Do we need a blog? What is a blog?

Learn what a blog is and what you need to know about using one in a business or organization.

We get this question frequently, or a client often has a misconception of what a blog is or what it should be used for.  This blog post, oddly enough, will explain how a blog should be used.

The term “blog” comes from a contraction of “Weblog”, essentially a log or journal on the web.  They started as very personal sites written by anyone about anything, which is still true today.

However, many businesses and organizations have taken that highly personal medium and infused it into their website. They now have 2 voices of communication:

• The often impersonal, static and dry “brochure” content on the website.
• The very personal intermittent blog posts that even allow for some interaction.

Should I have a blog?

If it’s for your personal use, yes do it, even if you stop one month later.  It’s an experience you can use to build on later.

A blog for business or something bigger than yourself requires a bit more commitment and forethought:

• What am I going to write about?
• Am I a good writer? Should I hire one? (they are not outrageously expensive).
• How often can I write?
• What objectives do I hope to accomplish with a blog?
• Will it have comments?
• If so who will moderate them?
• Will people read it?

Then there are some other technical questions like:

• What blog web application should I use? (There are many)
• Should it be part of the existing website or should it be linked to externally.

Great, how can I get started?

For a quick taste check out blogspot.com, it’s a free blog web application from Google.  For some this meets their needs perfectly, however others find it lacking in features and flexibility.

For further investigation check out Open Source CMS, more specifically the blog section.  Some popular platforms are:

• Wordpress
• Textpattern
• MODx Blog - the one we use
• and more

Closing arguments

This is not meant to be a definitive guide by any means.  Each situation is different and requires individual attention. We recommend getting in contact with an experienced web site design company or a knowledgeable friend. 

Quite honestly we’d love to fill both of those roles.