First, what is a blog? A blog is less of a “thing” and more of a function. It enables anyone to add content to a website without coding skills or cluttering the main navigation. Imagine if every page on a website was added directly to the site’s main navigation—it would quickly become overwhelming and, frankly, impossible to navigate. Blogs solve this problem by allowing content to be categorized and easily searched, helping users find topics or information without wading through a maze of links.

As websites evolved, the need to regularly update content became critical—not only to stay relevant to users but also to appeal to search engines that determine which sites best match a searcher’s query. However, relying on coders for every update became costly and inefficient. This challenge led to the rise of content management systems (CMS), which allowed users to update certain elements of a website without interfering with its functionality.

Unfortunately, this often resulted in websites overloaded with excessive content or an unmanageable number of pages, making navigation difficult for users. Enter blogs. Blogs provided a solution by allowing site owners to add new content without overburdening the main navigation. Instead of adding countless new pages, blogs let site owners link content from other pages, giving users the choice to click through and explore further.

For example, a website might feature a page highlighting the dates for kindergarten registration. Instead of overcrowding that page with a detailed list of school supplies, which could overwhelm users, the page could link to a separate blog page containing the list. Why not simply upload a PDF of the supplies? According to SEMrush.com, in 2023, mobile devices accounted for 313% more visits to websites than desktop computers. PDFs are often hard to read on mobile devices and may not be accessible to individuals with disabilities who rely on assistive technologies to navigate content.

Why not create a traditional new page for the supply list? A blog page is a new page, but it allows site owners to create content without cluttering the main navigation. Depending on how the CMS is set up, the blog function can be used to add various types of content across different parts of a website. By categorizing blog content during creation, you can have it appear in a news feed, an event listing, or even on a specific page.

With a bit of training, understanding the capabilities of a blog and how it can help you manage website content more effectively can extend your website’s lifespan and optimize its content to keep it at the top of search results.