We explain what a blog is, what it is for and what types exist. In addition, we tell you how it differs from a web page.
What is a blog?
A blog is, in thejargonofinternet, abitachoredigital, that is,awebsitethat works as a personal or business diary, updated by their authors withcontentsdiverse and often with comments or participation from readers. Its name comes from the contraction ofWeb Log(“online blog” or “web blog”) in a single word:Weblogand later abbreviated in blog.
The first blogs appeared online in the mid-1990s, as an online journal format open to the public, and peaked around the year 2000. So popular was their popularity that in 2006 International Day of the Blog, held every August 31. Some bloggers (commonly calledbloggers) have even achieved fame through the circulation of their writings in the online community of readers (the blogosphere).
There is no single model for blogs, and today their presence has diversified enormously, making room for different models of personal journals, business pages, and other similar models. In addition, there are many free and paid platforms to create and support a blog, which put a variety of digital tools and possibilities in the hands of their creators, from multimedia support andhyperlinks, untilgadgetsoApplicationswithin the blog itself.
See also:virtual communication
What is a blog for?
In principle, blogs operate as a personal blog, that is, as a space in which to write andshare with internet users thoughts, life routine or even works of fiction.
Many blogs are used as a magazine, accepting collaborations from different authors, while others are basically information and sales portals.The purpose of a blog can be very diverse, as well as the interests of its creator, but in general it is an online publication managed by the author himself.
Difference between a blog and a website
Blogs are web pages, but not all web pages are blogs. The latter operate as adaptable blogs, while web pages can have any purpose:e-commerce, chat rooms, service portals, video game portals, among many others.
On the other hand,many web pages offer static content, which varies little, and have a section for the blog, where you can find the continuously updated entries, that is, your own blog through which you can address your audience.
More in:Website
blog types
Blogs can be classified in many ways, but the most useful is the one that distinguishes between their different purposes. Thus, we can talk about:
- personal blogs. They are those that a specific author has and that serve to express his points of view. They are usually updated as often as the author considers and can be anonymous or the author can sign with her real name. For example, the blog ofEnrique Dans, a Spanish specialist in cybersecurity andtechnology, in which he freely comments on his interests and allows interaction with his readers.
- professional blogs. They are those who are dedicated to the online promotion of servicesprofessionalsof an individual, or that serve to keep track of their professional achievements and establish contact with their followers and/orcustomers. For example in "The gastrowriter”, the freelance editor Laura Vivas not only offers her services and shows her resume, but also presents a sample of work done to promote herself.
- corporate blogs. They are those that do not belong to an individual, but to acompanyor organization, and that serve you to reach and dialogue with your customers, as well as have an online presence that responds to search engines. For example in "Blog”, the video game company PlayStation centralizes its brand information, establishes links with its customers and announces news to its audience.
- Micro-blogs. They are those that allow their authors to write minimal entries that are shared in large communities, such associal networks. They tend to be more immediate and focus on social interaction, rather than prolonged reading. For example, the social networkTwitter.comdefines itself as a microblogging platform, since the entries of theusersdo not exceed 280 characters.
- educational blogs. They are those whose purpose is to share quality information with their users and provide help in training andeducationof the public 2.0, especially young people and children. They can also be blogs from organizations dedicated to combating misinformation or covering urgent issues. For example, himEducational Campusof the Ministry of Education of Argentina provides information on the educational issue to the general public and pedagogical resources to teachers.
- fictional blogs. They are those in which a story is developed, anovelor some kind of exercisefictionnarrative, often with hyperlinks and illustrations. It can be aboutliteratureof various types, fanfiction or any other form of story. For example, the blogLiterary Fictionby Javier Eugercio shares stories and short stories by different authors with his audience.
Benefits of having a blog
Los blogsare useful tools for exercisingexpressionstaff and launchcreativitywithout the rigors and demands of thewritingprofessional or publishing world. It is an option open to all, with different aesthetic, dynamic and functional possibilities, and in many cases free. This allows anyone, with determination and tenacity, to become a blogger and cultivate a reading public, making themselves known online.
On the other hand, blogsare commercially useful tools, since they capture and retain Internet users who, if all goes well, can later become customers. Even big brands and companies with an established audience can benefit from blogging to establish a community of their own and centralize the information they want to pass on to their followers.
Topic ideas to open a blog
The following are some ideas for creating a blog:
- A blog aboutcineand literaturein which the books, films and series that the author consumes are reviewed and valued.
- A blog abouttrips, in which small descriptions of the sites that are visited are shared, illustrated with photographs and videos.
- A blog aboutscience, in which the main news from the contemporary scientific and medical world is explained in simple terms.
- A blog aboutdating and romance, in which the author recounts his best and worst experiences in the attempt to find his better half.
- A blog about skin carepetsand basic veterinary advice.
- A blog aboutrestaurantsfrom the author's city, which explains what they offer, shows their product menu and leaves the address and telephone number for reservations.
- A blog about classical composers frommusicacademic, in which small sound fragments of the great musical pieces of history are included and information is provided on their importance and on the trajectory of the author.
- A blog abouthistoryuniversal, in which the main battles of the great wars of history are addressed in detail, with maps, plans and museum photos.
Free platforms to open a blog
Some of the best known free platforms to open a blog today are:
- WordPress
- Blogger
- WIX
- SquareSpace
- Ionic
- Jimdo
- Site123
Follow with:Web 2.0
References
- “Blog” inWikipedia.
- "What is a blog?" in itGovernment of the Canary Islands(Spain).
- "Blog, blogger and blogging, terms accepted in Spanish" inanchor.
- “Blog (Internet)” aThe Encyclopaedia Britannica