How to Blog

Posted by Felix Okoli on Tuesday July 12, 2011 19:37:14:

What is a Blog?
A blog comes from the word weblog. It can be defined as a web that allows the user to add content to it. A blog is an update to a web site and this can be any content in form of texts, pictures, videos and other web media.
Now blogging is taking different forms such as traditional blogging and Video blogging.

How do you Blog?
To start a blog, you would need the following:
1. A Website ( or platform for blogging)
2. Ability to write
3. Passion

You can set up your own blog by getting a domain name and then hosting it for an annual fee. This is the best way to own as it allows you exclusive ownership of your website and efforts. Blogging on a free platform can have its challenges and your account can even be deleted in one day without warning but if you own the domain and hosting, it would rarely be banned else you can always transfer to another host or even host it yourself. If you don't wish to invest in your own domain or web hosting yet and just want to maybe experiment with blogging, you can start a free blog at blogspot.com and wordpress.org. When you have grown with many blog posts, you can then be able to make more money with it. Start somewhere and see it grow.

Blogging softwares
There are several blogging softwares bloggers use in blogging and these inludes:

- Wordpress
- Blogger
- Typepad
- Movable type

Wordpresss and Blogger are the two most common platforms being used by most bloggers dues its versatility and support systems available.

Once you have decided on which one to use, check for the system requirements and make sure that your web host supports it and then follow the instructions to install it.

You can install Wordpress and blogger remotely from the site or from within your web host.

Ability to Write
To be a blogger, you need to have knowledge of what you want to write about. It could be in technology, education, business, online marketing, mobile phones and so on, you just need to choose one that you have a better knowledge about before you start writing about it.
One great skill that blogging requires is the ability to write. You need to be able to conceptualize what topics to write about and then do the writing using your keypad. Bloggers have great writing skills but what makes a blogger different from a typist is that he also makes use of his conceptual ability to deliver the message to his audience. In blogging, a blogger writes in his own language and opinion on a subject and is more than just a mechanical process. He writes according to his pace and style.

Passion
Starting a blog can be sweet at the first time but continuously updating them is the real key to keep your site well ranked by search engines which have the potential to bring the best traffic to your site.It will also help to keep your readers interested in your blog in order to keep visiting. Responding to comments which users make on your blog can also help bring ore traffic to your site and this can help keep your blog more lively even if your original post is old. You also need to keep a tab on current knowledge about a blogged topic and write an update on it.
Some bloggers like blogging just because they are addicted to it which is not a bad thing. Some do it for money. Some do it just for fun but it's all good and ok to help your blog remain relevant in the blogosphere