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Blogs

What Are Blogs?

A blog (a combination of "web log") is a website where entries are written in chronological order and commonly displayed in reverse chronological order.

Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. Blogs are also used by businesses to promote products, network, publicize news, and position themselves as experts in their fields.

As of September 2007, blog search engine Technorati tracked more than 106 million blogs. (from Wikipedia)

General Features

A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. Thanks to many online services, bloggers can also add video (from YouTube and other video-sharing sites), audio (such as podcasts), and even embed documents in easy to read formats (via Scribd, docsctoc and slideshare).

A major feature of blogs is their RSS feeds. These feeds allow people to subscribe to the content and view it in RSS feed readers, such as Google Reader or Netvibes. Bloggers can also add the ability to subscribe to automatic e-mail updates via feed management services such as Feedburner.

This video gives a great introduction to RSS feeds.



The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs.

Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (artlog), photographs (photoblog), sketchblog, videos (vlog), music (MP3 blog), audio (podcasting) and are part of a wider network of social media. Micro-blogging is another type of blogging which consists of blogs with very short posts.

What are the Main Blogging Platforms?


Pros

  • Blogs deliver fresh content, which delivers increased SEO
  • Increased brand exposure
  • Positions the blogger as an expert, creates thought leadership
  • Helps expand the bloggers social network, and bring in real business leads.

    Cons

    • Takes a lot of time to manage a successful blog. The tasks involved in managing a successful blog include: writing posts, managing and responding to comments, reading other blogs for ideas, commenting on other blogs.
    • Demands patience: there is little instant gratification with a blog. It takes consistent investment of time and effort over months before the blog owner may begin to see results.

    Case Studies

    Got an example of successful blog use within an organization? Profile it here!

    Top Blogs




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