What is blogging? At face value this question is very easy to answer but when you really dig into the subject matter, you find it is much more complex than it seems. We hear the terms blog, blogger and blogging all the time but not everyone really understands what they mean. Perhaps an overview of blogging should begin with a definition of a blog. This is important because bloggers are simply writers who create blogs and blogging is the process of creating a blog. So once you understand what a blog is, the other terms are easy to define.

In the absolute simplest form, a blog is a series of brief online statements presented in a reverse chronological fashion. The term blog comes from weblog which was essential a diary or journal of the day’s events. However, blogs have taken a drastic departure from a diary or a journal. These days blogs are so much more than that. There are still many blogs which take on this form but many blogs offer so much more than that. Let’s look at an example that offers both sides of the coin. Consider a blog about training for a marathon. In this case the blogger may enter information on his training and nutrition on a daily basis. These blog entries will lead up to the day of his race.

Now consider a blog written as a guide to marathons. While the previous blog focused on one person’s journey to completing a marathon, this type of blog may highlight marathons offered around the world by providing information on when they take place, where they are located, the terrain of the course and unique features of the event. Unlike the other blog which was more of a diary, the guide to marathons blog exists to provide useful information but is not necessary relevant to day to day events in the life of the blogger.

There are all kinds of blogs. The most common type of blog provides content in the form of text. However, there are also video blogs, audio blogs, blogs which provide links to other information, blogs that provide coupons and countless other options. Blogs may provide entertainment, political sounding boards, educational information or anything else. Many blogs are written to attract regular visitors and include an area for visitors to comment on the blog postings. This helps to make the blog more interactive.

Blogging is a useful tool for internet marketers because it can provide a place for them to embed links to their website. These embedded links will help to increase traffic. The blogs can also be used to promote the products or services offered on their website.