Stop calling it a blog!

I know, the first thing you’re going to say is that there’s a little link at the top right of this page that says blog and you’re telling me to stop calling it a blog! Yup! If you’re blog has a tech related topic then I don’t see a problem but for a lot of industries and sectors there are much more interesting things to call your blog than just  ‘Blog’.

Blogs are so much more

It’s much easier than it used to be to create great, varied content and a blog is now a multimedia magazine that can host audio, video, slide shows and of course text and images. You can even install plugins that give you the chance to blog live events! A blog is no longer what it was when the term was first used back in the late 90’s. It now gives everyone the chance to write stories, articles and publish to the world.

Why not call it a blog

Because it’s boring! You’ve probably spent a fortune on a great looking website that’s mobile friendly and looks gorgeous and then at the top right hand corner of the page, probably next to ‘Contact’ in the navigation it says…. Blog. This is boring, especially if your industry is exciting like fashion or media. There are so many other ways to describe your blog.

What is your blog for

Before you decide to rename your blog think about what it actually does or what you want it to do. It may be for corporate news and press releases, it could be offering help and advice or promoting the products and services that you sell. Think about what you are trying to achieve with your blog before renaming it.

So what do I call it?

You could call it News, Latest News, Company News or something that’s news related or you could make it a little more exciting. If you’re an accountant you could call it ‘Tax Tips’. If you’re in fashion it could be something like ‘Style’ or ‘Lookbook’. If you run a travel or tourism related business then ‘Discover’ could be a good name for your blog. Marks & Spencer just say ‘Inspire Me’, you click on it and it’s pretty much a blog full of ideas on what to wear. Debenhams call their blog ‘Style Edit’ and River Island call theirs ‘Magazine’.

How easy is it to change the name?

Not difficult at all. To be honest this is just a cosmetic change. I wouldn’t start changing links around, just replace menu and navigation items to the new name and start promoting it. If you’re blog is quite well established then don’t change any links as this could have an adverse effect on your search rankings. Leave it as just a cosmetic, wording change.

Conclusion

A blog can be so much more than just text and images so you really need to reflect this in the name and stop calling it a blog, especially if you’re an eCommerce site. If you provide tips, advice, product demo’s or use your blog to say more about the products you sell then think up a better name to describe what you do. But if you’re a bit geeky and techy, like me, then just leave it as a blog. I’d love to know your thoughts so fire up in the comments and leave your ideas. You can also get in touch on Twitter.