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It Matters to You
How to Start Your Own BlogKeeping in touch with people or getting your message to the masses is getting easier in the digital age. One booming vehicle of communication is the blog. Blogs, a shortened term for Web logs, allow users to post content on the Internet for others to read and discuss through comments. Blogs cover practically every topic imaginable and are used for several purposes, ranging from serving as personal diaries to actively promoting causes to facilitate company- or organization-sponsored discussions. Recently, blog software and resources have become more user-friendly and are free or have minimal fees. So, want to log on to the virtual bandwagon? Andrew Lutgen, Web design assistant at Concordia's Web Services, offers the following tips to get started: 1. Decide which format to use. A hosted site such as Blogger.com or LiveJournal.com allows you to customize your blog through their provided Web site. These services are usually free and have easy-to-use customization options readily available. Another format is blogging software such as Movabletype.com or Wordpress.com that can be downloaded from the Internet. These software programs usually have more customization options for those versed in programming language. Or, if you're really computer savvy, you could even create your own blog page online. 2. Customize the look of your page. Most of the time, you can choose layout themes that come installed with your server, otherwise you can do it yourself through program languages. 3. Start writing! That's the purpose of a blog, right? But there are some things to keep in mind. "Write properly," Lutgen says, "and use descriptive titles so that search engines will pick up terms as they crawl through your blog." This also pertains to the next step ... 4. Obtain an audience. Though much of this is accomplished through word of mouth, Lutgen says, people searching for specific topics can be exposed to your blog through search engines. You can also go to other blogs to make comments and you should "update your blog frequently to maintain interest - once a week or every other day," Lutgen says. Other things to keep in mind include preventing spam, policing comments and establishing privacy settings. The latter two depend on your personal preferences and judgment. Want to stay informed about life at Concordia? Check out the COBBlog, a blog maintained by current Cobbers. Lutgen recently established and designed this blog. Additional blogging sites includeTypePad.com,Blog-City.com andJournalHome.com. The Internet has many other blog services and tip sites if you're willing to spend time searching. Happy blogging! - Back to eNews |
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eNews is a publication of Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota
Copyright © 2006 All Rights Reserved.
Concordia College, 901 8th St S, Moorhead, MN 56562; (218) 299-4000
eNews is a publication of Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota
Copyright © 2006 All Rights Reserved.
Concordia College, 901 8th St S, Moorhead, MN 56562; (218) 299-4000