Blogging Myths – Separating Fact from Fiction
Welcome to our ongoing series, Blogging Basics, where we give you blogging tips to create a successful blog. Click the link to view all of the posts that have been published in this series to date.
Blogs, bloggers and the blogosphere in general have become the topic of many myths. Here are a few popular blog-related myths with the truth revealed.
Myth #1: Anyone can start a blog.
False. Contrary to this popular myth, not just anyone can start a blog. There are some requirements, some more obvious than others, that are part of having a blog.
- Obvious requirements include computer access, an Internet connection, and some experience using the Internet.
- You also need a host for your blog. Some blogging platforms (like Blogger and wordpress.com) include hosting, while other platforms (like self-hosted WordPress) require you to purchase your own hosting.
- One of the most important requirements is to have both an ability to communicate your thoughts and a willingness to do so.
Myth #2: Anyone can set up a blog.
True or false, depending on the blogging platform. Some blogs are much easier to set up and use than others. The ease of setting up your blog depends on your blogging platform. Hosted blogs (Blogger, Typepad, wordpress.com, etc.) are usually pretty simple to set up. Some blog hosts take you through a couple of simple set-up steps and then you’re off writing your first post. Other blogging platforms are far more technical than what the average user may be ready for.
Myth #3: Blogging doesn’t take up that much time.
False – if you are a serious blogger. When you have a clear idea of what you want to say, it may take just a few minutes to write a post, or you may struggle for days (literally) trying to write other posts that involve complex issues or thoughts. In addition, while the casual blogger may only publish one post per week, the serious blogger publishes posts daily. Some professional bloggers write up to ten posts a day.
Myth #4: Blogs are just boring, personal journals.
False. Although there are still many personal blogs (which are not necessarily boring), blogging today is much more than the personal activity it used to be. Corporations, media outlets, public personalities, politicians and experts in almost every field have now joined the ranks of blog producers. You can find valuable information, humor, and more in the blogosphere.
Myth #5: You can’t believe anything you read in a blog.
That’s a bit of an overstatement. You’ll run across bad information and even intentional untruths in blogs but, for the most part, bloggers who state facts are stating what they honestly believe to be fact. It is always up to the readers to verify that any information they receive is accurate information.
What blogging myths have you heard?
2 Comments
Category: Blogging
These posts are very helpful to me. I am in the process of making a blog and am considering doing a hosted one such as Typepad. I want the topic to be of interest to my readers. I also want it visually pleasing. Is hosted blogs acceptable for a newbie?
Hi, Dana,
Thanks for taking the time to leave your comment. I’m happy to hear that you found this information helpful.
Hosted blogs are acceptable for a newbie; however, consider what the end goal of your blog is. If you want yours to be any type of professional blog, you will most likely eventually want to switch to a self-hosted blog.
If you think you will want to switch sometime later and have the funds available now, I would recommend going ahead and starting out with a self-hosted blog. It’s easier to start out the way you want to end up than to have to switch later, although that can be done.
I wish you the best in your blogging.