People who are interested in creating blogs for themselves often have trouble reading self heal articles because they do not understand the terminology. Failing to understand what basic terms mean can create an unnecessarily large workload. Following are a brief explanation of the top ten blog terms, designed to aid the beginner in gaining a basic understanding.

1. Blogs - Believe it or not, there are actually people out there who do not know what a blog is. So, we placed this word at the top of the list of important terms. The word "blog" is actually short for "web log." Basically, a blog is an online journal that is created and maintained by individuals. Although it is defined as a journal, it does not mean it is a place for one to bear his soul for the world. Instead it is often used a place for people to share information on a topic they are interested in and offer advice to others. Some bloggers are even able to use a blog to make money.

2. Pinging - This is a very important tool for those who want to help their blog be noticed by as many people as possible. Many sites provide this service at no cost and will notify search engines each time a blog is updated. This will help your blog rank higher on the list of popular sites, thus making it more easily located by readers.

3. Linking - Many who write blogs place links throughout their content. These links will direct readers to other sites that provide additional information on the blog topic and also help to show the reliability of the blogger. Providing readers with additional information will actually help improve readership instead of send it elsewhere.

4. Posts - Posts are simply new entries made into your blog. Every time you update, you make a new post.

5. Template - This refers to the setup of the blog site itself. Most new blogs come with a standard template, but you will want to try and make it as unique and aesthetically pleasing as possible. Expressing your individuality through the template will help make your blog more memorable.

6. Blog host - To begin a blog, you have to sign up with a blog host. These are sites such as Blogger or MySpace. Generally a blog host is a large site that offers blogs to any number of subscribers. Many offer this for free, so be wary of a group that requires payment for the service.

7. Blog directory - A blog directory is an online database that categorizes various blogs found on the internet. You will want to make sure your blog is added to a directory to help spread the word about your blog.

8. Niche - Articles often advise people to find their niche and start a blog on that topic. A niche is the purpose of your blog. It refers to what your blog is about. Will you choose to create a serious blog about politics or religion? Or will you offer a more laidback blog that focuses on music or movie stars? What you decide will determine your niche.

9. RSS feed - An RSS feed is code that can be created with your blog that allows your readers to subscribe to it. Readers will not have to check your blog on a regular basis to see if you have made an update but will automatically be informed each time you make a change.

10. Trackback links - Trackback links provide notification to other bloggers anytime you refer to their blog in a post. It will also include a link to your site from theirs.

For those just starting out, these terms should help to make many advice articles easier to understand. If you continue to find terminology with which you are unfamiliar, research it carefully before making additional decisions regarding your job. Remember, education is power!