A blog is a regularly updated website or web page that is typically run by an individual or small group. Blogs are maintained with regular posts of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material like videos and photos. Most blogs are interactive and allow visitors to leave comments. Blogging is a form of social networking as bloggers build relationships with readers and other bloggers. Common uses of blogs include personal diaries, professional commentary, brand or company marketing, and special interest topics.

1. WHAT IS A
WHY

2. Simple definition:
By Rita Skarbek

3. Entries commonly displayed in reverse-
chronological order
Maintained by an individual (generally)
with regular entries of
 Commentary
 Descriptions of events
 Other material such as graphics or video
 By Rita Skarbek

4.  Most blogs are interactive
 allowing visitors to leave comments and even
message each other via widgets on the blogs
 this interactivity distinguishes them from other
static websites
 Blogging is a form of social networking
 Because bloggers build social relations with their
readers, with other bloggers, and other sites
By Rita Skarbek

5.  Provide Commentary on a subject
 Function as personal online diaries
 Function as online brand advertising for
companies or individuals
 Combine text, images, and links to other blogs,
other web sites, social media Web Pages, and
other media related to its topic
By Rita Skarbek

6.  Most are primarily textual but can focus on any
subject matter and take a combination of forms:
▪ Art (art blog)
▪ Photographs (photo blog)
▪ Videos (video blogging or vlogging)
▪ Music (MP3 blog)
▪ Audio (podcasting)
 Microblogging is another type of blogging, featuring
very short posts…like Twitter, FB, etc.
 Leaving comments in an interactive format is an
important part of most blogs
By Rita Skarbek

7.  Traffic sources:
 41% Search Engines
 28% Social Media
 20% Referring Sites
 Top 3 most popular sites for Social
Networking (and sharing content):
 Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin
 WordPress is most popular site used to
create blogs (43%) and 35% use Blogger
 By Rita Skarbek

8.  Blogging started in the 1990′s as online
journals where people shared their interests,
hobbies and thoughts online
 Blogs are now considered an important part
of a companies participation online
 no longer just for the private personal
blogger

9. By Rita Skarbek

10.  31 million bloggers in US alone

11.  Personal: about your politics, music, family,
travel, health, etc
 Business: professionals sharing their
expertise and/or companies personally
engage with their customers
 Politics: Members of any political party,
government agencies, and activists to
connect with their constituencies and the
world
 By Rita Skarbek

12.  Schools: teachers and students collaborate on
classroom projects
 Sports: Teams, athletes, fans use blogs to share their
passion for various sports
 Private: Closed group, usually password protected.
 Some people make their blogs private to share photos and
information with families, friends, groups, club members
 By Rita Skarbek

13.  Clubs/Special Interest Groups: use blogs to
post upcoming and past events, discuss
subject matter, post photos etc. in lieu of
email
 How-to, tips and reviews: There are lots of
blogs that share tips and reviews about
cooking, games, music, books, movies,
technology, etc
By Rita Skarbek

14.  Non-profits: Foundations, charities, and
human rights groups use blogs to raise
awareness, money, volunteers for their
causes
 Military: Used to report what they see
happening in the world, to stay in touch with
families, to recruit,etc.
 By Rita Skarbek

15.  Determine your purpose, is it
 To document your travels?
 To share your passion?
 To inform?
 To entertain?
By Rita Skarbek

16.  Travel?
 Food?
 Sports?
 Technology?
 Pop culture?
 Politics?
 Art?
 Sewing?
 Cooking?
 Cars?
 Button Collecting?
 Meditation?
 Specific Cause?
 Disease?  By Rita Skarbek

17.  Your perspective: Traveler? Mom? Chronicler
of family history? Movie critic? Clothing
Designer? Hobby Enthusiast? Observer of the
world? Poet? Photographer?
 Your target audience… Family and Friends?
Club or Social Group? World? Film buffs?
Consumers? Political Groups? Restaurant
goers? Topics are endless….
By Rita Skarbek

18.  Once you figure out your subject matter area,
write up a mission statement to help guide
your future posts.
 Unclear about your blog’s focus? Scribble
down any idea that comes to mind
for reasons why you’d like to have a blog.
 By Rita Skarbek

19.  Getting creative juices flowing and learning
something new ….
 Customizing—choosing themes, fonts,
colors, photos, etc making it yours
 Learning to use the internet to be heard,
seen; to share information, photos, video, etc
 To just do it… length does not matter…blogs
can be whatever size, shape, content you
want By Rita Skarbek


20.  Consistency—blog regularly
 Personality—be real, don’t copy
 Add Multi-media—diversify with video,
graphics, etc. to bring people to your blog
 Use social networking —provide links to
your blog through FB, Twitter, Google+ etc.
 Have fun —being creative
 By Rita Skarbek

21.  We will show you some great blogs of the
various types we discussed today
 Here are 3 examples of blogs from club
members:
 www.Grandgraphics.wordpress.com
 www.Ritamarywhatever.blogspot.com
 www.Groovypinkblog.com
 By Rita Skarbek