Starting a blog may be easy, but choosing what kind of blog it should be is a different story. Blogs are versatile – there are just too many types of blogs to choose from. Finding the right niche for your voice is one of the first things you should do!
In this article, we will help you decide what type of blog is the best choice for you.
Table of Contents
What Is A Blog?
A blog is a website where an author posts content regularly. Back in the day, it started as a way to connect to the world through a personal journal. Now, it has become something more – a tool for companies to spread brand awareness and lure in potential customers.
Types of Blogs
Your blog type will provide guidelines for the content you should produce. It’s recommended to stick with a single type. Your audience will get used to what you post, and a sudden change in direction might scare them off. Take your time before making a decision.
1. Personal Blogs
The authors of these types of blogs can talk about anything – unique experiences, opinions, personal embarrassments, passions, etc.
This is the platform where you’re front and center. Your personality is what draws in readers. However, this might make it hard to build a strong community, as the content types will most likely be varied.
You have to bring your A game to make your readers like it – tell your story with strong narrative, make your audience feel.
Pros:
- Easier to find topics
- You have a unique voice
- You type as you think (no specified rules on article structure)
Cons:
- Without flair, it’s easy for your content to fall flat
- It’s harder to find like-minded readers
Example:
What’s great about it: Erin is a full-time blogger who’s also a book author. Her blog talks about becoming a better writer, her daily life, and tips on fashion and beauty.
She would sometimes mix in some ads – but even then, she does it in a warm and personal manner. There’s no single article in her blog that won’t engage you.
Visually speaking, her blog has a simple and elegant look with a monochrome color palette, while each element is carefully arranged.
2. The Niche
Everybody has their own passions. You may take an interest in a delicious home-cooked meal recipe, a cheap way to travel to a certain place, or a tip to dress nicely for rainy days. That’s what a niche is all about – find the topic you’re comfortable with.
Pros:
- It’s easier to reach a specific target audience
- Easy to monetize
- It’s easier to rank in SEO
Cons:
- Limited headlines to choose from
- You need to have knowledge or experience of your niche
Example:
What’s great about it: Pinch of Yum is a niche blog about food. A niche blog should cater to what their target audience wants – and this blog does it beautifully.
Mouths water after just spending a minute there. How couldn’t they? Each post features a stunning food picture, an attractive description, and informative recipes.
3. The Collaborative Blog (Guest Blogger)
If you can’t handle creating content by yourself, why not allow guest bloggers to help? It will help increase the number of quality posts each day. Plus, it brings in new audience and traffic.
Convincing other bloggers to guest post might take some time. Also, there are criteria you should consider when selecting them. For example, don’t accept a blogger unless they have a good writing track record. If you’re not picky, the content of your blog will miss the mark and may cause your readers to flee.
Pros:
- You don’t have to produce content alone
- It’s easier to grow your audience
Cons:
- It takes effort to convince guest bloggers to help you
- Not every guest blogger is good
Example:
What’s great about it: Blogher is a guest house that allows women bloggers to turn their ideas and passions into content. Their message is noble, and it stands as an inspiration for their audience.
4. Business Blogs
If you own a business, you probably need a way to attract more customers. A business blog can do that. By creating content related to your field, you can build a strong relationship with your audience. This relationship will point potential customers to your company!
Pros:
- You can use a business blog to gain more customers for your business
- It can provide insight into your customers’ behaviors
Cons:
- It requires you to have a business or to be affiliated with one
- Bad content puts credibility at stake
- Hard to get awareness
Example:
What’s great about it: Zety provides an online resume creator service. Their content relates to the field directly. They know their audience well and take advantage of it to curate what content is best for them.
5. Podcast Blogs
Are you more of a speaker than a writer? Then you should consider a podcast blog. These types of blogs usually consist of audio or videos about topics related to a specific niche.
Listening to podcasts takes less time than reading an article. That might be attractive to your audience. Listeners can also enjoy your content while partaking in other activities.
Pros:
- Easier for your audience to enjoy your content
- It takes less time to make a podcast than write an article
Cons:
- Audio equipment can be expensive
- You must be able to use audio editing software
Example:
What’s great about it: This one mostly talks about business automation and entrepreneurship. Michael (the author) released interview sessions with other experts in their fields about new inventions.
Michael already has set a target audience in mind – those interested in being an entrepreneur. And he’s doing a good job at luring them to his blog. That gives the blog a clear goal.
6. The Freebies
Who doesn’t like free stuff? Giving out bonuses with every post can quickly win your reader’s heart. It sends a strong message – you actually care about your readers! The freebies can be given in two ways – as a download link, or through your reader’s email.
The freebie can be almost anything – PDFs, software, mp3 files, templates, you name it.
Pros:
- It gives your content more merit
- It’s a great way to collect a list of audience’s e-mails
Cons:
- It takes time to come up with additional content
Example:
What’s great about it: ColorLib doesn’t just give away free WordPress templates – they show you what’s good about each of them. Each headline is based on their audience’s specific needs: best lawyer themes, best bootstrap themes, etc.
7. The Teachers
Teaching people, or showing them things they previously didn’t know is a great way to keep them engaged. You can make use of a blog to show your readers a way to do something. Know a quicker way to fold laundry? Or how to fix a tire?
Help them with their everyday problems and they won’t get enough of your blog.
Pros:
- Easy to find topics, as you just need to turn what you already know into content
- How-tos are a common search query, and it can help your blog rank better in SEO
Cons:
- Stiff competition
- In-depth guides take some time and effort investment
Example:
What’s great about it: Who doesn’t know wikiHow? They have a vast collection of tutorials available on their page. The instructions are short and easy to understand. That’s why their audience finds them reliable.
8. The Counter-Culture
You either will love it or hate it, but it will grab attention. The content of these types of blogs tries hard to take the spotlight by giving out controversial opinions on popular topics. They may have to put up with some haters, but can gain faithful followers if done right.
Pros:
- It’s easy to attract attention
Cons:
- Prone to alienating your target audience
Example:
What’s great about it: It’s clear that this blog is trying to be polarizing. A few of their headlines are even written sarcastically, like “Woody Allen Is Suing Amazon For $68 Million Over That ‘Baseless Allegation’ (HIS WORDS, NOT OURS!)”.
Fans of Woody Allen may hate it, but the neutral audience may find this article funny and rebellious.
9. News Blogs
News blogs are a good way of reaching a big audience! Starting a one is not easy though. You must guarantee that your article lines up with facts – careful planning and research are a must. However, if you have a reliable source for a niche, know some journalism basics, or follow a subject passionately, you can cover what’s new in that specific field.
Add your own tone – this is a good way to build a personal connection with your readers.
Pros:
- You’re not restricted to formal writing even though you write a news article
- Timely posts can reach a big audience easily
Cons:
- False information may drive away your readers
Example:
What’s great about it: HuffPost is one of the biggest news blogs out there. With the many topics they cover, the audience has made them their number one go-to for the all-in-one news package.
10. Affiliate Marketing
These types of blogs have only one goal – gain as many clicks as possible! Affiliate marketing is where people partner up with a business to earn commissions. Bloggers show affiliate links in their articles. If their readers click it, it will open the product’s page. If your audience purchases it – you earn some money.
You have to make a compelling article that makes people want to click that link! Be careful, though. The thing that you’re promoting must benefit your readers. If not, you’re sending a message that you don’t care about them as long as you earn money.
However, if done well, they will consider your blog as their go-to for reliable advice.
Pros:
- A faster way to gaining profit – especially if combined with Adsense
Cons:
- Knowing whether a product or service is worth promoting can be hard
Example:
What’s great about it: They take business seriously. The Wire Cutter doesn’t just write reviews to gain commissions. They make sure that their advice is reliable by researching and testing out the products. They’re transparent about their status as an affiliate marketing blog. That inspires trust – what matters most in affiliate marketing.
11. The Resumes
Some authors use their blogs as a resume. Having a platform for the original content you produced is a great way to show that you’re capable of. Not only are you opening yourself up to the world-wide stage, but you’re also showing confidence in your content with these types of blogs.
Pros:
- Your blog can boost your chances of landing a job
Cons:
- It may fail to be effective if you lack experience and skills in your resume
Example:
What’s great about it: Anthony Wiktor takes online resumes to a whole new level – everything about them is appealing and interactive. He doesn’t bore readers with details. Instead, the extra mile he puts into designing this online resume directly shows what he can do as a designer.
How to Choose Which Blog Type is Best for You?
Now that you’ve learned about different blog types you can decide which one suits you. Still confused? Don’t worry, we’ll help you decide by providing some questions. Start asking yourself:
- Which type of blogs do I have the most knowledge of?
- Which one of them will I be comfortable to write about for the next year or so?
- Which type of target audience is the one I’m most familiar with?
If the answers to the three questions above are the same blog type, then it’s what yours should be.
Conclusion
Those were the most popular blog types we recommend. Remember, each has pros and cons that you need to consider. So, which one of them you think suits you best? Choose carefully!
https://www.000webhost.com/blog/types-of-blogs