The journey of the humble blog as a means of communication has come a long way. Right from being all about the written word, blogging has been moulded into multiple sub-cultures such as microblogs, vlogs, art blogs, photo blogs, edu blogs, and blogcasts.

Traditional blogging saw its genesis in 1994 when Justin Hall, a college undergrad, created his site Links.net to get his writing online. The objective here was merely sharing their personal lives online and these mediums were called ‘online diaries’ or ‘personal pages’. The earliest instance of a commercial blog, however, was noticed in 1995 on the first business-to-consumer website which featured a blog in a section called ‘Online Diary’.

While many blogs serve as mediums to voice personal opinions ranging from politics to sports, other blogs are also e-versions of personal diaries, while some blogs function more as online advertising and marketing platforms. As we know, blogging has rapidly gained popularity and found a place among multiple forms of communications, for individuals and businesses alike.

Blogging, in fact, has proven to be one of the most an agile, modern, and adaptable ways to win audience attention and achieve marketing goals.

Here’s a look at the various versions of blogs that have become genres in their own right by offering a head start to passionate start-ups, adding value to the bottom lines of matured business and turning individuals into internet sensations.

The Good Old Blog

The classical blogging format, such as the one you are reading this very moment, is going nowhere. Thanks to the simplicity of form, blogs which come with a low barrier to entry as well as promise a tangible payoff, remain ideal anchors to drive traffic and grow the brand online. The biggest deal clincher is that blogging improves ones google rankings in a significant manner. The key is consistency in posting high-quality content that engages and enthuses.

Vlogs aka Video Blogs

With the advent of inexpensive data plans, surge in smartphone sales, and decrease in attention spans of an average individual, a steady influx of video content can be witnessed. An audience, especially the millennials, has happily joined the video wave wherein one gets to interact with the author more transparently and effectively.

Vlogging is a mix of blogging and streaming and involves self-made, first-person videos.

Today, successful Vloggers have achieved celebrity status and command huge influential power. Brands, the world over, especially with youth as their TA are actively collaborating with Vloggers, also known as YouTubers, to harness these internet influencers’ strength in promoting products.

Photo Blogs aka Visual Logs

A photo blog, also known as a photolog, is a form of photo sharing exercise and publishing in the format of a blog. This format is adopted by visual-driven disciplines such as fashion blogs, food blogs, travel blogs, fitness blogs, and DIY blogs. Again, brands can collaborate with successful photo loggers whose fan base matches with their target audience and reap positive results.

Corporate Blogs

Today most corporate websites have a section centered on publishing blogs that range from sharing key updates of the organization, interesting trivia as well as customary information. The objective is to engage with the audience and interact with them while drawing online visibility.

The future of blogging is secured because the internet is going nowhere. What will play a crucial role though is delivering the right quality of content, in the right format at the right time.