The Basics of Blogging

Blogging is an artful way to express yourself. People who blog tend to be very artistic. They spend a lot of time in personal reflection, speaking their previously unspoken wishes, dreams and desires.

Blogs were first called weblogs and related to a “server’s log file”. Web logging was first introduced in the mid 90’s and over time, more people began to use this service as a way to pass on their own personal information and thoughts.

When you “web log”, you need to have your own website and your own URL but you don’t need to have that with blogging. You need only to have an account with a blog provider. Hardly ever does it cost you anything.

Blogging has created a forum in which people of all opinions and ideals can come together as a regular people sharing ideas. You don’t have to be a well-known personality in order to be able to blog with others on whatever you want to blog on. Blogs are usually made for personal usage. You can write your personal sentiments, adventures of the day and whatever other ideas you want to share with others on an online basis.

Blogs have now also become a way for businesses to blog about their items for sale and to advertise their business with others. Business blogs have become more popular of late and you’ll see more of them as time goes on. Blogs for businesses are designed to increase sales by talking about a particular product or program. They also promote the company so that others know the company exists. The business owners can establish an online presence for all to see.

You can also make your blog profitable by syndicating it to your own business’ site. You do this via RSS technology and it really works.

Let’s look at how to make a blog, whether it be for your own pleasure or for your business. There are special ways to make your blog more interesting and to advertise it better.

Let’s take a look:

1. Know your audience:
   If your blog is for personal use, you will still potentially have an audience and you should think about who that might be. You’ll have to think of what kinds of things a person might be interested in and write about that.

   The truth is that you blog not just to see yourself in print on the web; you want someone to read the blog and to pay attention to what you have to say. Everyone wants to be heard on the web so you have to make sure you write about something someone one would be interested in. Make your blog understandable to others who might comment back to you.

2. Use good pictures
   Use pictures whenever appropriate that augment your writing. You don’t have to put yourself in the picture. Just make it a timely and interesting picture that is not insulting to others.
3. Make your blogs helpful
   You can certainly write whatever you wish on the blog but you should think of something that is beneficial to those who are wanting to read your blog. Information is more important than simple entertainment so make sure your blog actually says something that teaches people something they didn’t know before.
4. Don’t make your blogs complicated
   If you want to have interesting blogs, don’t use very technical or esoteric words so that the reader needs a dictionary to understand it. You are not giving a college-level course and it shouldn’t come off that you are. Keep your blog short and uncomplicated.

   Remember that most people who are reading the web are doing a lot of scanning of text so your text should be easy to scan. If it is such that the reader wants to read more, they can get down to the nitty gritty later. Lengthy blogs won’t get scanned so keep them to a few hundred words or less.

5. Try to have it be interactive
   If you can make your blog interactive, it will be a more popular blog. This includes adding video or audio clips to the blog so that the viewer has something to see and hear.

Put an area for comments in your blog so you can get feedback on what you have written. It can guide you on other things you can write about or you can just hear what people have to say about your writing. This is one way you can make friends on the internet. Comments can go a long way toward learning about other people as they relate to your blog.

Blogs are not just fun and games. They serve a great purpose on the web and have a niche all their own. If you are a writer and have things to say, consider using the web blog to say it in. People will read it and will become interested in who you are.