Blog 67 - Blog, Vlog or Podcast?

Blog 67 - Blog, Vlog or Podcast?

September 2025

Well, we’ve hit the grand old age of 67! And for this blog you might as well pull up a virtual chair, maybe even put on some headphones if you're feeling fancy, we are going on a long ramble. Today, I’ve decided to delve into a question that has plagued my perpetually bewildered mind ever since I started this blog thing: What is the difference between a blog, a vlog, and a podcast?
Damned if I know.
It seems to me that if you are famous, you podcast, if you are rich, you vlog, and if, like me, you are a penniless wannabe writer with an unhealthy attachment to coffee, you blog. It’s an oversimplification, of course, but isn't that the beauty of a good, slightly cynical observation? I decided to check out the internet and see if I could unravel the mystery and share with you my thoughts and findings. So, this blog is dedicated to unpacking the whole glorious mess, with the disclaimer that I am utterly unqualified to do so, which probably makes me more qualified than the internet.
The Blog: My Humble, Text-Based Abode, my comfort zone. My safe space. The digital equivalent of a slightly dusty journal I keep hidden under my mattress, except it's published for the world (and by 'world,' I mostly mean you and a handful of very patient Grandchildren) to see.
What I think it is: Essentially, it's a website filled with written articles, essays, musings, rants, and anything else my brain decides to spew forth in glorious text form.
Why I like it: For us writers, there's nothing quite like crafting a sentence, choosing just the right adjective, or perfecting a paragraph. My greatest special effect is a well-placed semicolon. It’s easy. Seriously, you can start a blog for next to nothing. No fancy cameras, no elaborate lighting rigs, no soundproof studios. Just me, my thoughts, and a slightly sticky key on my laptop. It's old school, it's quiet, and it generally requires nothing more than a keyboard, an internet connection, and an endless supply of caffeine. I don't have to put on makeup. I don't have to perform. I can edit out my awkward pauses and terrible jokes. It's a haven for the creatively shy.
However, I have found out that unfortunately there is a downside. In this increasingly visual and auditory world, sometimes a blog can feel a bit... understated. Like bringing a recorder to a rock concert. It can still be involved but the impact will be minimal and more than often overlooked. But the blog is where I reside. It's where my soul feels most at home, nestled amongst paragraphs, patiently waiting for someone to appreciate the nuanced difference between "imply" and "infer."
What the internet says it is: A blog is an informational website consisting of discrete, often informal diary-style text entries also known as posts. Posts are typically displayed in reverse chronological order so that the most recent post appears first, at the top of the web page. – who knew?
The Vlog: Behold, the dazzling realm of the vlogger! These are the folks who radiate perpetual sunshine, possess perfect teeth, and have an inexplicable ability to make daily errands look like a high-budget reality show.
What I think it is: A video blog. Essentially, a YouTube channel or some other platform like tik-tok (See I am a modern street wise bloke!) where someone talks directly to the camera, sharing their life, expertise, travel adventures, Amazon unboxings or any other part of their meticulously curated lives.
I’m convinced it's for the rich and I could never do it: Good vlogging has to require a decent camera, good lighting, a microphone, editing software, and potentially a team of assistants to hold said lighting and cameras while you "spontaneously" discover a new artisanal coffee shop. Vlogs are all about visuals. Clean, bright, aspirational. My attempts would likely involve a shaky iPhone, unflattering angles that highlight my double chin, and possibly a random cat walking across the shot demanding food. There is also the Performance aspect of Vlogging, you have to be on. Engaged. Energetic. My natural state of mind is "mildly contemplative with resting unimpressed face." Not exactly viral gold. Now that I come to think about it, many successful vloggers are jet-setting youngsters who think nothing of buying expensive things or decorating their impossibly chic apartments. It all screams "disposable income." To me. My "lifestyle" vlog would have to be called "Watching Paint Dry" Or “Another way to spend no money”
I genuinely admire vloggers. They possess a confidence and a knack for visual storytelling that I can only awkwardly gawk at from behind my laptop screen. But filming my morning coffee routine? My messy desk? My writer’s Block crises recorded live? I think I'll spare the internet from that particular horror.
What the internet says it is: A vlog, also known as a video blog or video log, is a form of blog for which the medium is video. Vlog entries often combine embedded video with supporting text, images, and other metadata. Entries can be recorded in one take or cut into multiple parts. – well, what do you know, I was right!
The podcast: The Hallowed Halls of the Famous & Interview-Ready. The auditory landscape where voices reign supreme, where deep dives into niche topics are celebrated, and where, apparently, all famous people eventually migrate.
What I think it is: An audio program, similar to a radio show, that you can download or stream. It can be interviews, storytelling, news analysis, comedy, educational content, or just two friends chatting for an hour (if those friends are famous, of course).
Why I suspect it's for famous people (or at least the very well-connected) and why I couldn’t even contemplate doing it: First of all, you need a good speaking voice. Mine is fine, but it's not exactly dulcet tones that will soothe anxious listeners. More like "friendly librarian who's had three too many espressos." Popular podcasts thrive on interviews, and to get good interviews, you need to either be famous, or know famous people, or have some incredibly compelling topic that famous people want to talk about. My biggest hurdle? I think I’d struggle finding someone famous enough to interview, Famous people bring their existing audience. When you're a penniless wannabe, you're building from scratch, and... well, do you know anyone who wants to hear me ramble without a script for 45 minutes?
Then there’s the Production Value, good audio is crucial. No one wants to listen to tinny, echoey sound. This means microphones, mixing, editing, and a quiet recording space. My quiet recording space is currently occupied by a washing machine and a tumble-dryer.
Why I like them: Podcasts are fantastic for multitasking – you can listen while driving, exercising, or cleaning your perpetually messy apartment. They offer unique intimacy, a direct line inside someone's thoughts. I love listening to podcasts, but the idea of hosting one feels like being asked to perform an opera when I can barely carry a tune in the shower.
What the internet says it is: A podcast is an episodic series of digital audio (or sometimes video) files, much like an on-demand radio show, that can be downloaded or streamed over the internet. Listeners can "subscribe" to a podcast, meaning they automatically receive new episodes on their personal devices, which they can then listen to at their convenience. The content can cover almost any topic imaginable, from news and comedy to storytelling and niche interests. – I got Two out of Three! Not bad for a geriatric wanna-be writer hey.
Of course, the lines between each of these are blurring. You can have a blog about your podcast, or a vlog where you read your blog posts, or a podcast that transcribes its episodes into blog posts. Like everything these days they are shapeshifters, constantly adapting and merging formats in a desperate quest for engagement. But for me, the core truth remains, it's less about the medium and more about the moolah. The more resources you have, the more you can expand into these dazzling, high-production formats. So, should I be doing other things? Do I need to diversify? Should I be filming coffee addiction for a vlog, or interviewing my houseplants for a podcast? The internet tells me “Yes!". My wallet and my inherent awkwardness scream "absolutely not!". For now, my fingers dance across the keyboard, content in the quiet dignity of the written word. I may not be rich or famous, but I have my blog. It's a place where my thoughts can breathe, sentences can stretch, and semicolons can shine. So, there you have it: a blogger's utterly unprofessional, highly biased, and somewhat envious breakdown of the content landscape. See you next time, until then, I'll be here, tapping away, eternally grateful for my humble blog.