What Does Blog Stand For?
If you've ever asked yourself "what does blog stand for" or "what does blog mean", then you are not alone. Hundreds of people search Google looking for answers to these same questions every day.
And that doesn't surprise me. The word "blog" is one of the most popular searched for terms on the internet. But despite its widespread use, there is still a lot of confusion about what exactly a blog is and what it can be used for.
This article explores the different meanings of the word "blog" and its history.
By the time we've finished, you'll better understand what a blog is, how blogs have evolved over time, and how to start a blog of your own. Let's get started.
What Does Blog Mean?
So what does blog stand for?
Many people think that the word "blog" is an acronym like ASAP (as soon as possible). However, that's not the case.
The word "blog" actually comes from two different words: "web" and "log". Web refers to the internet, and log simply means a record or diary that people keep.
Together, these two words create the term "web log" or "weblog," coined by John Barger on December 17th, 1997.
Then, several years later, a guy named Peter Merholz shortened the term to "blog," and it has stayed that way ever since. [1]
Today, blogs have come a long way since the mid-1990s when John Barger started using his website 'Robert Wisdom Weblog' as an online journal and diary.
What Is a Blog?
Now you know where the word "blog" came from and what it stands for, let's take a look at what a blog is.
As I mentioned above, a blog is a website that was primarily used by people as an online journal or diary to share their thoughts and experiences with the world, mainly family and friends, and some people do still use blogs for this purpose.
However, over the years, blogs have become so much more than that. They have evolved into a powerful tool that individuals (bloggers, freelancers, etc) and businesses can use to position themselves as an expert in a specific topic, build an audience, generate leads, promote products and services, and make money online.
They do this by writing, publishing, and updating relevant content called blog posts that get found on Google and social media by their target audience (the people interested in what they are selling) on a regular basis.
And the best part?
Anyone can start a blog, and you don't need to be a professional writer, not in 2022.
You can use AI copywriting software to quickly create original, high-quality blog posts around any topic or niche you want to talk about.
The Evolution Of Blogging
Blogging has come a long way since it first emerged in the 1990s.
Back then, there were only a few dozen blogs, and as you know, the term “blog” wasn’t even coined until 1997.
In those early days, creating a blog wasn't easy because they were static websites designed and coded from scratch by web designers and developers.
But over time, technology advanced, and blogging software like WordPress was created, making it easy for anyone with no technical, design, or coding skills, to create a blog in minutes.
Nowadays, there are millions of blogs on the Internet, and every day, thousands more are created.
What’s even more amazing is that blogging has evolved from being a simple online journal to becoming a powerful marketing and communications tool for businesses and individuals.
How to Start a Blog
Want to start your own blog? You're in the right place. I have a free guide that walks you through the process from start to finish.
First, let's take a look at what you need to get started:
A Domain Name: This is the address of your website (e.g. www.example.com) and it's what people will type into their browser to find your blog.
Web Hosting: This is where all the files and content for your blog live. Think of it like the land (web hosting) your house (blog) is built on.
Recommended Reading: The Best Web Hosting For Beginners
WordPress: This is the most popular blogging platform (called a content management system or CMS for short) used to make money online blogging.
Are you ready to start your blog? Click here and follow my easy step-by-step guide to start a blog today.
What Does Vlog Stand For?
The word "vlog" is another term that is widely used on the internet, but many people don't know its exact definition.
Similar to blog, the word "vlog" is a combination of two words, "video" and "log" or "video" and "blog". It is also a type of online journal that allows people to share their thoughts and knowledge with others. But unlike a blog, vlogs are video-based.
A guy named Nelson Sullivan from New York was the first person to start a video blog in the 1980s, followed by Adam Contras on January 2, 2000.
However, video blogging, now commonly known as vlogging, did not become popular until 2005, when YouTube was launched and changed the way we produce and consume content online. [2]
What Does Blog Stand For? Conclusion
In Google's own words, blog stands for ...
Noun: a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style.
Verb: add new material to or regularly update a blog [3]
In this article, we have explored the questions "what does blog stand for" and "what does blog mean" in more detail to help you fully understand what a blog is.
We have also discussed the evolution of blogging and how anyone can start their own blog today. Are you ready to get started? Follow my free step-by-step guide.