Tuesday, November 25, 2008

"Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Blogs*

*But Were Afraid to Ask."

Before we take the advice of anyone about blogging matters it is worthwhile to remember one vital - and wonderful - fact: Blogging should be the simplest and most straightforward thing we do.

I've never blogged before and my friend told me that the first time can be painful; is this true?

Blogging is actually quite simple. But it's a good idea to learn as much about blogging as you can before you commit to your first blog. There is a great deal of information available about blogging, including: videos, books, magazines and even blog entries. The more you know, the more satisfying your first experience is likely to be.

Does the size of my blog matter?

Yes and no. Size - length - can be important, but even more important is the quality of your blog. If you want to leave your reader satisfied, concentrate on content, not size.

What is the BLOG spot?

Blogspot, also knows as Blogger, is an offering owned by Google. This offering allows users to register new blogging sites to set up their own blog. Because there are no restrictions, anyone can set up any number of blog sites for no charge.

My parents say I am not old enough to blog; how will I know when I am ready?

This is a very good question, and the answer is extremely confusing. In order to make the explanation easier to follow there are a few terms you should know, like "age of consent" and "age of majority". If you are under the age of majority, which is usually 18 or 19, and especially if you are under the age of consent, which can be as young as 12, you should get your parents' permission before blogging.

Is it possible to be too old to blog?

This is also a very good question. As long as you are able to get up on the Internet and still enjoy blogging, you are not too old!

I have heard that you can go blind from too much blogging; but how much is too much?

This is absolutely untrue, unless you press your face against your monitor while blogging. But even then, you are likely to only damage your retinas. Blogging is a perfectly healthy activity, whether a person is a girl or boy, woman or man. Although some people may worry that blogging is harmful, it actually is one of the most effective ways to relieve stress.

I find that I get more pleasure out of other people's blogs than actually blogging myself; is that normal?

Absolutely. You don't have to blog yourself to enjoy blogging. You can visit other people's sites and enjoy their blogs. Technorati reports that there are well over 100 million blogs on the Internet; find the ones that satisfy your interests.

I tend to jump around indiscriminately from blog to blog; am I more susceptible to viruses because of this behavior?

Risky behavior leads to bad outcomes. Viruses tend to infect, replicate themselves and spread. So the more blog sites you visit... Fortunately, there are antivirus software programs that offer very good and free protection. Remember, everyone needs to protect themselves from viruses.

I was recently invited to join a blogging group, but I'm not sure I am ready for that; how do I know for sure?

Experienced bloggers often feel the urge to experiment. Blogger groups can be a great way to talk about and learn from each others' experiences. If you are unsure, start out with a small group and see how you like it.

I've been told that adding twittering to my blogging routine can significantly heighten awareness.

This is true; you should tweet your blog regularly. But don't just announce that you've published a new post, engage your Twitter followers in a conversation about the blog topic by asking a question and offering a link.

I have been a basic blogger for some time now and think it might be time to spice things up; where do I start?

Many people are perfectly satisfied with a basic blog life, while others like to take it to the next level. If you are curious about spicing things up, consider links to other sites, photos, videos and WAV files. But don't get too carried away; stay focused on substance over style.

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