Beginner’s Blogging Guide- 1: What is a Blog?

Many of you may be interested in writing your own blog. Blogging has gained more popularity (especially in India) since when celebrities started creating own blogs. Let it be any reason behind it but many of readers asked me to guide on starting a new blog and so, for all beginners willing tojoin blogosphere, I am writing a series of tutorial “Blogging guide for Beginners“.

The objective behind completing this series is to cover technical aspects as mush as possible with the content to serve as a beginning for a newbie for this exciting subject “Blogging”. Let’s get started-

What is a Blog?

A blog is a website which has a so called software that allows publishing content in very simple and quick manner. Typically, its front page (homepage) shows the latest content that has been published. These are usually displayed in reverse chronological order, going from last to first published.

Publishing system is called CMS (Content Management System) which is a software when installed on the server, allows us to publish content on a website without messing with codes. The CMS for blogs are focused on the function to create and publish content easily and quickly. Examples of these CMS are WordPress and Movable Type. There are also web services that we offer free hosting for our blog, offering the CMS installed (often created by the company itself). This is the case Blogger andWordPress.com. If you are very new in this field, I would recommend signing up on any of the free services.

Regarded as means of communication, I would compare a blog with a magazine: it may be single-minded or cover various topics, is divided into items that can be classified into sections (categories) and has a subscription (RSS) bridging the technology gap, of course.

Why have a blog?

In a Presentation by Amit Agarwal, its said that blogging can help you building Contacts-Identity-Memories-Money

• Build Contacts- Connect with others in your business or interest
• Identity- Make your name or brand visible
• Express yourself- Reach out to the public about issues you’re passionate about
• Share your knowledge
• Make money

In beginning, Many people often feel restless due complications of technology behind it. But that is the least of the problems. The main thing is the content on which the blog is to nurture. Yes, appearance is important, design and functionality of it, along with accessories but content is king.

A blog is ideal for anyone who has anything to say or want a space to say whatever he wants. You can serve almost any thing, but it is mainly communication so, do not forget that. Yes, it can serve to make money. You can make you gain reputation and contacts. It can give you much satisfaction (and occasional annoyance) but it may serve simply to tell the world what you think of it. Depending on what your goal, you should follow these or that strategies.

Requirements for having a Blog

• The skills you have to create and maintain a blog depends on the principle of I want to.
• It is not necessary to know programming but help concepts of HTML and CSS (especially for difficult times).
• It is not necessary to spend money.You must have some minimal knowledge of computers (which is always easily extendable with all the information out there on the internet).
• You must have desire to write and to do it correctly: that is to say, that is understand what you say, respecting spelling and grammar.

From here, it all depends on your goals: about views, these views will become minting money, build you a reputation, networking with people who share your interests and so on But there are three points that you should always bear in mind:

1. Dedication: It is more of certainty and not of speed. As said in one of my interview, Be focused and dedicated to what all you do.
2. Patience: This is more important because From day one to the next, you are going to have neither thousands of visits, nor thousands of subscribers.
3. Original Content: Written by you, not copied from elsewhere. Or if you are taking reference or excerpt from elsewhere, always quote the source.

These three are the pillars on which you build a blog with frequent readers.

In next part, we will discuss about choosing a platform for publishing blog. Yes, I will consider only free services. Whether Blogger or WordPress?