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Blogs not just
for journalists

The term "blog" is derived from the term "Weblog" or Web log. In the early days of blogging circa mid-to-late 1990s, Web logs were used to track updates and references to other resources on the Internet.

A Weblog is a journal-like Web site that allows you to journal -- or log -- your thoughts, ideas, and feelings.

You can publish freestyle or in any manner you like. A blog has a Web-based editing tool that allows you to add content at any time you like and as often as you like.

You simply type in your content, push a button, and you are published. Therefore, a blog is a Web site or Web page that is updated frequently with fresh content. Think of it as a Web site that allows instant publishing.

We like to think of a blog as a Web site on steroids.

Weblogs, (henceforth referred to as blogs), as journals were also used as stream-of-consciousness publishing tools. They allowed you to share and comment on anything of personal interest that you wanted to comment on or talk about.

There are lots of blogs that publish opinionated commentary as diverse in tone as there is a diversity of topics to talk about.

Blogging is the activity of publishing content about a specific topic or theme of interest to a niche audience instantly. That content is also part commentary, part opinion, and often includes links of interest and maintains a more personal tone of voice in communication.

Blogs have evolved into more than a tool for commentary and opinion. Blogs have become powerful communications and collaboration tools, and are being used in many ways for online business promotion and marketing communications.

Our business definition of a blog: Blogs are Web sites that allow you to instantly publish content about a topic or theme of interest.

There are tools that you can install on your desktop PC that will aid in publishing your blog. However, just remember that the blog software that hosts or holds your content runs on a server just like a Web site.

You can install and set up a blog on your own server with downloadable blog software which allows you to manage the technical details yourself (like WordPress). You can also open a hosted account with a blog service provider and have them handle the technical details while you focus on publishing (BlogHarbor).

In either case, you have both free and fee-based options available to you. Again, this is just like Web hosting.