I blog your pardon?
A
blog is an abbreviation of the term ‘web log’. It is, according to
Dictionary.com, a website that displays the postings by one or more individuals in chronological order. Most blogs use a combination of text and visual elements (such as images or video) and have a comment function where readers can post their responses to the content.
Blogging has many purposes. Blogs can provide commentary on subjects such as news, politics, art, or the environment. They can be bulletin boards for the latest news about a person or organisation’s project. Many take the form of personal online diaries.
Micro blogging is the term used to describe very short blogs. The one-line
status updates featured on
Twitter and
Facebook are forms of micro blogging.
How big is blog culture?
The first blog was invented in 1993 by Dr Glen Barry and is used as a platform for an environmental campaign. His
Forest Protection Blog is the longest continuously running blog on the internet.
Today, the blogosphere (the collective term for all blogs) is huge. There could be anywhere from 22.6 million to 184 million blogs in the US alone, according to the
Technorati in their 2008 report.
That’s a lot of users, you might say, but does anybody read blogs? Yes, they do. Since 2003, the
Weblog Awards have even been judging them in 48 different categories, receiving a whopping 2.5 million votes from readers.
The 2008 winners are a snapshot of blogging by diverse communities. The Comics Curmudgeon won best comedy blog. Best online community went to Strobist, an off-camera lighting blog, and best medical blog went to Stirrups Queens, a blog about one woman’s experience of IVF and parenthood.
I blog therefore I am
What makes someone decide to blog? Of the bloggers surveyed for the
Technorati’s 2008 report, 79% said they blogged in order to speak their mind. 73% blogged to share expertise and experience, and 63% blogged to connect with like-minded people.
‘Blogs represent the best chance for companies to inform the conversation’ said Richard Edelman, CEO of Edelman’s global PR firm. But the blogging landscape is not dominated by corporations looking to drive brand awareness or generate profit. Only 24% of the report’s respondents blogged to make money or to supplement their income.
I want one! Setting up your own blog is a great way to generate community interest around your organisation or to reach a new audience. And it isn’t hard to do! Blog hosting sites such as
blogger.com and
wordpress.com will host your blog for free. They will walk you through the process of naming your blog, designing a template and even tagging content. All you need to get started is an email address.
Your guide to better blogging What’s the difference between a waffling diary entry and a popular blog? A few little golden rules:
1. Stay on the straight and narrow:
Make it clear what your blog is about, and stick to the topic. We all waffle from time to time, but a tangent-heavy blog can be boring or confusing. Chances are your visitors have come to your blog because they’re interested it’s theme or topic. Keep them interested.
The more you post about the same topic, the higher your ranking will be in search engines. This will give you greater visibility.
2. Keep it current:
Making sure your blog is regularly updated. Information posted on your blog needs to be fresh, topical and relevant. If your blog is about current events then yesterday’s news won’t cut it.
3. Random blogging attracts a random readership:
Your readers will only visit regularly if you post regularly. A good blog requires time and effort, but if you create a blogging schedule - and stick to it - you will be rewarded with consistent readership.
4. Mix it up:
As with most forms of media, including a mix of text and visual elements makes it more appealing. Links to other relevant websites or blogs are also a great idea – these sites might even link back to you and increase your visibility!
