So you want to be a blogger?
Are you sure? Have you given this enough thought? Have you done your homework and understand the implications of being a blogger? Are you prepared to make the sacrifice? Do you know what it takes to live the live of a blogaholic? If you answered no to any of the questions I asked, now is a good time to get out of this class. Otherwise, welcome.
Welcome to Blogology 101.
This class does not involve dissecting frogs, human anatomy or the study of the reproductive systems. That would be Biology 101.
In this class, as some of you probably have heard, attendance is optional, updating your blogs mandatory and a final result at the end of the semester inevitable. You will get what you put into this class, and I shall not be the one trying to force you to learn. This is a 2 credit hour class and it is on every Monday and Wednesday at 10.00am. As long as there is one person in the class, I shall begin my lectures and as there are never any handouts, and quizzes are always done through the blog you are welcomed to decide on your attendance. It is only a pass or fail elective class, so this class shall not have a big impact on your grades.
All of your scores will be based through quizzes and how frequent you update your blog. So remember a stale blog, is a failing blogger.
So, lets get started. First what is Blogology?
Blogology is the study of the blogosphere ecosystem, understanding bloggers within, and creating an alternate lifestyle in the virtual domain of comment boxes and incessant blog entries. Blogology is also about having a good blog, and increasing the visibility of your blogs. Note that I said visibility, this means the number of hits you get, and the number of visitors to your blog. If you decide to go commercial, then you shall have to attend our next class Blogology 201: The Commercialization Of Blogs
Today, we shall discuss the basics of blogging.
I shall provide you with several tips to get you started, and from then you have the rest of the class to get started with your blogs, and make your first few steps in this brand new world. In case you don't know how a blog looks like, now is a good time to flip through a few of the sites that is in the favorites folder of the PC in front of you. Just go ahead an open any sites you like and browse through. Tell me what you see?
What is a blog? Blogs are expressions. An expression made on a site to reflect an opinion, a state of mind or simply some people's way of looking for attention. Bloggers are people who express themselves in many ways. Some through pictures, some via graphics on their sites, and others in words sharing their thoughts and emotions.
The basic beginning of a blog is that it expresses something, it doesn't matter what, but it is one thought, idea, emotion, even opinion being expressed on one end, and you receiving it on the other.
Okay, lets move on. The following are some guidelines that would help you get started and also aid in your blogging days ahead.
1. Have a blog, write a blog.
Blogging is for everybody. It doesn't really matter what you write, of if your English is good or bad, or if you write in Malay, Chinese or any language that you prefer. But what is important is that you say something. Anything. One word, one page or a even single picture it does not matter. When you blog, often its an outlet for you to vent, or a platform for you to say something. Go ahead and spill.
There are many reasons to blog, but one result is inevitable. When you have a blog, even if it is meant for family and friends – it is out in the world wide web, so anyone may be able to drop by your site. This in itself limits what you could publish on your blog and creates the self-governance nature of blogs. If you don’t want the whole world to see your face, perhaps you may want to go anonymous. However, this may not allow you to rise to become a really popular blog as people have a tendency to relate to faces and individuals rather then an icon on a blog.
2. If you want some, you gotta give some
This is an interesting notion. As one writes, one seeks to find readers that would drop by their site and read.
How do you get people to read your blog?
Well if they don’t know of your site, how would they drop by? So some blog-trolling is required here. Most of your visitors will drop by your site following your link from comments you dropped in their site or some other blog sites. So unless you drop your comment in other blogs, not many would know of your existence. You comments then becomes like an advertisement of your site.
It would help if you could find yourself a blogger-hub. A blogger-hub is one of the blog that already has many visitors that drops by and comment. It usually has comments amounting up to the thirties for each of its entries.
Are you sure? Have you given this enough thought? Have you done your homework and understand the implications of being a blogger? Are you prepared to make the sacrifice? Do you know what it takes to live the live of a blogaholic? If you answered no to any of the questions I asked, now is a good time to get out of this class. Otherwise, welcome.
Welcome to Blogology 101.
This class does not involve dissecting frogs, human anatomy or the study of the reproductive systems. That would be Biology 101.
In this class, as some of you probably have heard, attendance is optional, updating your blogs mandatory and a final result at the end of the semester inevitable. You will get what you put into this class, and I shall not be the one trying to force you to learn. This is a 2 credit hour class and it is on every Monday and Wednesday at 10.00am. As long as there is one person in the class, I shall begin my lectures and as there are never any handouts, and quizzes are always done through the blog you are welcomed to decide on your attendance. It is only a pass or fail elective class, so this class shall not have a big impact on your grades.
All of your scores will be based through quizzes and how frequent you update your blog. So remember a stale blog, is a failing blogger.
So, lets get started. First what is Blogology?
Blogology is the study of the blogosphere ecosystem, understanding bloggers within, and creating an alternate lifestyle in the virtual domain of comment boxes and incessant blog entries. Blogology is also about having a good blog, and increasing the visibility of your blogs. Note that I said visibility, this means the number of hits you get, and the number of visitors to your blog. If you decide to go commercial, then you shall have to attend our next class Blogology 201: The Commercialization Of Blogs
Today, we shall discuss the basics of blogging.
I shall provide you with several tips to get you started, and from then you have the rest of the class to get started with your blogs, and make your first few steps in this brand new world. In case you don't know how a blog looks like, now is a good time to flip through a few of the sites that is in the favorites folder of the PC in front of you. Just go ahead an open any sites you like and browse through. Tell me what you see?
What is a blog? Blogs are expressions. An expression made on a site to reflect an opinion, a state of mind or simply some people's way of looking for attention. Bloggers are people who express themselves in many ways. Some through pictures, some via graphics on their sites, and others in words sharing their thoughts and emotions.
The basic beginning of a blog is that it expresses something, it doesn't matter what, but it is one thought, idea, emotion, even opinion being expressed on one end, and you receiving it on the other.
Okay, lets move on. The following are some guidelines that would help you get started and also aid in your blogging days ahead.
1. Have a blog, write a blog.
Blogging is for everybody. It doesn't really matter what you write, of if your English is good or bad, or if you write in Malay, Chinese or any language that you prefer. But what is important is that you say something. Anything. One word, one page or a even single picture it does not matter. When you blog, often its an outlet for you to vent, or a platform for you to say something. Go ahead and spill.
There are many reasons to blog, but one result is inevitable. When you have a blog, even if it is meant for family and friends – it is out in the world wide web, so anyone may be able to drop by your site. This in itself limits what you could publish on your blog and creates the self-governance nature of blogs. If you don’t want the whole world to see your face, perhaps you may want to go anonymous. However, this may not allow you to rise to become a really popular blog as people have a tendency to relate to faces and individuals rather then an icon on a blog.
2. If you want some, you gotta give some
This is an interesting notion. As one writes, one seeks to find readers that would drop by their site and read.
How do you get people to read your blog?
Well if they don’t know of your site, how would they drop by? So some blog-trolling is required here. Most of your visitors will drop by your site following your link from comments you dropped in their site or some other blog sites. So unless you drop your comment in other blogs, not many would know of your existence. You comments then becomes like an advertisement of your site.
It would help if you could find yourself a blogger-hub. A blogger-hub is one of the blog that already has many visitors that drops by and comment. It usually has comments amounting up to the thirties for each of its entries.
Drop a comment and also follow the links in this site, read the blog and drop a comment on the blogs that you’ve read. Then follow the links on the blogs that you have visited and keep repeating the same process - this is blog-trolling. This have been the modus operandi of many successful bloggers out there. (Zed’s Note: Which includes a cat recently let loose on the blog. You could see him everywhere! LOL) It only takes a few weeks to let the blogging community know of your existence, and once the word is out you will inevitably get quite a number of bloggers dropping by.
However, just a point to remember. Most bloggers look at comments as reciprocating visits, so if you stop reading their blogs and no longer leave comments, they might just stop dropping by your site too!
3. If you want 'em them to stay, you gotta give 'em a reason
No one wants to return to a blog that has not been updated for weeks, so update your blog kids.
4. The kind of audience you have depends on the kind of things you say
Blogs are not unlike the person behind it. If you are an obnoxious little runt, guess what people of the same kind would relate to what you have to say, while others are turned off by your offensive remarks. Hence, while some might drop by once in a while out of curiosity, most would just leave.
However, blogs is NOT an attempt to please other bloggers, as it is YOUR expression. Be as you like, just remember that it is not without recrimination. Freedom of speech is a double edged sword. If you must have an opinion, then you must also be ready to read about others that disagrees with you.
One more thing.
If you are a hot babe, and is looking to increase your hits – remember that sex sells. Sex have always sold, and will never stop selling. So slap your blog with your picture and go around the blog dropping comments with your face as your icon. Believe me, your hit counter will thank you!
And so will we bloggers.
5. Beware the black-hole of blogs
Blogging is a unique manner to escape yourself in. Its escapism not unlike alcohol and drugs. It builds its own world around you, and you could get high in this world for as long as you like. Blogging is addictive, so once you’re hooked and is officially a blogaholic, you have to learn to live with this new addiction of yours.
You will wake up in the morning with this urge to update your blog, and start your blog-surfing reading what other blogaholics like yourself have posted on their blog. You will fantasize about how great your blog is and what you could do to improve it. You will suddenly know what HTML is and begins to learn how to tweak your site.
Just remember if you already have no life, blogging may seem a great way to entertain yourself. Guess what? It is!
6. Keep blogging for only as long as you keep having fun
Blogging is supposed to be fun. When it stops being fun, then it is a good time for you to consider stopping too. There is no such thing as a serious blogger, leave that to wannabe’s who has this illusion that how great they are is determined by the stat counter on their site.
7. Don’t forget to update your blog before your next class!
In the next session we will learn about how to make for a blog worth reading. There are many ways to keep your audience coming back, and we will explore the different medium of expressing oneself, all the way from humor to good ol’ plain ranting.
However, just a point to remember. Most bloggers look at comments as reciprocating visits, so if you stop reading their blogs and no longer leave comments, they might just stop dropping by your site too!
3. If you want 'em them to stay, you gotta give 'em a reason
No one wants to return to a blog that has not been updated for weeks, so update your blog kids.
4. The kind of audience you have depends on the kind of things you say
Blogs are not unlike the person behind it. If you are an obnoxious little runt, guess what people of the same kind would relate to what you have to say, while others are turned off by your offensive remarks. Hence, while some might drop by once in a while out of curiosity, most would just leave.
However, blogs is NOT an attempt to please other bloggers, as it is YOUR expression. Be as you like, just remember that it is not without recrimination. Freedom of speech is a double edged sword. If you must have an opinion, then you must also be ready to read about others that disagrees with you.
One more thing.
If you are a hot babe, and is looking to increase your hits – remember that sex sells. Sex have always sold, and will never stop selling. So slap your blog with your picture and go around the blog dropping comments with your face as your icon. Believe me, your hit counter will thank you!
And so will we bloggers.
5. Beware the black-hole of blogs
Blogging is a unique manner to escape yourself in. Its escapism not unlike alcohol and drugs. It builds its own world around you, and you could get high in this world for as long as you like. Blogging is addictive, so once you’re hooked and is officially a blogaholic, you have to learn to live with this new addiction of yours.
You will wake up in the morning with this urge to update your blog, and start your blog-surfing reading what other blogaholics like yourself have posted on their blog. You will fantasize about how great your blog is and what you could do to improve it. You will suddenly know what HTML is and begins to learn how to tweak your site.
Just remember if you already have no life, blogging may seem a great way to entertain yourself. Guess what? It is!
6. Keep blogging for only as long as you keep having fun
Blogging is supposed to be fun. When it stops being fun, then it is a good time for you to consider stopping too. There is no such thing as a serious blogger, leave that to wannabe’s who has this illusion that how great they are is determined by the stat counter on their site.
7. Don’t forget to update your blog before your next class!
In the next session we will learn about how to make for a blog worth reading. There are many ways to keep your audience coming back, and we will explore the different medium of expressing oneself, all the way from humor to good ol’ plain ranting.
