Blogging has grown termendously during the past few years, and it is estimated that there are now more than 71 million blogs in existense, with many more being added daily.



So what is a blog?

A blog (or web log) is a mini-website, where the owner can write entries in a chronological order, often representing a form of a diary or journal, or running commentary on a particular subject. It can also be used as a conversational discussion on a specific website or topic related to a specific website to increase awareness of that website. Many blog owners invite comments on their entries, and it takes the form of a forum or discussion group. The blog may contain text, images, and other media related to the specific topic.

The purpose of a blog can vary from blog to blog, and may be purely informational, to invite discussion about a certain topic, to market (for example a website) and therefore can also be used for profit generation. Website administrators use blogs extensively to improve their website rankings within search engines.

The titles of the articles and posts play a very important role on the overall popularity of the blog, as this will cause the reader to actually make an effort to read the blog and possibly return to the blog to continue with the discussion.

It is important for the writer of the blog to take great care in the actual writing of the blog, as it reflects the personality of the person responsible for the blog, and if it is used to market or create awareness of a website, will create the first impression readers will get about that website. As there are so many blogs around, people generally only keep track of a couple of blogs, and therefore they must find a compelling reason to keep coming back to your blog. It is here where the content of the blog and regular updates are very important. A blog that employs a visually appealing design will project a professional image (and is therefore very appropriate for use in marketing), whereas a poorly designed blog based on some stock template will send the opposite signal about the author's experience and expertise. Templates are quite adequate when used for diary-type blogs, however.

The most successful blogs are written in a casual tone to create a more personal style. People often read blogs as they are interested in the opinions of the blog writer, and the tone should therefore be kept conversational. This will invite responses from the readers, which will add to the value of the blog. As a result of the usual friendly and casual tone of blogs website owners often use a blog to add more personality to their website(s). An important aspect to consider here is to be absolutely sure who will be likely to read your blog, and to tailor your content towards those readers.

Writing a blog can be very easy to one person, but much more difficult to the next person. Once one has started writing a blog, the hardest part is then to consistently produce valuable and interesting content. It is here where many blog writers find it easy to write from their own experience, adding to the personal feel of the blog. Once a blog is written, it is of the essence to edit the writing, and to make sure that there are no offensive remarks or mistakes in the writing.

It is important to regularly post new entries to the blog, however, do not pressure yourself to post when the ideas just won’t come. Only post comments or content that will have some value to the readers and that they feel they can respond to, otherwise you run the risk of losing your readers.

Once a blog is written, it needs to be submitted, and that is done using blogging software.

More information may be found at https://www.blogger.com/start, or visit http://www.marietjie.biz/bg1.html.