By Sandy Sponaugle
There’s no denying that social media has, and continues, to shape the way that we communicate with one another. It seems like more people are getting their latest, “hard hitting” news from Twitter, Facebook, or other blogs & message boards, rather that picking up a newspaper, or tuning in to their local news channel.
Today, the use of social media has become so important in our society; those who do not conform to this growing trend are, actually, at a disadvantage. One aspect that is being used in various schools and businesses, particularly, is blogging.
Blogging started becoming popular among the online community with the development of the social media website: Blogger.com. This website got people interested in putting their personal opinion out there on the world wide web with an unlimited number of, topics to write about.
Schools are now assigning blog posts as a way for a student to participate and reflect on a given, topic, while companies may use an active blog to keep clients up to date on various events and then there are those who blog because…well, its fun!
If you are having some trouble getting started with a blog, or, simply, don’t know what to write about, you’ve come to the right place! Blogging is something anyone can do. To help you get started, here are the 5 golden rules of effective blogging:
1. No matter what your reasoning behind writing a blog may be, it is important to blog with a purpose. Think about why you are writing and what you can convey within your work.
2. It is of the UTMOST importance to consider your audience. Think about it, if your audience is a group of high school students, are they really going to be interested in your broad vocabulary and usage of scholarly terms (that you, probably, don’t even know the definitions of)? That being said, if your blog is for a group of future employers, you wouldn’t want to get too comfortable with your words.
3. A blog is something that you can use to write about anything you want, for the most part. Do not be afraid to dive into your thoughts and be creative.
4. Remember this is not an English research paper; it’s a blog, so keep it short and to the point! Some of the most effective and well-referenced blogs consist of 2-3 paragraphs; so don’t get too carried away.
5. Finally, it is important to know that there is no wrong way to blog. A blog is your own personal thoughts and concepts that you are choosing to share. Instead of worrying about the technicality behind a blog, just start writing and see where your fingers take you. You never know what you might come up with.
