What is a Blog?
Author: Erum Munir
Posted: All About Blogs » Articles
So you’ve heard the term blogging over and over again. Everyone is using the term. Everyone you know has a blog. And you are wondering what does it really mean. Read on to find out what blogging is all about and why and how you can start one.
I am sure that at some point in time you have defintely been involved in one of these activities:
- Keeping a diary/journal of your daily routine
- Writing about a subject that interests you
- Discussing topics of interest for hours with friends, family or even strangers
Similiarly a WebLog or Blog (for short) is an accumulation of your opinions and point of view or any other information that you want to share with the rest of the world. The only difference is that this information is published on the web and can be accessed by anyone.
Types of Blogs
1. Chronological Blogs
This type of blog mimics a diary and shows posts based on a timeline.
Example: Your day to day life experiences, your coverage of sports events or political events following a time line and so on. The topics are endless.
2. Category Blogs
On the other hand if you’d rather:
*write about your passions and interests
*provide information which follows no particular timeline
That is not a problem! Categorize your blog.
Example: A site selling clothes can have the following categories for their business: Fashion, Color, Style, Clothing Tips, etc.
3. Category/Chronological
You feel your blog can advantage from having both a chronological structure as well as a categorized menu? The good news is you can have both!
Some Reasons for Blogging
- I am passionate!
I am Passionate about a subject and love discussing it with other people. - I am opinionated!
I have definite opinions on different subjects and I love voicing them and hearing other people’s opinions. - I love to write!
What good is the written word without anyone to read it? I want to write all I can and for people to read what I write. - I love to share!
I have a good knowledge base and love to share that knowledge with others for free. - I like to interact!
I like talking to other people. Building my own blog community of readers and interacting with them sure sounds good! - I want to sell
I want to tell the world about my ingenious products and/or great services. - I want to build traffic
I want more and more people coming to my site by providing them useful and updated content. - I want to be a part of it
What is all the hype about Blogging? I want to be a part of it!
How to Start a Blog
So you have decided to join the Blogging World? Starting a blog is easy. Maintaining it is even easier.
Personal Blogs
You don’t want to spend money on a domain, hosting and a custom look for your blog? Go for a third party hosted blog. They will host a blog for you and you will get a web address in the form of yourid.theirurl.com. Most commonly used are:
Business Blogs
It is always recommended that you invest in your business. If it is a business blog you are looking to add, then get one of the following scripts and install it at your own website. You will need your own domain and hosting. We also recommend hiring a web designer to get a custom look for your blog. Get a template designed just for your business blog! It’s a one time investment which will last and last.
- WordPress
A FREE script which comes highly recommended. It has a plethora of features and will start you off with the least investment. - Moveable Type
Want to set up a Blogging website where you give out Blog accounts to people? Then this is the script to use. Be advised though that it is not free.
Good Luck with your blog!
About the Author
Erum Munir is the owner and designer behind DotsnDashes Website Designs. She has an MBA degree in Marketing and extensive experience of designing web sites for a multitude of small businesses.
Visit: http://www.dotsndashes.com