Blogging history: In the beginning
The first blog we were aware of was reported at links.net. This information is available on Web designer’s depot. It all began with Justin Hall, a college student in 1994. This first blog was known as a “weblog” and was really just Justin’s personal homepage.
The first traditional news site to mention “logging the web” was when Jonathan Dube blogged about Hurricane Bonnie for the Charlotte Observer. The word “weblog” was shortened to the simple word “blog” in 1999 and five years later was admitted to the Merriam-Webster dictionary declaring that the word “blog” was the word of the year. Learn More.
Blogging has rapidly become more and more popular since the 1990s when web browsers were first available. They have quickly become an integral part of our online culture for the past five to ten years. Most people feel confident in reading information from blogs, and this content is considered among the most trustworthy content online.
Online users read blogs based upon hobbies, read news blogs or just browse blog articles for general entertainment, it is well-known that business owners who blog consistently, reach new customers and gain more sales. It is noted in the Technorati report, that the majority of bloggers (about 60%) are hobbyists. It is also reported that blog content is still more popular and more useful for business than social media.
Corporate blogging measures about 8 percent of the total and self-employed bloggers make up about 13 percent. This last group consists of website owners who create and publish their own blog articles. The other 19 percent are made up by professional bloggers who are hired by outside entities. They use the blog platform for their sole source of income.
Professional bloggers (content writers):
As blog content gained importance, it was clear that there was a need for better articles and professional writers were employed to provide well-written articles. Their responsibility was to study the search engine requirements and to become familiar with SEO techniques. They report trending news written in an original format. These articles became popular quickly as web users were looking for new and relevant information. Companies around the country now hire these outside professionals or set aside a budget to hire in-house. This effort keeps their website fresh with consistent new content. Overtime, this improves the company brand and improves revenue and ROI (Return On Investment).
Professional content writers may also create banner ads, and publish for the client, periodic newsletters. It has been proven that banner ads and blog advertisement not only highlights the company expertise, but is a means to generate new revenue online. Guest bloggers are also a popular choice for site owners. This gives the website a different perspective and keeps the site populated with exciting news and views.
WordPress and blogging:
The first WordPress platform got started in September of 2001. The first video blogs began in 2004 right after YouTube was founded. WordPress is a self-hosted site which allows the user to add blog posts. Today, the WordPress platform is considered the most user-friendly platform for bloggers.
What is the difference between a blog and a podcast?
A podcast is a blog that uses audio content as the central resource. A podcast has the same goal as written blog content. It provides information from the sender to the target audience, but using audio. The blogger of today, uses either text, audio or visual content to get their message across to the end user.
Pros and cons for allowing blog comments:
Depending upon the type of blog you have on your website, you may or may not allow commenting. By doing this you could personalize the blog. Commenting can be a helpful tool to keep you abreast of company concerns. On the other hand, if you are getting unwelcome comments which are inappropriate, the commenting feature can be disallowed.
The future for podcast and blogging:
As social media came on the scene, blogs have become only one resources to get the message heard. Today, we depend upon many resources to include social media to network and to get our message heard. We use blogging to keep our websites up to date. This keeps our brand fresh and new.
There is no reason to believe that blogging will not be a major portion of our online success moving forward. Blogging and podcast news should remain popular into the foreseeable future. Staying current with SEO techniques and other innovative methods will keep the blog material fresh and relevant. We suggest that our clients stay ahead of the curve by reading Site Pro News regularly.
Hurry back for more news from the Design Wizards at Inside Design Orlando. We look forward to providing you with a cost-effective quote for your next website project. by Jean Holland-Rose, Chief Creative Officer & SEO Professional
