Just What is a Blog?

I've got to admit, I get a little fumble tongued sometimes explaining what I do to a non-geeky audience -- not that I think of myself as a geek, I wouldn't presume to elevate myself to that level, pseudo-geek is more like it (pseudo-geek, pseudo-intellectual...you get the idea) -- so it's always nice when somebody explains something so much better than I can.

That's what I thought when I read Andy Wibbels', blogger extraordinaire, definition of a blog. He states simply that...

"A blog is an easy, instantly and frequently updated website, focused around a topic, industry or personality."

I think it's appropriate to spend a little time on the elements of Andy's definition:

Easy, because anyone can do it with little or no skills beyond opening a web browser and operating a keyboard - hell, touch typing is not even required! Actually, 'anyone' is doing it as evidenced by the sheer volume of blogs out there. Technorati (a popular blog search engine) is tracking over 22 million blogs on a daily basis.

Instantly & Frequently gets a little dicier; not the instantly part because blogging occurs pretty much in real time. As soon as I type the last character in this post and click the publish button, that's it. It's literally seconds before my 'wisdumb' is out on the web for all (hopefully) to see.

Frequently is the part that gets most business bloggers. They need to discipline themselves to establish blogging as a part of their several-times-weekly if not daily routine. Blogging is kind of like the newspaper. Once you subscribe to a blog, you expect it on a regular schedule. If you don't get it, you forget it.

Focused on a... maintaining your focus is also, imho, key. You attract a following based on a common chord that resonates with your readers. Sure it's okay to go 'off topic' periodically but for the most part 75-80% of your blogging should be focused on the topic, industry or personality that attracted your audience to begin with. And the more narrowly you focus, the better. Hey, if you want to talk about something else, start another blog. It's EASY!

Thanks for reading...

tom.gray@gemsolv.com
GeMSolv.com