to blog or not to blog?
s Blogging is fun. It is good for the individual and studies have shown that it is good for the brain. Blogging is hot, and seems to be becoming hotter each year. Although the activity was initially dismissed by many online gurus, reality shows that a few years after the “blogging trend” began, there are more bloggers than ever before. WHAT ARE BLOGS? Having heard the term previously but not having paid much attention, most are just too afraid to show their ignorance and ask the question, “What is a blog?” Let’s face it; the term blog does not conjure pleasant images. A weblog, or a blog is short, is a journal kept on the internet. This journal is often updated daily and contains all information that the person maintaining the blog (the blogger) wishes to share with the world. It also applies to websites on a particular topic, and being updated with the latest news, views and trends. Some blogs are used as daily diaries about people’s personal lives, and others are used to voice opinions or viewpoints on social or political issues. In fact, blogs can be shaped into whatever you, the author, want them to be.
28 perspective Spring 2006
technology column
While forums provide a space for people to post their ideas onto the site, and MSN allows people to chat with each other on a real-time basis, blogs are sites created by a person to keep his or her online journal. Readers can interact with the blogger by posting their comments onto the blog. Unlike online forums, there is no moderator nor administrator in charge of the blog. Below are some websites for blogging and blog searching: www.hk.blog.yahoo.com www.blogger.com www.xanga.com www.blogsearch.google.com Some other worthy examples include the blog www.online-pr.blogspot.com where New York PR executive James Horton posts his daily observations and insights about public relations news and trends. Another blog, www.blogster.com is an interesting and professional blog which has more than 20 channels in the blog, such as channels on business, travel, health and fitness. In fact, there are hundreds of blogs available on the internet, and one can search blogs on a specific topic by typing in keywords in search engines such as Google. To create a blog, you can sign up for an account at one of the free blogging services providers such as www.blogger. com, and complete the process by following the step-by-step instructions. You can set up your account, name your account, and then select the format. As for finding names for your domain, try to come up with a descriptive name to help attract visitors. You will be offered options for setting up your blog, and you can select them and adjust as necessary. Create and write new posts in your new blog, and now you are a blogger. BLOGS ARE A LOT OF FUN! Creating a blog, reading a blog, and participating in the discussions on blogs are entertaining and interesting. It is indeed a lot of fun and a great source for information. In fact, many bloggers return to the blog repeatedly throughout the day to view new posts. Because blogs link many facts and arguments in branching “threads” and webs, and append primary source materials and reference works, they foster deeper understanding and exposure to quality information. This is especially true for blogs which provides professional and specialised information. Compared with newsletters and
forums, blogs are much more highly interactive. The post appears simultaneously after posting, so posters see the results of a post immediately. Posters also don’t have the usual moderation that appears in forums, where posts may be deleted without warning. In blogs, more freedom is given as posts are usually accepted no matter what the content is. BLOGS CAN PROMOTE ANALYTICAL THINKING The incredible upsurge in blogging activity has caused physician-learning specialists to wonder: What effect is all this blogging have on the brains of bloggers? Is blogging good for the brain? According to US-based specialist Eide Neurolearning, blogs can promote critical and analytical thinking. The best of blogs are rich in ideas and promote active exchange and critique. Rather than creating closed communities of likeminded troglodytes, these best blogs foster conversations, interaction with other blogs and other information sources, and invite feedback from their readers. Blogging may combine the best of “working by yourself” and “working with
30 perspective Spring 2006
technology column
other people”. To create a blog, bloggers need solitary time to plan their posts, but they also receive quick feedback on their ideas and viewpoints. These feedback and responses may inspire new ideas and open up entirely new avenues of thoughts as posts circulate. Therefore, blogging could take societal communication and creative exchange to a whole new level. BLOGGING TO HELP BUSINESSES Blogging is something trendy to do, but it does not mean it is not beneficial to businesses. Webmasters struggling to keep fresh, attractive content on their websites to lure visitors back, have found blogs the answer. Content is a necessity for online businesses for the purpose of being found by search engines and to lure visitors to come back. In fact, blogs provide great supplementary content and direct attention to areas of your business that you want to showcase. The bottom line is you need to determine how a blog will benefit your business. Then, you need to determine a schedule and adhere to it. The blogger should let readers know what and when to expect. While you may initially create a blog for your existing customers, you may find that you can attract new customers by illustrating your expertise in a specific field. There are websites that act as “blog search engines”, and you should make sure that you submit your sites to these websites to increase your exposure. TIPS TO BUILD A SUCCESSFUL BLOG Contents and design are equally important in building a blog. Topics have to be new and interesting as no one wants to read dull topics. Topics that are of interest to a wide range of readers will be more likely to succeed than topics that appeal to very few. And the material has to be updated on a continuous basis, otherwise, the audience eventually dies. No matter online or offline, readers do not want to read poorly-written, difficult, or boring materials. Just like designing a website, we should try to make the blog visuallyappealing and friendly to visitors. All in all, “blogging” is the wave of the future. Blogging isn’t just a fad. It is a new way to communicate with potential readers and customers, and it deserves at the very least a cursory look. s Eunice Wong