If blogging is part of your internet marketing strategy, then you are going to find this article worthwhile. I know a lot of people who are interested in creating blogs for themselves, but they often encounter difficulties because they do not understand blog terms and terminology.
The first rule to using any tool effectively is to adequately understand the workability of that tool. Failure to understand the basic terms of blogging may lead to unnecessary mistakes on your part. Below is a brief overview of the top ten blog terms and terminologies you must know:
1. Blogs
Believe it or not, i can bet that there are people out there who do not know what a blog is. So i think this is where we should begin. What is a blog?
The word “blog” is actually a short word for “web log.” Basically, a blog is an online Journal created and maintained by individuals or corporate organizations. It is often regarded as a platform where people share information on a topic they are interested in and offer advice to others. Some corporate organizations have come to acknowledge the importance of blogs with respect to public relations and customer service.
2. Pings
This is a very important tool for getting your blog noticed by as many people as possible. Many blog host service providers usually provide this tool provide at no cost. Blog pings will automatically notify the search engines each time your blog is updated. Pings will save your time and energy and help your blog rank higher on the list of popular sites. This will in turn make your blog easy for readers to find.
3. Linking
Many who write blogs place links throughout their content. These links will direct readers to other sites that provide additional information on the blog topic and also help to show the reliability of the blogger. Providing readers with additional information will help improve readership and loyalty.
4. Posts
Posts are simply new entries made into your blog. Each time you write or update your blog, you’ve made a new post.
5. Template
Templates refer to the fundamental structure or setup of the blog site itself. Most new blogs come with a standard pre-designed template. But to make your blog stand out from the crowd, you will want to invest a little to get a unique customized template.
6. Blog host
Just as a website requires a web host, so also does a blog require a blog host. These are sites that host your blog for free and some of them are www.Blogger.com or www.MySpace.com, www.WordPress.com and so on. There are also paid blogging platforms such as www.TypePad.com and others. So it is up to you to decide whether to go with the free or paid blog hosts.
7. Blog directory
A blog directory is an online database that categorizes various blogs found on the internet. Think of a blog directory as a search engine targeting only blogs. For maximum publicity, you should make sure your blog is added to a directory. An example of such directories is blogsearch.google.com
8. Niche
Most internet marketing experts often advise people to find a niche and start a blog on that topic. Even the industry where your business is operating is a niche. So niche targeting should be the ultimate purpose of your blog. In a simplified term, i will refer to a niche as a targeted group of potential customers with a similar interest. Some good examples of niches are football lovers, writers, authors, investors, business owners, politics, religion and so on. Whether your blog will target politicians or religious fanatics, it is left for you to decide.
9. RSS feed
RSS feed is a programming code that can be created within your blog to enable reader’s subscription. Readers will not have to check your blog on a regular basis to see if you have made an update. They will automatically be informed each time you make a change to your blog.
10. Trackbacks
Trackbacks provide notification to other bloggers anytime you refer to their blog in a post. It will also include a link to your site from theirs.
These are the top ten basic blog terms you need to know. Watch out for our future posts where we will be revealing the insider’s secrets to marketing your business on the internet using blogs as leverage. Till then, keep your entrepreneurial spirit strong.
Written by Ajaero Tony Martins
