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The Definition of Blogging
The definition of blogging is something that is very
much in flux, as the new technologies that appear every day redefine what a blog is, what a blog can be, and
what a blog should do. For many years, blogs were defined as text-based websites that kept records of days,
similar to a captain's log on a sailing ship. However, this started to change as the group of people who kept
blogs became more diverse. The more bloggers began to explore the limits of the medium and of the
technology that made it possible, the more the boundaries of what could be called a
"blog" expanded.
Today, there are an abundance of photo blogs, and there are even video blogs as well. Mobile blogging devices
may well change the definition of blogging entirely by making it possible for bloggers to create new kinds of
posts. Another element of the blogosphere that is starting to redefine blogging is the corporate
blog. As
more companies hire writers to keep blogs with the sole purpose of creating positive buzz about their brand,
bloggers across the globe are arguing about whether these manufactured blogs are
really worthy of the name.
Between all of these different forces that are constantly expanding and reshaping the
blogosphere, it is difficult
to imagine that the definition of what is and is not a blog will ever remain fixed for very long.
The Right Blogging Platform For Your Needs
Choosing which blogging platform to use is one of the
most important decisions that you can make as a blogger. The right platform can make blogging a
breeze, and the wrong platform can make blogging a chore. Because the program that you use to blog with is
such a powerful part of your blogging experience, it is well worth putting in the
time to find a platform that provides your ideal balance between a user-friendly
interface and a flexible framework that allows you to make your blog look and feel unique.
Finding the right platform isn't always easy, but with a little bit of
contemplation and a little bit of research, you will be on your way to finding the perfect blogging platform.
Deciding what your priorities are in terms of ease of use versus customization. Most highly customizable
blogging platforms, like moveable type, are a bit more difficult to use
than very automated platforms like wordpress. If you are new to blogs and to internet
technology, you might want to sacrifice the ability to create a custom background
design or to integrate a unique font into your template in order to find a
program that will be easy for you to use. On the other hand, if you are a veteran web designer with
knowledge of html or javascript, you will probably find the limitations of a user-friendly platform to be frustrating.
There is no such thing as a blogging platform that is objectively the best platform, because every blogger has
unique needs. The blogging movement is very much about individuality, so it makes plenty of sense that
there would be many different platforms available that are designed to meet the needs of different kinds of
individuals undertaking different kinds of projects. This diversity is a good thing, because it means that you will
almost certainly be able to find a program that suits your level of technical aptitude.
However, the fact that no two bloggers need the same thing from a blogging platform can make your search
for the right platform a bit tricky. When you are reading reviews of different platforms, try to keep your
priorities in mind and do your best to take into account the position that the reviewer is coming from. For
example, a negative review written by an accomplished software designer who complains that a popular
platform is too limited may tell you that the platform in question is ideal for a beginning
blogger. There is no such thing as the perfect platform for everybody, so
instead of looking for the "best" platform, look for the best platform for your specific criteria.
Blogging News Stories as They Happen
Blogging news stories as they unfold is one of the most
exciting and controversial applications of technology that bloggers have discovered. One thing that makes the
blogosphere so active is the fact that it is possible to update a blog instantaneously, so the news on blogs
tends to be more current than the news in the paper, or on television. Unlike news delivered by these other
media, news that appears on blogs does not have to travel through a series of editors and administrators
before it reaches the public eye. This has some advantages, and some distinct disadvantages.
One of the most notable cases of news hitting a blog before appearing in other media took place in July 2005
when terrorism struck London. As passengers were evacuated from a subway car near an explosion, one
man took several photographs of the scene with his cellular phone, and within an hour these images were
posted online. First-person accounts of the catastrophe began appearing on blogs soon after these photos
appeared, and people all over the world learned about the events in London by reading the words and seeing
the photos posted by bloggers.
The fact that these stories and images were being spread directly by individuals operating without the added
filter of a reporter helped to make the crisis feel very immediate to people across the globe. When it comes to
blogging, news often appears in a very personal context. This has the potential to be the beginning of an exciting
new era of reporting, one that takes "New Journalism" to it's logical next step by putting the power to shape
how the news is written and read directly into the hands of the public.
Many bloggers and cultural commentators who are champions of the weblog movement feel that this
growing trend of individuals who getting their news from blogs is a good thing, because it makes the flow of
information more democratic. By decentralizing the control of news, blogs allow more voices to enter the
field of debate about important current events. However, many people are adamantly opposed to the
use of blogs as news outlets, and there are plenty of good arguments on this side of the debate.
Unlike newspapers or television stations, few blogs have fact-checkers, and there is little attention paid to journalistic
accountability on many blogs. This can lead to the rapid
spread of misinformation, and more than one falsehood has taken the blogosphere by storm. The questions
about whether blogging news as it happens is ethical or not are very complicated, but no matter where you stand
on the topic of current events blogs you are almost sure to agree that this movement has the potential to
revolutionize how modern people get their news.
Learning How to Make Money Blogging
There are two major types of business models that entrepreneurs use to make money
blogging. The first
and most common way to turn a blog into a profit making machine is to sell advertising to different
companies and brands who want to reach that blog's readers. The second kind of money making blog is one
that helps a single brand improve its image by creating positive associations between the blog and the product
in the mind of consumers. Both kinds of blogs can make a lot of money, especially if the creator has a keen
mind for marketing.
If you are blogging with the goal of selling advertising, there are two basic ways that you can go about
recruiting sponsors who want to put ads on your site; you can let someone else do all of the legwork, or you
can do the work yourself and keep all of the revenue. Within the first group, many people make money
blogging by selling space through Google's AdSense program. The advantages of this program are numerous,
as it requires very little effort on the part of the blogger or webmaster to begin raking in profits. However, most
people discover that they make less money through this method than they had hoped that their blog would earn.
Selling advertising directly to companies who want to put banner ads or sponsored links on your blog can take
quite a bit of time, but it is often fairly lucrative. If you have a lot of contacts in industries that are related to the
topic of your blog, you may want to try to go this route. People who have a strong background in sales and are
experienced at pitching proposals can make quite a bit of money by renting blog space to interested companies.
The most serious problem with this model is that you often have to build quite a sizable readership before you
can attract advertisers, which can mean that you have to do several months of work before you start to make
money blogging.
As blogging becomes a more and more lucrative business, a lot of established companies are considering
how they can get into the action. One way that companies are capitalizing on the blog movement is by
having blogs that provide a kind of friendly face for their corporation. Often, a company will employ an
established blogger to create a weblog designed specifically to appeal to that company's customers and
to create positive associations with the brand in consumers' minds. More than one writer who never
even dreamed that he or she could make money blogging has been approached by a company and
offered quite a pretty penny for this kind of gig.
Using A Free Blogging Web Site
For first time bloggers, a free blogging web site is a
great way to get started in the blogosphere. Popular blogging web sites like blogger and eponym allow users
to set up and host a blog without paying any fees at all. This encourages people to start
blogging, because the
fact that one of these sites can provide you with all of the tools that you need to get your blog up and running
without spending any money means that you have nothing to lose by starting a
blog. The fact that it is so
easy to find a way to blog for free is one of the reasons why so many people who have never had any other kind
of web presence before find themselves drawn to blogging.
By signing up with a free blogging web site, you may find it easier to get listed in search engines that you
would if you were starting your own blog from scratch. For example, google runs the free blog hosting site
blogspot and crawls its pages very often looking for updates, so if you have your site hosted by blogspot you
are almost guaranteed to be listed on google's blog search engine. This easy access to search engines can
take some of the work out of promoting your blog, and can help you gain a following with a minimum of
marketing effort.
If your blog attracts a large readership, you may want to consider moving your site. Many people feel that being
hosted by a free blogging web site gives a blog a kind of amateur flavor that is fine for a new member of the
blogosphere, but is not appropriate for a high-profile blog. Having your own domain can help you make your
blog feel professional, and finding a company that will host your domain is not difficult or expensive. Once
your blog takes off, you will probably be able to sell enough advertising space to be able to afford to buy a
domain and pay for a hosting package, and still have money left over. However, it does not make sense in
most cases to invest in these glossy luxuries before you have a sizable readership.
Starting your blog on a free blogging web site is a great way to build a following before you spend any money
on your blog. If and when your blog becomes popular and you are ready to take the next step and purchase
your own domain, your readers will follow you to your new home. The fact that it is possible to use a free blog
host like blogspost, blogger, or eponym as a kind of incubator for your blog is great news for bloggers
everywhere.
.......more blogging articles
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