pet care, you could also set up a blog about fashion and style. The idea is to establish yourself as an expert in your industry and to use your platform to share your knowledge and educate your readers on how to take better care of their animals. In this scenario, you can also use your blog to drive traffic to your physical newspaper, creating a win-win situation.

Product-Related Blogs

Next, let’s discuss product-related blogs. A product-related blog is simply a blog that focuses on a single product or service. The reason this type of blog is so effective is that it helps to establish trust with the readers. When someone is looking for information about a specific product or service, they’ll often click on brands and websites they’ve never heard of before and are therefore less likely to trust. In other words, if you can build a reputation for being an authoritative source for information about the product, you’ll gain credibility with the reader. Plus, you can literally talk about anything related to the product while blogging, allowing you to connect with and educate your audience on a personal level.

Let’s look at an example. Someone is searching for a new camera and comes across your blog. You’ve written a few helpful articles about photo equipment and decide to click on the product’s link to read more. Once you’ve read all the helpful information you can from the website, you realize the product isn’t the right fit for your needs. However, you still appreciate the attempt to provide authoritative information about the product and decide to leave your email address on the site in the hopes someone will reach out to you if the product changes.

Blogs for Entertainment

Next, let’s discuss blogs for entertainment. Entertainment blogs are written for fun and usually involve light reading. If you enjoy writing and want to create something that is light-hearted and fun, consider starting a blog for entertainment. These types of blogs are extremely effective at engaging a reader and often lead to some funny or enjoyable experience for the reader. Plus, you can use entertaining blogs to your advantage and potentially attract new readers who might not have found your content informative.

It’s important to understand that not all entertainment blogs are created equal. Some blogs are simply there to entertain, while others aim to be informative and help their readers understand and appreciate different types of entertainment. When considering the type of content you’ll produce, you need to bear in mind the goal and purpose of your blog and ensure the type of content you produce is appropriate.

Creative Blogs

Next, let’s discuss creative blogs. A creative blog is simply a blog that is innovative and encourages readers to create their own original content. If you’re an artist or have a mind for creative thinking, consider starting a blog to express your ideas and creations. In the words of Scott Buehler, the founder of Studio Buehler, “A blog is an excellent place to store one’s creativity. No matter what problem you are trying to solve, there is usually a creative solution.” Creative blogs are extremely effective at getting readers to engage more deeply with the content and ultimately, your business.

Technology Blogs

Next, let’s discuss technology blogs. A technology blog is simply a blog that covers the various technologies and digital processes that exist in the world today. If you’re interested in tech and have the skills to back up your writing, consider starting a blog that covers the various technologies that exist. In other words, if you can string together a series of informative and helpful posts about the various technologies, you’ll gain credibility with the audience.