Personal Blog Meaning: What is It? Types & Topics Explained!

Looking for an in-depth guide on personal blogging? Well, you’re in the right place.

Gone are the days when an individual used to write their ideas or thoughts in a diary. Now, everyone started sharing their ideas MOSTLY through their personal blogs.

And… Yes, there are a ton of benefits to starting a personal blog. You can not only share your thoughts but you can also build a brand for yourself.

So if you’re looking for a useful guide on personal blogging, this post is exclusively for you where you’ll discover;

Personal blog meaning
Types and benefits of personal blogging
How to start a personal blog
10 incredible personal blog ideas
Personal blogging tips and many more

So are you ready to find out the details? Let’s get started.

What is a Personal Blog – Meaning, Tips, Types, and How To Start One?

What is a Personal Blog? Personal Blog Meaning in Simple Terms

So what is the meaning of a personal blog?

A personal blog is a blog that’s run by an individual author. It’s NOT run by a team.

Almost every single article on a personal blog gets published by ONLY one person.

People who run personal blogs share their ideas and thoughts with their audience in a “conversational tone”. Personal blogs aren’t blogs with lots of guest contributors as they’re run by an individual.

For example, if you’re running a food blog, instead of just writing a recipe, a personal blog would also include the story of the first time you made the recipe or why the recipe is your favorite.

Are you getting it? A personal blog is where you share your thoughts, ideas, or experiences with your audience in a friendly tone.

Benefits of Personal Blogging

So what are the benefits of personal blogging? Why should you start a personal blog? Let’s talk about all the benefits now.

You can share your thoughts and ideas with online readers
You can use your personal blog as an online journal
It helps you improve your writing skills
You can network with other bloggers and influencers
You can build and grow your personal brand

Above all, personal blogging can help you make money as you can use various strategies like offering services, selling your own products, affiliate marketing, etc.

What are the Different Types of Personal Blogs?

There are multiple types of personal blogs which are listed below. So you can start a personal blog on any of the following topics.

Quick note: The personal blog doesn’t focus on a specific topic – so you can cover as many topics as you want when getting started. But if you want to build a specific set of audience, try to cover one or two topics (for instance, lifestyle and travel).

Food blogs: Most food blogs cover recipes including dinner recipes, breakfast recipes, salads, desserts, and more. Some of the examples of food blogs include;

Love and Lemons
Cookie and Kate
Minimalist Baker
Sprouted Kitchen

Travel blogs: The majority of travel bloggers start travel blogs to share their travel experiences, travel hacks, tips, and more. Here are some of the best travel blogs you can follow;

Nomadic Matt
Legal Nomads
Uncornered MarketAlex in Wanderland
The Blonde Abroad

Fitness blogs: Most fitness blogs cover diet charts, weight loss tips, healthy eating tips, exercises, and more. Some of the examples of the fitness blogs include;

Nerd Fitness
Love Sweat Fitness
Breaking Muscle

Self-improvement blogs: The majority of the personal bloggers cover “self-improvement or life advice” topics. Some of the examples of self-improvement blogs include;

Marc and Angel Hack Life
Zen Habits
James Clear

How to Start A Personal Blog? 4 Years Web Hosting for Just $62!

So we’ve already discussed the personal blog meaning and the purpose of personal blogging. Let’s now talk about how to create a personal blog in 2021 on a limited budget.

Most personal blogs don’t need expensive web hosting plans – so we recommend Hostinger as it’s the cheapest yet reliable web hosting choice.

Here’s how you can grab 4 years of hosting from Hostinger for just $62.

Click on this exclusive link to visit Hostinger’s website.

Once you’re on their site, visit their shared hosting plans section which looks like this;

As you can see above, Hostinger offers three shared hosting plans. Make sure to apply the coupon ANILAGARWAL to get the following discounted rates;

Single Shared Hosting $1.29 per month (86% discount)
Premium Shared Hosting $2.40 per month (76% discount)
Business Shared Hosting $3.71 per month (76% discount)

We suggest their Premium or Business plans if you want to host multiple sites or if you want to host only one personal blog, go with their Single Shared hosting plan which costs you only $1.29/mo.

In fact, you can grab their Single shared hosting plan for 4 years by paying only around $62!

After applying the promo code ANILAGARWAL, here’s the discounted rate for 4 years of hosting.

That’s it, make the payment and you’re ready to roll. You can read our guide on how to install WordPress on Hostinger if you want more details.

10 Amazing Personal Blog Ideas to You Can Consider in 2021

Looking for ideas to start a personal blog? Here are 10 amazing personal blog ideas for you.

Personal finance
Recipes
Fitness
Politics
Lifestyle
Self-improvement
Travel
Learning a new language
Urban farming
Self-employment

No matter what topic you choose to start your personal blog, make sure to focus on creating great content to build an audience.

You can analyze other personal blogs in your niche, and use various strategies like SEO, networking, etc to build a better personal blog.

5 Personal Blogging Tips that Help You Build A Successful Blog

Want to succeed as a personal blogger? Here are 5 excellent personal blogging tips to build a highly successful blog in 2021 and beyond.

1. Write like you talk

The #1 difference between successful personal bloggers and others is this: they write as they talk.

They use a friendly tone. They NEVER use jargon or corporate writing tone while writing their blog posts. Do the same. Follow a similar approach.

Write like someone is sitting in front of you. That’s how you add an emotional touch to your content. That’s how you build an audience around your personal blog.

Here are some best tips to create conversational content to persuade your audience with your writing.

Imagine talking to a friend while writing blog posts. Use simple words, avoid jargon.
Ask engaging questions throughout your posts. You can ask questions at the end or beginning of your posts to create curiosity and increase user engagement.
Use short sentences. Use short paragraphs. Why? They are easy to read. Use lots of bullet points wherever necessary. Make it easy for people to consume your content.
Read the best blogs. Take inspiration from other writers. Practice a lot. That’s how you get better at creating conversational content.
Use the word “you” a lot in your articles. By using the word “YOU”, you convey that you are talking to your readers.

2. Learn SEO

Want to increase traffic to your personal blogs? Learn SEO. SEO is the practice of optimizing your website and its pages for search engines to get more traffic.

Here are three best SEO tips you can use to get more traffic to your personal blogs.

1. Keyword research

Keyword research is the FIRST step to your website’s SEO success. Keyword research is the process of finding keywords or phrases that help you get more traffic from search engines like Google.

Here are some quick tips you can use to find better keywords to increase your search traffic.

Find your competitors’ keywords. Make sure to use tools like Semrush to easily find all the keywords that are generating traffic to your competitor’s websites.
Always target long-tail keywords. Long tail keywords contain 3 or more words. For instance, “best 300CC motorcycles for beginners” is a 5-word long tail keyword that is easier to rank when compared to a short tail keyword like “300CC motorcycles”. You can use tools like Semrush, Ubersuggest, Ahrefs, etc to easily find long tail keywords.
Find question-based keywords. You can easily rank for featured snippets if you focus on creating content around question-based keywords. Use tools like Answer The Public if you want to find questions your audience is asking.

2. On-page SEO

On-page SEO is what helps you rank for your keywords. On-page SEO is the process of optimizing your pages for your targeted keywords to get higher rankings in search engines.

Here are a few solid on-page optimization tips to optimize your content.

If you’re using WordPress, make sure to install a free optimization plugin like Rank Math. We’re also using the same plugin to optimize our blog posts. Just enter a primary keyword and the plugin tells you where to include that keyword to better optimize your posts.
Always make sure to include your primary keyword in your title and meta description as it plays a key role in improving your rankings.
Use short and descriptive URLs that contain your primary keyword.
Optimize your images with relevant ALT tags. Use at least one featured image for every post you publish. You can use free tools like Canva to easily create featured images or illustrations for your personal blog.
Make sure to include as many relevant keywords as possible throughout your content without keyword stuffing. Keyword stuffing is a bad SEO practice that involves using the same keyword a ton of times.

3. Link building

Want to rank your personal blog on top of Google search? Build links to your site. Link building is the #1 way to increase your website’s search traffic. Search engines like Google and Bing give a lot of importance to backlinks.

You can use the following quick tips to build links to your personal blog.

3. Be consistent

If you want to build a successful personal blog, you need to blog consistently especially when you’re just getting started.

If you publish three posts in one week and then only one in the next few weeks, it’ll confuse your audience or subscribers. Stick to a consistent blog posting schedule.

Find out how many posts you can publish in a week (or month). Stick to that. Publish consistently for a year or two and you’ll definitely notice better results with your blog.

The best way to consistently publish new posts is to use an editorial calendar.

You can install a free WordPress plugin called Editorial Calendar to create, edit, and schedule all your blog posts.

4. Network with bloggers

Successful blogging is all about building relationships with others. Make sure to invest as much time as you can to connect with other bloggers.

You can follow other bloggers on social media sites or subscribe to their blogs or YouTube channels to stay connected with them.

Here are some of the best networking tips to connect with other bloggers.

Link to other blogs in your posts as it is one of the best ways to build relationships with other bloggers
Create expert roundups with other influencers in your industry
Conduct interviews with other bloggers and ask thoughtful questions
Leave comments on others’ blog posts and give feedback if you’ve any

5. Make some money from blogging

You can use the following strategies to make money from blogging.

Affiliate marketing

We generated more than $500,000 from affiliate marketing so far. Affiliate marketing is the reason why we’re generating more than $10,000 per month from blogging.

Here’s one of our earning reports.

As you can see above, just from one affiliate program which is the Semrush affiliate program, we made over $376,000.

That’s the power of affiliate marketing.

Affiliate marketing is where you earn a commission each time someone makes a purchase through your affiliate links.

Here’s a great illustration that shows how affiliate marketing works.

If you want to earn passive income from your personal blog, affiliate marketing is probably the BEST way to monetize your blog.

Make sure to offer incentives to people who purchase products through your affiliate links.

For example, you could give a free ebook you wrote to anyone who makes a purchase using your affiliate referral links.

Offering incentives such as freebies, special discounts, promo codes is one of the best ways to increase your sales especially when you’re starting out.

Offer services

One of the fastest ways to make money from a personal blog is to offer your own services.

You can use your personal blog to build a portfolio to attract high-paying clients. Make sure to include as many testimonials as possible to quickly build trust with your blog.

There are a wide range of services you can offer from your personal blog including;

Freelance writing
Editing
Coding and design
Email marketing services
SEO services such as keyword research, link building, running paid ads, etc

Sell your own products

Selling your own products is another great way to earn passive income from your blog.

We made a decent income selling our own products which are premium eBooks on SEO, blogging, and affiliate marketing. You can find all our eBooks from here.

The key here is to find what your target audience wants, find a solution, and create a solid product around that problem. You can create eBooks, sell software, online courses, or even merchandise from your personal blog.

Top 5 Personal Blogs to Follow for Inspiration

Are you looking for inspiration to build a successful personal blog? Here are the top 5 personal blogs you can follow to get ideas, inspiration, and more.

1. James Clear

James Clear is an author, entrepreneur, and photographer. He runs a popular personal blog called JamesClear.com where he shares self-improvement advice (habit change to be precise).

James Clear is the New York Times best-selling author of the book “Atomic Habits”, which has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide. If you’re looking for the best personal blogs to take inspiration from, you must follow James Clear’s blog.

2. Zen Habits

Zen Habits is another popular personal blog that is run by Leo Babauta. Leo is an author and blogger who shares tactical advice for simplifying your life, being more mindful, and being productive.

3. Minimalist Baker

Minimalist Baker is one of the popular blogs in the food industry which is run by Dana Shultz. She mostly shares delicious recipes that require 10 ingredients or less, 1 bowl, or 30 minutes or less to prepare.

4. Chris Guillebeau

Chris Guillebeau is an American author, entrepreneur, blogger, and speaker who published multiple best-selling books including The $100 Startup, The Happiness of Pursuit, Side Hustle, and other books.

Chris mostly talks about entrepreneurship, self-employment, and travel on his blog and it is read by millions of people worldwide.

5. Mr. Money Mustache

Mr. Money Mustache is one of the best personal blogs on personal finance which is run by Peter Jonathan Adeney. If you want to achieve financial independence and retire early, you must check out his blog.

Searching for more personal blogs to get ideas and inspiration? You can check out these popular personal blogs if you want to find a big list.

FAQs | Personal Blog Meaning

Here are some of the frequently asked questions about personal blogs and blogging in general.

What is a personal blog?

A personal blog is written by an individual author who loves to share his ideas and thoughts with an online community. Personal blogs are run by individual authors, not a team or company.

What do you write in a personal blog?

Here are some of the topics you can consider writing in a personal blog;

– Sharing your experiences in life
– Sharing your knowledge in a field you’re good at
– Expressing your views about a topic
– Marketing your products, business, app, or services

Do personal blogs make money?

Yes, there are many personal blogs that make HUGE money. Some of the best personal blogs that make a ton of money include;

– James Clear
– Zen Habits
– Mr. Money Mustache

What are the best blogging platforms?

Here are some of the best blogging platforms to use in 2021.

– WordPress.org (open-source software but hosting need and gives you full control)
– WordPress.com (free option, no hosting need but don’t give you full control)
– Blogger.com (free platform, don’t offer full control)
– Medium.com (not SEO friendly but easy to get started)

How do I monetize my blog?

You can use the following strategies to monetize your blog.

– Sell your own products such as merchandise, eBooks, tools, etc
– Sell affiliate products and earn commission
– Use display ad networks such as AdSense
– Offer your own services such as SEO, design, writing, etc
– Paid reviews, brand collaborations, and more

How to drive more traffic to my blog?

You need to generate as much traffic as you can to your blog if you want to make it profitable. Here are some of the best ways to increase traffic to your blog.

– SEO (keyword research, link building, content creation, on-page optimization, etc)
– Writing on Quora
– Paid ads (on Google, Facebook, Twitter, etc)
– Email marketing

Final thoughts on personal blog meaning & definition

A personal blog can be considered an online journal to express your thoughts and ideas.

It can also be used to build your personal brand, connect with influencers, and make money from blogging. It ultimately depends on YOU how you use a personal blog.

Hopefully, you’ve understood the meaning of personal blogs. What are your thoughts on personal blogs? Did you find this post useful? Share your views in the comments.