Think of the word “blog”.
It is a word that has been in our dialect since the late 1990s, but one
that is becoming more popular due to its use in social media. Where did it come from? It is a combination of two words: Web and log.
Within its four letters there lies a brief and exact description: A blog is a log of thoughts and writing posted
publicly on the World Wide Web. The
words web log soon became the word “blog” on the internet.
What exactly is a blog?
I am fairly new to this scene, and stumble through using my limited
knowledge of social media. Creating a
blog post was an assignment that was a new venture for me, but I am ever
grateful for online tutorials, and Google to help guide me through many of my
questions. A blog is a form of instant
and global self-publishing. (So be
careful!) “It is the spontaneous expression of instant thought--so it allows for no
retroactive editing. It is accountable
in immediate and unavoidable ways to readers and other bloggers, and linked via
hypertext to continuously multiplying references and sources.”
One of the main differences between blogs and journalist
posts are that blogs involve instant responses from readers; it is more
spontaneous and free-flowing. Journalism
is different in that it is planned out writing, with rules to follow and
sources to confirm.
It is important to decide the type of blog you want to
create—do you want one that earns money, one that has a lot of video content
and graphics, or one that is simple with posts of your thoughts?
Another important question to ask yourself is
whether or not you want to use a free site.
Think of it this way: Would you
rather rent or have home ownership of your blog? If you “rent” your blog site you are at the
mercy of the owner of it which means you can lose all your material if the site
closes down or decides they no longer want you to have access to their
site. Sites such as Blogger.com, BlogSpot,
Google+ and Wordpress.com are examples
of free services. If you want to “own”
your blog it is recommended that you pay even just a few dollars a month for
service that allows you to keep or save your own material. This is what is referred to as a web
host. There are many to choose from, but
it is wise to find one that offers customer service. You may get what you pay for, and if your
blog is important enough, paying a little more may be worth the price. It really depends on what you want from your
blogging experience.
Blogs are a great way to link to others that have similar
interests as you. Connections between
bloggers can be just as important as the content posted on blogs. The content not only drives and attracts
conversation, but inspires readers. The
more links you create, the more communication you will experience which can
lead to a very successful blog.
Sources:
Very good post! I learned a lot! I didn't know Blog came from web and log. I also didn't know that we are like "renting". Very insightful.
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