Are Blogs Dead?

Nope. Blogs can provide revenue to writers who do good work. Here's how.

I’ve been writing one for almost 10 years on PsychologyToday.com. I’ve run other blogs from time to time. And now, here you’ve got my newsletter—I think of it more like a column—but you could even think of it as a blog. I share personal experience, and professional expertise in a conversational way with others. That’s what blogs do too.

I don’t think blogging is dead, it’s another form of writing and publishing, but perhaps it’s the name that is outdated.

Web Logs

When blogs (web+log=blog) initially stormed across the Internet they were more like personal journals, individual updates on family or events or issues. The easy-to-use platforms made it easy for anyone to share their writing on a website. Crafting, cooking, parenting, regular updates about the family camping trip, it all showed up online. Plenty of pieces that shouldn’t have been, were published for the world to see.

Aspiring writers also took to blogs as a way to showcase their writing. Several got book deals and articles published when they gained a blog following. Others dropped the arduous process of regular publishing within weeks.

Blogs are Personal and Universal

Now, blogs are a way to promote issues, establish a brand identity, develop connections, and go deep into a problem. My blog on Psychology Today is all about living a better life. That’s all I talk about, but the topic is broad enough that I’ll never run out of material. And it’s a topic I’m personally interested in.

And, when you blog for a corporation or association, when you blog for a magazine, or on your own site you can develop a revenue stream. But only if the writing is sound. The best blogs start with a clear vision, are engaging and accurate, and serve the reader.

Want to give blogging a go? Here are some things to keep in mind.

How to Write a Good Blog Post

Plan. Get clear on what you are writing, why you want to write it, and who will want to read it. Know your audience and why the subject matter is important to both y and it. How can this blog help others? What is the goal of your posts? What is the overall theme of the blog and what will specific posts focus on? For example, the theme of your blog might be parenting a teenager, but your posts must be specific. One might be How to teach your daughter to drive without losing your mind.

Write a compelling post, every time. Open with a strong hook, keep your focus tight, and have a clear body with points that support that focus. Pull the writer through the story with great writing, strong verbs, a clear POV, and a conversational tone. If you are blogging for a corporation or non-profit humanize the story. Include details from clients or users, research, identify the problem, and the solution the company came up with to support their clients.

Break the copy up with concise, specific subheads.

Keep the copy under 1,000. I know, I know, people have different views on this. But, from anecdotal evidence, my shorter posts get read more often. I rarely ever go over 1,000 words. Just sayin’.

Revise like crazy. Proofread. Fact check. Respect the reader’s time by presenting a well-organized, informative, and entertaining piece. Blogs often grow faster when posts appear more frequently. This drives writers to push for volume over substance or quality. I think this is a mistake. Don’t waste your time or the readers by publishing bad writing. You’ll never get the time back—or the readers.

Stay away from clickbait headlines. It diminishes your credibility. We are over it.

Be authentic, real, and accurate. Tell us a good story and make sure you have your facts straight.

Find a hosting platform you can manage. You don’t want to spend all your time figuring out how to post the pieces you write. If you are blogging for a corporation they will most likely have a platform they’ll have you input your work into.

Include strong images. There are sites like Unsplash that provide photos at no cost, you can also subscribe, buy, or make and take your own, but you want art on the page. Make sure you have the rights to publish and give attribution to the creator. Do not use work you don’t own.

Unique and Universal

Blogging is still a personal experience. A way to share information, entertain, help others, and connect. Be human. Share your experience or the experiences of real people and tell the universal story. My story about teaching my 16-year-old to drive is unique and personal to me, but many readers have had similar experiences and they will relate. That’s universal.

Is blogging dead? No way. But many blogs die because they don’t keep the reader in mind and they publish material that isn’t interesting or well-written.

Your job as a writer of anything is to make sure you have a good story waiting when the readers come.

Keywords will help readers find you but it’s the writing that will make them stay.

Simply, Write,

-p