Blogging: Your Online Legacy

The blogging phenomenon may have you wondering if it's time to join the fun. Not only is blogging fun, it can become your online legacy. As your blog continues to grow, your thoughts and opinion are immortalized. What a terrific resource for your descendants.

Blogs are online journals that anyone with internet access can create. Numerous websites exist for the sole purpose of creating web logs (blogs for short) including Blogger, TypePad, and TBlog. Even Yahoo and Google have areas where you can create a blog. Many of these sights use a community format where other bloggers can browse through each other's blogs.

What you choose to blog about is entirely up to you. If politics is your passion, you'll always have plenty to say. Others blog about the ins and outs of their lives, soldiers often blog about their experiences in Iraq, book lovers might blog about their favorite authors and books, writers might blog about the process of writing their manuscript, the list of possibilities is limited only to your imagination.

Setting up a blog is simple enough. Most of these blogging sites have built-in templates so you can pick and choose your layout and customize the look of it. A user interface makes adding new posts easy and oftentimes you can email your entries directly to your blog. You can work with various options including allowing comments or generating a RSS feed.

In addition to entering text and commentary about your topic, you can also upload images, videos, and other content. You can add links to your favorite web pages, music, and a detailed profile about yourself. Different blogging websites have different features so explore a few before signing up so that you can get the features you want.

You can also choose whether to make your blog public or private. Many people want publicity and actively promote their blogs while others limit viewership to their own circle of family and friends. Pen names can add a layer of anonymity if you want to protect your true identity.

Companies are also adding blogs to their marketing plans. Many large websites have blogs as well as product information and other related information. These blogs are useful in communicating with customers and building trust. Many add daily blog posts while others limit their posts for newsworthy items.

As time goes by, you'll find that your blog is slowly becoming a legacy. Your online journal tells a story. Archive features keep it from being too unwieldy with only your most recent posts displayed on the front page. Users can click on the archives to view older entries or even perform a keyword search.

As your blog continues to grow, consider getting a hard copy of it for posterity. You can take your blog and turn it into a printed, bound book. One company called Blurb allows you to download their software, convert your blog into the desired format, edit it, and then order printed copies. This is a terrific way to share your legacy with future generations. This also makes a terrific gift for that hard-to-buy for blogger. Simply download the software, import their blog, and order a copy. In fact, the enterprising blogger may even want to offer copies for sale on their own blog. Blurb is a print on demand publisher so no upfront fees are charged. You only pay for the copies you purchase.

No matter if you blog for pleasure or as part of your business, blogging is an ever-growing phenomenon and the world is taking notice. Make your mark in the blogosphere and get started today. It's easier than ever.