Brookings Web Design

Blogs & Blogging

The word 'Blog' is a contraction of the term "web log" and is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or videos. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject while others function as a personal, online diary. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs or web pages, websites and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important aspect of blogging.

THE most important aspect of Blogs is that you CAN submit your Blog's URL to search engines and ultimately, have it ranked (by Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.). This alone makes it one of THE most compelling social medias available for promoting and cross-linking to your website.  HIGHLY recommended. Here are two Free ones;

Blogger.com

Blog.com

Facebook

Facebook is a constantly growing, ever expanding means of attracting visitors to your website. Like a Blog, it provides a format for visitors to leave comments, post reviews, make suggestions and recommendations for improving your business.

While it isn't possible to directly register your Facebook account with any of the search engines, that really isn't the point of recommending it. The point is that it gives a more personal touch to your web presence and allows visitors to see your business in a more personal light.

Also like a Blog, it provides a quick and easy mechanism to post updates and/or specials you might otherwise not have the time to add to your website. Since it is FREE, there are not costs associated with using Facebook and that alone makes it an attractive and compelling advertising media.

While Facebook isn't for everyone, it is nonetheless a growing media and worthy of your consideration. Here is the link to Facebook;

Facebook.com

Twitter

Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read messages known as "tweets". Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters displayed on the author's profile page and delivered to the author's subscribers, who are known as followers.

Senders can restrict delivery to those in their circle of friends or, by default, allow open access. Users can send and receive tweets via the Twitter website, Short Message Service (SMS) or external applications. While the service itself costs nothing to use, accessing it through SMS may incur phone service provider fees.

What you would use Twitter for is to deliver to people the best, freshest and most relevant information (about your business) possible. Think of Twitter not as a social network, but as an information network. It tells your customers, guests or clients what is happening in YOUR world and how it can relate to them.

Here is the link to Twitter;

Twitter.com

MySpace

MySpace is a social networking website. MySpace became the most popular social networking site in the United States in June, 2006 and was overtaken (internationally) by its main competitor, Facebook, in April 2008 (based on the number of unique monthly visitors). That fact alone makes Facebook all the more compelling.

MySpace profiles contain a blog with standard fields for content, emotions, and media. MySpace supports uploading images, such as logos, one of which can be chosen as the "default image". That image will be seen on the profile's main page, search page, and as the image that will appear to the side of the user's name on comments, messages, etc.

Like Facebook, MySpace provides a quick and easy method of posting updates to your website, is FREE and is an excellent way to stay in touch with your clients, customers and guests.

Here is the link to MySpace;

MySpace.com