What is a blog? Easily explained
Both commercial and private blogs are circulating on the Internet. In this practical tip, we explain what a blog is exactly and how it differs from a homepage.
Blogs and blog providers
A blog is a kind of online journal. The author of a blog generally writes his own articles at regular intervals that can be viewed online.
- A blog is usually about the author writing his own thoughts and publishing them. These can relate to a specific topic or be of a general nature.
- The author of a blog usually proceeds chronologically. The articles are sorted according to the time of publication. Occasionally there is also a comment function for visitors to a blog.
- There are various providers of web blogs on the Internet, such as blogger.com, wordpress.com or tumblr.com
Types of weblogs
In addition to the large providers for blogs mentioned, there are also own domains of the respective owners. In addition to private individuals, this also includes large companies or associations, for example.
- Certain elements of a blog also have social networks: Twitter, for example, is a microblogging platform. It is also possible to write your own thoughts via Facebook and present them to an audience.
- The author of a blog can also add pictures to his entries. Entries are often linked to external links that lead to a suitable website, for example.
- Video blogs are also becoming increasingly common: travelers often report on the places they visit by adding clear videos to the entries.
Blog vs. Homepage - these are the differences
While a homepage usually shows static content, a blog is an interactive and dynamic medium. From a technical point of view, blog and homepage are identical: content is created using HTML documents, the layout is usually designed using CSS, and special applications are integrated using Javascript or PHP.
- Companies present themselves on your homepage, publish prices or products and provide other information that is valid for a long time.
- On a blog, on the other hand, you can report on company news, such as personnel changes or anniversaries, and announce new products or promotions.
In the next practical tip, you will learn how to create a WordPress blog.