Blog vs. Essay — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 23, 2023
A blog is a regularly updated online platform for informal writing, while an essay is a structured piece of writing on a particular topic. Blogs often share personal experiences; essays argue or explore a subject in-depth.
Difference Between Blog and Essay
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A blog is an online platform where individuals or groups can share their views, experiences, or knowledge in an informal setting. On the contrary, an essay is a well-structured, formal piece of writing that presents an argument or a narrative about a particular topic.
Blogs can be updated frequently and might contain multimedia elements, such as images, videos, or links. Essays, meanwhile, follow a more traditional format and are typically free of such multimedia components.
In terms of length, blogs can vary from a few paragraphs to several pages, depending on the blogger's intent. An essay, however, often has a predetermined length, dictated by its purpose, be it academic or for publication.
The tone and style of a blog can be casual and conversational. In contrast, essays generally maintain a more formal and consistent tone throughout.
Finally, while both blogs and essays can be published, blogs are typically found on websites or platforms dedicated to blogging, whereas essays might appear in academic journals, magazines, or newspapers.
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Comparison Chart
Medium
Online platform
Traditional or online publications
Tone
Informal, conversational
Formal, structured
Content
Personal experiences, updates
Argumentative, narrative, or explorative
Frequency
Can be updated regularly
Usually a one-time, standalone piece
Multimedia Elements
Often includes images, videos, links
Rarely includes multimedia
Compare with Definitions
Blog
A digital journal where individuals share thoughts, experiences, or expertise.
She writes about her travels on her blog.
Essay
A formal piece of writing in which a topic is explored in depth.
For class, she submitted an essay on human rights.
Blog
An online space where writers engage with a broad audience on varied topics.
She started a blog to share her recipes.
Essay
An attempt to explain, persuade, or describe something.
His essay on Renaissance art was enlightening.
Blog
A website or part of a website updated with new content periodically.
His blog attracts thousands of readers monthly.
Essay
An essay is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a letter, a paper, an article, a pamphlet, and a short story. Essays have traditionally been sub-classified as formal and informal.
Blog
A digital platform for expressing personal or professional viewpoints.
The company uses its blog for product updates.
Essay
A short literary composition on a single subject, usually presenting the personal view of the author.
Blog
An online platform for informal discussions or updates.
I read an interesting post on a tech blog yesterday.
Essay
Something resembling such a composition
A photojournalistic essay.
Blog
A blog (a truncation of "weblog") is a discussion or informational website published on the World Wide Web consisting of discrete, often informal diary-style text entries (posts). Posts are typically displayed in reverse chronological order, so that the most recent post appears first, at the top of the web page.
Essay
A testing or trial of the value or nature of a thing
An essay of the students' capabilities.
Blog
A website that displays postings by one or more individuals in chronological order and usually has links to comments on specific postings.
Essay
An initial attempt or endeavor, especially a tentative attempt.
Blog
To write entries in, add material to, or maintain a blog.
Essay
To make an attempt at; try.
Blog
(Internet) A website that allows users to reflect, share opinions, and discuss various topics in the form of an online journal, sometimes letting readers comment on their posts. Most blogs are written in a slightly informal tone (personal journals, news, businesses, etc.)
Essay
To subject to a test.
Blog
(Internet) An individual post to a blog.
This blog was originally posted on my personal site but is reproduced on the forums for greater visibility.
Essay
(authorship) A written composition of moderate length, exploring a particular issue or subject.
Blog
To contribute to a blog.
Essay
(obsolete) A test, experiment; an assay.
Blog
To blag, to steal something; to acquire something illegally.
Essay
An attempt.
Blog
A shared on-line journal where people can post diary entries about their personal experiences and hobbies
Essay
A proposed design for a postage stamp or a banknote.
Essay
To try.
Essay
(intransitive) To move forth, as into battle.
Essay
An effort made, or exertion of body or mind, for the performance of anything; a trial; attempt; as, to make an essay to benefit a friend.
Essay
A composition treating of any particular subject; - usually shorter and less methodical than a formal, finished treatise; as, an essay on the life and writings of Homer; an essay on fossils, or on commerce.
Essay
To exert one's power or faculties upon; to make an effort to perform; to attempt; to endeavor; to make experiment or trial of; to try.
What marvel if I thus essay to sing?
Essaying nothing she can not perform.
A danger lest the young enthusiast . . . should essay the impossible.
Essay
To test the value and purity of (metals); to assay. See Assay.
Essay
An analytic or interpretive literary composition
Essay
A tentative attempt
Essay
Make an effort or attempt;
He tried to shake off his fears
The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps
The police attempted to stop the thief
He sought to improve himself
She always seeks to do good in the world
Essay
Put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to;
This approach has been tried with good results
Test this recipe
Essay
A short piece of writing on a particular subject.
She wrote an essay on climate change.
Essay
A written work expressing the author's argument or standpoint.
His persuasive essay argued for renewable energy sources.
Essay
A structured composition on a singular theme or subject.
The anthology featured essays from renowned authors.
Common Curiosities
What is an essay's main objective?
To present a structured argument or explore a topic in depth.
Are essays always formal?
While often formal, essays can adopt different tones depending on the context.
Can blogs be considered academic?
While generally informal, some blogs can have academic or research-oriented content.
Are blogs interactive?
Often, readers can leave comments or feedback on blog posts.
Can a blog become an essay?
A blog post can be adapted into an essay with more structure and formal language.
What's a primary purpose of a blog?
To share personal or professional experiences, insights, or updates.
Where are essays typically published?
In academic journals, magazines, newspapers, or books.
How often are blogs updated?
It varies; some are updated daily, while others less frequently.
Can blogs have multimedia?
Yes, blogs can include images, videos, gifs, and links.
How long is a typical essay?
Length varies, but academic essays are often between 1,000 and 5,000 words.
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Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
