Definition: blog (noun, verb)
A web based, interactive, public diary of ones thoughts.
Blogging is writing in one's blog. Sort of like writing in a journal. Usually your blog is something you write about that might involve linking to something you the author finds interesting on the internet. Your blog can be anything, informational, personal, controversial, just a thought, etc.

Blogging- What Is It?

Authoring a blog, maintaining a blog or adding an article to an existing blog is called "blogging". This ability to organize and present articles in a composed fashion is much of what makes blogging a popular personal publishing tool. Typically, blog authors compose their articles in a web-based interface, such as the ones provided by Blogger.com, Blog-City.com, Wordpress.org, etc. (you can find plenty of other free blog providers using your favorite search engine).

Blogs might be maintained from personal computers, or they might be updated using moblogging technology - web-enabled mobile phones or hand-held devices. However, the blogging community is vibrant and not restricted to technical elite. Where the Internet is about availability of information, blogging is about making information creation available to anyone.

Creating Your Own Free Blog Is Easy

For most free blogging providers, you simply create an account, then fill in a title and description for your blogging Web page. Once your blog has been setup, you're ready to start blogging!

Blogging Software

In early 1999, blogging software entered the scene, enabling anybody to place a blog on their existing website or simply have a blog hosted under their own domain. Any tech-savvy user can download and install blogging software themselves. Most blogging software doesn't require an extensive infrastructure. And because most of it is open-sourced, developers can extend it to work with other software or additional blogging tools.

Blogging Tips

1. Blogging completely anonymously is not a good idea, because people reading your blog will feel disconnected from you and your writings- and with all of the bogus information on the internet today, gaining trust from you audience is a must if you want them to keep coming back. If privacy is a concern, consider blogging under only your first name, or for even more privacy, a pseudonym.

2. Update your blog often- posting new content regularly attracts readers and search engine spiders. If your blog contains fresh content on a regular basis, your readers will visit often. Search engines will visit and index a website or blog more often when it is updated constantly.

3. Allow and respond to comments. Allowing your readers to interact with your blog will boost it's popularity. Yes, there are spammers out there who are ready to pounce on your blog and post a spammy comment with a link to their website. But closing the comments can be equally as hurtful to your blog, and if you moderate your comments you can keep the trash outside, where it belongs.

4. Link building (trading links with other blogs with similar themes) is a pertinent factor in getting your blog seen. Search engines rank websites and blogs according to how many links there are pointing to them. Be sure you set up a link building program with each blog you maintain.

If you do these things, your odds of creating a successful blog will increase significantly. A good rule of thumb is to evaluate your blog from time to time, and ask yourself, "If I were browsing and came across this blog, would I want to read it or tell my friends about it?"

The Future Of Blogging

Blogging is growing as a national (dare I say "Worldwide"?) hobby for the younger generation. New blogging technology, such as videoblogging, creates new communities that continue to develop tons of tools for the techno-blogger.

Expressing onesself has become the "thing to do". Weblogging extends this trend of self-expression to a dynamic, vibrant and energetic form of communication. The importance of the blogging community (and its relationship to larger society) has gained rapidly increasing importance. Anthologies of blog pieces reached print, and blogging personalities have begun appearing on radio and television.

The synopsis- Thanks to the creation of the weblog, as long as there are people with ideas and opinions, and a desire to tell everyone they can all about them, there will always be a medium in which they are able to do so freely

About The Author

Manny Leger is a die-hard blogger and the founder of www.flookie.net, a family friendly blog directory

Article #2
Blog, Blogging and Blogger - The Hottest Trend in the 21st Century
by: Jeff Wang

The Buzz word in the internet industry today is the word “Blogging”. If you have not heard of it, read on to find out the hottest trend that is happening across right now in the 21st century. The word “Blog” could be the next craze that is sweeping across the world ever since the Internet took the world by the storm.

Accordingly to Dictionary.com, the word ‘Blog’ is defined as followed “an online diary; a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a web page; also called a Web log.” It goes on further to state that the “blog is typically updated daily, blog often reflect the personality of the author”.

Traditionally back in the past, people penned down their private thoughts into a diary book. The content in the diary book would be considered private and exclusive to the author only. In fact, if you attempt to read somebody’s diary without permission, you would be labeled as “Very Rude”. However, with the introduction of “Blog”, it is set to change all that.

People started to chronicle their private life details into an online diary called blog. What started to change is that people not only started to discard away their hard copy diary book for online blogging, but in fact, they started to pen down their private thoughts in world wide web for the public to read. What a drastic change in the Trend!

In fact, soon after, blog started to take a life of its own. Gradually, blog started to evolve into marketing blog, business blog and customer service blog. There is even one blog AsianHottestBlogger.com where blogger contestants are voted by the readers as the hottest blogger for the month after reading the interesting blog post that the blogger contestant has posted.

The entire “Blog” Craze is happening all over the world right now. If you are still not into it, it’s time to jump into the bandwagon right now to capitalize the opportunity before it’s over.

About The Author

Jeff Wang is a freelance writer whose articles have appear in most major ezine. You can find more of these at: AsianHottestBlogger.com (Vote Asian Hottest Blogger And they are not Just a Pretty Face)

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included.

article compliments of ArticleCity.com

Why Blog?

Blog, blog, blog. What the heck is it anyway? Does it ribbit? Oink? Croak? One more torturous gadget I have no time for? Entertainment? Work? Solitaire? What’s in it for me?

If this sounds like you this new year, you’re in a good place. At least you’re alive, curious and addicted to email. A blog is a useful tool for your business--if and only if--you take time to get used to the process. Not only will a blog generate traffic for your web site; it will educate your prospects, connect people to your business and increase your search engine rankings.

“But I don’t wanna!” You whine, “I’m so busy, how can I possibly fit “blogging” into my already packed schedule?”

Trust me, it’s worth it!

“I think blogging is a basic form of ‘Rip, Mix and Learn’ (RML). Just like I’m doing right now, I’m ripping an idea from Alan and others, mixing it up with my own experience and reality, and writing about it as a way to clarify and learn. And really, it is the writing part that forces me to organize these thoughts and give some form to them. It’s when the learning coalesces...”

>From Will Richardson, Weblogg-Ed

What is a Blog?

The term “Blog” is short for weblog. A weblog is simply a journal or diary of sorts that you keep on a daily basis. Only, this “diary” can be seen by the entire world--the world with computers, that is. Your Blog is visible to the world wide web, and it has its own URL, much like your company Web site. Blogs are about everything from mortgage loans to printing and from religion to real estate. The neat thing about blogging is the way they can serve so many purposes:

· Your first novella
· A training manual
· An informative article
· A press release
· A journal
· Your FAQs page
· Your testimonials
· A networking tool
· A tutorial
· A sales slick
· A rough draft
· Your biography
· Your soap box
· A class room
· A research notebook
· An ad or a billboard
· Your family tree
· A photo album
· A commercial
· A newsletter

When should you Blog?

You don’t have to blog every single day, although that would be ideal. Even if you can only blog a sentence here and there every other day, that is better than a swift kick. Good rule of thumb: Any blogging is better than no blogging; and you can’t over-blog.

Why Blog?

If you are a business owner, the benefits of blogging are too numerous to count. Nonetheless, here’s a few reasons you should get in the habit of frequently blogging your heart out.

· Blogs grow in popularity just like Web sites
· Blogs help you get your point across
· Blogs are emailed directly to its members
· Blogs let you write your thoughts quickly
· Blogs preserve business history
· Blogs allow you to connect with your prospects
· Blogs help you to educate your customers
· Blogs can help people see how you think
· Blogs are a way to express your opinion
· Blogs are readily visible by anyone in the world
· Blogs that contain your expertise can be repeatedly visited
· Blogs can be added to favorites
· Blogs can increase your exposure to the world
· Blogs can help people if they contain valuable information
· Blogs can help you sell products and services
· Blogs are a good place to show your personality
· Blogs are easier to edit and write than web pages
· Blogs require no special skill other than reading and typing
· Blogs are free
· Blogs are easy to start
· Blogs increase your Web site’s SEO (search engine rankings)
· Blogs have spell-check
· Blogs allow you to allow others to make comments
· Blogs can be published all over the web with RSS technology
· Blogs show up in search results
· Blogs can be indexed and searched like Web sites

Where Should You Blog?

There are free blogging services you can use. We only recommend Blogger because we believe it is the most reliable and easiest to use. You want to use a reputable blogging company because if the company goes out of business you can lose your whole blog. Blogger is owned by Google, so you’re safe for now.

How to Start a Blog

Now that you’re half-way convinced that blogging is right up there in with email, let’s start the process of blogging on your own.

1. Sign up for a free blog. This is super-easy. Just choose a user name and password, agree to the terms and conditions and you’re cool.

2. Start blogging. Yes, it’s that easy. Ask yourself, “Why haven’t I done this before?”

3. Invite friends and associates to your blog. Invite a few people to your blog to get the party started.

4. Add hyperlinks in your blog to your web site. Don’t forget to insert your Web address into your blog.

The most important thing to remember is this: Don’t hide your blog under a bushel! No matter what--take time to send us (and everyone else on your list) an invitation to your blog fest.

Happy New Year!

About The Author

Jennifer Ryan is President and CEO of The Marketing Shop (www.TheMarketingShop.com), a web design and search engine optimization company in Dallas, Texas. For more information call 214-680-6177.

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