Beginners
Guide to Blogging
A blog is
basically an online journal wherein you can digitally pen down
your thoughts, ideas, opinions and practically anything that you
want people to read. Blogs come in different styles, formats,
and settings, depending on the preference of the user. Many blogging
sites, offer built in features such as hyperlink, straight texts,
pictures etc. Some blogging sites, even allow you to put video
and mp3's on your blogs.
Instead of
writing texts, some bloggers choose to make their blogs more audio
friendly, by using spoken word entries. This is called audio blogging.
Basically
a blog contains these features:
title
- which allows you to label your post
body - this is the content of your post
trackback - other sites can be linked back to
your blog
permanent link - every article that you write
has a URL
comments - this allows readers to post comments
on your blog.
One of the
advantages of blogging, is that it is made of only a few templates.
Unlike, other websites that is made up of numerous individual
pages. This make it easier for blog users to create new pages,
because it already has a fix setting that include: slots for title,
body of the post, category, etc.
This is especially
useful for first time users, since they can start blogging right
away. They can chose from a number of templates that blogging
websites provide.
Anyone who
wants to start a blog can do so by becoming a member of a blogging
website of their choice. Once they've become members, they automatically
become a part of that particular blogging community. They can
browse through other bloggers pages, and link them back to their
own blogs. They can also make comments on other members' blogs.
Blogging is
not just limited to personal usage. There are a lot of blogs that
follow a theme such as: sports, politics, philosophy, social commentary,
etc. These blogs espouse on their specific themes. This way blogging
becomes a medium in which people can share their knowledge and
opinions about a variety of themes and topics.
Some bloggers
even use their blogs as a means to advertise. Some authors advertise
their books on their blogs. While other bloggers, use their blogs
to shed light to currents issues, events, news and catastrophes.
Nowadays in
education, blogs also play an important part. Professors use blogging
to document the lessons that they have discussed and taught. This
way, students who who have missed classes, can easily catch up
with their assignments.
A lot of entrepreneurs
benefit from blogging by promoting their businesses on their blogs,
with millions and millions of people logging onto the net everyday,
blogging has become a lucrative move. Some bloggers who run online
businesses promote their merchandise online. While others profit
through advertisement.
But by far,
the most popular blog type is the one that takes the form of a
personal journal. This is the kind that is usually used by first
time bloggers. Individuals who want to document the daily struggle
of their everyday lives, poems, rants, opinions, find that blogging
offers them a medium in which to express themselves.
Bloggers usually
communicate within themselves. This is one of the appeals of blogging.
It creates a community of people sharing their ideas, thoughts,
and comments with each other.
Blogs varying
in topics, themes, and set-ups, can be found in blog directories.
First time users who want to get an idea of what the blogging
world is all about can browse through a number of blogs using
these directories. This way they'd get an idea of what these blogging
communities are like.
Blogging is
popular all over the world. Blog is short for the term weblog.
There are no rules when it comes to blogging. Bloggers have the
freedom to express themselves how ever way they want, and the
best thing about blogging, is that most blogging sites are free.
There are
numerous blogging websites to choose from in the net. This give
first time users the option of joining a blogging community that
appeals to their interests.
Just search
any blogging directory and you'd get a listing of a lot of blogging
sites that are available on the net. It's easy to search a blogging
directory, because it is organized according to category. This
way you would get exactly what you are after. Blogging is really
for everyone. It is fun, simple and easy.