Basic Blogging

Blog Definition & History

• Web + Log = Weblog aka Blog

• Per Wikipedia: “A blog is a user-generated website where entries are made in journal style and displayed in a reverse chronological order.”

1997 – Jorn Barger createsRobot Wisdom

Birth of the Blogosphere

• 1999 – Weblog tools like Blogger are launched

• “The bandwagon-jumping turned into an explosion” (Rebecca Blood).

• Free services = Easy access

• A community evolves

The Read/Write Web

• No longer a read-only web

• No more static web sites

• The reader becomes the writer

• Readers participate in the conversation

PEW Internet & American Life Project

• Who is Blogging?• 8% of adult users keep

a blog• 54% are under 30• 37% write about life• Male/Female evenly

divided

What are they blogging about?(PEW Continued)

• Life experiences (37%)

• Politics and government (11%)

• Entertainment related (7%)

• Sports news (6%)

• General news/current events (5%)

PEW Continued

• Business (5%)

• Technology (4%)

• Religion, spirituality, faith (2%)

• Hobby or health (1%)

• Other misc. topics: opinions, volunteering, education, photography, causes/passions, and organizations

Blog Types

• Journals: A memoir in progress

• Filters: Mixes outside content with commentary

• K-blogs: Knowledge blogs – pass on information

• Combination: Mixture of any of the above

Journal Blogs

• Personal diaries• Record of life• A memoir in progress• Favored by women,

especially teens• The most popular blog

type no matter age or genderwww.dooce.com

Filter Blogs

• Little original content• Links to other web

content• Filters or culls

information• Possibly comments on

this information

www.jewelry-weblog.com

K-Blogs

• “K” refers to knowledge

• Aka knowledge-blogs• How-to oriented• Information based• Intention of learning• Repository of

informationblogclassinfo.wordpress.com/

Combo Blogs

• Often personal blogs• Mixes all types• Filters news or

information• Documents personal

experience• Passes on knowledge

www.jewelryandbeading.com

Gender/Age of Bloggers vs. Types

From “Women and Children Last: The Discursive Construction of Weblogs” Susan C. Herring, Inna Kouper, Lois Ann Scheidt, and Elijah L. Wright, Indiana University at Bloomington

Blog

Parts

and

Pieces

http://www.hwyblogs.com/hiw-blog-parts.php

http://blogclassinfo.wordpress.com/2007/05/17/blog-parts-pieces/

Blog Header

• (1) This includes the title of your blog, which is the same or similar to the blog’s URL (web address). Along with a title in the header, very often there will be a subheading as well:

• For example –

Problogger: Helping Bloggers Earn Money

Blog Calendar

• (2) Some bloggers include a small calendar on the sidebar, but this is not at all required. It’s just one of the many extras often available for bloggers to include.

• The calendar can be included in various areas on the blog.

Blog Archive

• (3) Archive of past posts is one of the elements that make a “blog” a “blog.”

• Allow readers easy access to previous posts

• Normally organized per month

• Reverse chronological order

Blog Search

• (4) A search box allows readers to search for specific key words

• Concept similar to a search engine for your blog

• Use key words and phrases

Article Categories & Recent Articles

• (5) Categories - Similar to monthly archives • Organized per category• Categories created by the blogger• Readers can select per category of interest• (6) Recent Articles- Lists the most recent posts• Again in reverse chronological order

Favorite Links

• (7) Favorite sites are hot linked and added as a list.

• Aka Blog Roll

• Selected by the blogger

• Normally related to the blog topic

• Located in the side bar

RSS Feeds

• (8) RSS stands for Real Simple Syndication

• Sharing of content

• Notification of updates

• Use an aggregator aka feed reader

• Bloglines.com

Blog Article Title

• (9) Each post (article) needs a title

• Blogs made up of multiple posts

• Headline like a newspaper

• Use of key words

• SEO considerations

Blog Content& Permalink

• (10) Content is the text inside a post.

• Content = any writing on the web

• Your clever prose

• (11) Permalink is a hot link to an individual post

• Page for each single post

Comments

• (12) Comments include feedback from your blog readers.

• Readers “comment” to your post

• Leave open for anyone

• Or require approval for each comment

• Creates a conversation

• Often includes other links

Blog Lingo

• Blogosphere: blogging community

• Dashboard: blog control panel

• Indie Blogger: independent

• Page view: number of clicks

• Ranking: how high on search engines

• Stats: statistics

• Strikethroughs: deleted info

Locating Blogs

• Blogsearch.google.com• Technorati.com• Feedster.com• Blogpulse.com• Other blogs

Blog Etiquette

• Link Love• Link inside text• Add links to blog roll• Include links in

comments• Give links• Get links

Posting Comments

• Have something to say• Part of the

conversation• Don’t spam• Generates traffic

Give Credit

• Don’t plagiarize• Internet content isn’t

free content• 20/80 ratio• Link to sources• Filter blog strategy

Flaming / Shouting / Anonymity

• Pick a fight – be prepared

• Think before posting

• Whole Wide World

• Caps are out

• “C. and I had lunch”

Profile

• Add “About Me” or “Profile” page

• Avoid personal info• Photo or picture• Hobbies• Career• Interests• Create personal

connection

Niche Blogging

• Fill a content void• Need knowledge or

interest• Narrow topic• Available audience?• Enough information?

Blogging Preliminaries

• Blog purpose

• Type of blog

• Blog host

• Blog topic

• Title and subtitle

• Public or private

• Blog revenue