What IS a “BLOG”?
The term “blog” - actually a blending of the words web and log - appeared first in the printed pages of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary in 2005 after being among the "words of the year" in 2004. A blog is defined in the dictionary as "a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer."

Simply put, a blog is bit like an online diary in which the writer posts musings on the Internet, in the hope that readers around the world will view and share it. A blog typically displays dated entries in reverse chronological order. When you open a blog, you see the most recent entry.

Blog Building Blocks
There are several parts to the typical blog:

>>Entry Title: Every blog entry will have a title to describe the content.

>>Bio: Most blogs include a short bio (biographical sketch) of the writer, and might also include a brief description of the blog's content, theme, and history of the blog.

>>Date and Time: Most entries (also known as posts) bear a time and date to let the reader know when the information was posted.

>>Recent Posts: The titles of the most recent posts can usually be found listed on the side of the blog/webpage. Each is usually linked to that post. This way, readers can scan the titles and quickly display the posts that interest them.

>>Comments: A blog could include a comment segment so that readers may respond to the various posts – thus making it interactive.

>>Blog Links: These are links to other blogs included by Bloggers in their own posts to direct readers to other blog posts that they believe their readers might find interesting. Lists of such blog links are called blogrolls.

>>Archives: When a blog post has been removed from the list of Recent Posts, it is often moved to an archive where a reader may search for missed posts.

>>Photos: Some blogs include photos related to the posts. The photos could be on the blog site or a link may be provided to a remote site where they may be viewed.

Blog Types
Generally, there are four blog categories:

>>Personal Blogs: The majority of blogs are in this category. These are blogs created by individuals who wish to simply share information, exchange ideas, and communicate with others. Personal blogs will usually focus on a theme about which the writer is passionate – perhaps a pastime, hobby, or even religion or politics.

The most effective personal blogs tend to have a narrow focus. As a result, such a blog usually has a following of regular readers interested in the same subject.

A personal blogger could simply post pictures and family news to stay in touch with relatives, for example. Alternatively, a hobby-related blog might include lots of detailed posts and even advertising intended to generate income for the blogger.

>>Business Blogs: The Business Blog is a promotional marketing tool to assist a company in selling products or services. It is usually well designed and packed with helpful content.

>>Organizational Blogs: Organizational Blogs can be internal (on a corporate intranet, for instance) or external (available for customers and prospects). Organization blogs can be of benefit to not-for-profit groups who need to communicate their message to the general public.

>>Professional Blogs: Increasingly more companies and organizations are hiring writers, who know how to write for the web, to maintain their blogs to promote services, products, or concepts. Professional blogging is becoming a new career choice for some writers.

Finding The Best Blogs
Finding interesting blogs is most easily done by using a major search engine since search engines are fond of listing blog entries in their indexes. Alternatively, there are several websites dedicated to listing and rating the best blogs. Many newspapers also publish blog reviews of new blogs or those that are becoming more popular.

Blogrolls are a great source of discovering new and interesting blogs. If you find a blog that you enjoy, chances are that the blogger will post a list of related and recommended blogs (a blogroll) for your interest.

The Weblog Awards (or the Bloggies) are handed out to bloggers and those associated with producing blogs. The list of previous winners offers a source for additional blogs that a reader might not have seen before.

Future of Blogging
The online Blog Herald notes that there were likely far more than the 112+ million blogs reported by technorati.com as of February, 2008. This medium has become so popular that it is hardly worth trying to quantify any longer. Sufice it to say that the blogosphere is exploding!

Whether blogs will fit into mainstream media in the long-term or simply go the way of many trends, no longer remains to be seen. The Web made obtaining information universal, and blogging is now making the dissemination of information also universal since anyone may log onto a free blog-creation site and publish their musings worldwide.

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This article is the property of the Gilman Group, and it may be shared provided this block is included and proper credit is given. Pam Hoffman is the owner of the Gilman Group, Web Presence and Marketing firm in Glen Rock, PA. (www.gilmangroup.com). Their clients span the globe and come from many different industries. If you are considering a new website or a website makeover, consider the Gilman Group (800-317-5145).