What is Blogging and Why Do People Blog?

Wikipedia would define the term "blog" as a user-generated website where entries are made in journal style and displayed in a reverse chronological order. Described as an on-line diary, it is meant to contain news and commentary on a wide array of topics --politics, sports, shows or movies, famous personalities, food and places.

Derived from the "Web log", that was half-jokingly meant as "we blog", it was then shortened to blog. The pioneers started in 1996 and 1997 and started a little slowly. Blogs popularity increased sometime in 1999, and to present, millions are using this on-line diary.

Why do people really blog? One obvious reason is for an on-line gathering of people with commonality. A blog could link to friends, rival or even complete strangers discussing a particular issue. Comments are often short, personal and very informal. People become free to express their opinions, and it is a venue open for meeting those who share the same views and interests. Naturally, it is also a place where those who side with opposing views may clash. It becomes controversial, thus exciting and very interesting. Because people agree and debate here, they would keep coming back.

There are some people who create blogs to create a certain impact. They may want to make a name in their field and the things they do. It is a good way to advertise themselves, and their work. True enough, there are bloggers who have made themselves financially rich because of this on-line journaling. These are full-time bloggers who create multiple blogs and earn a steady income by blogging.

Success.com states that a blog could worth $2400 each. Steve Palina, a full-time blogger estimates that his blog could value as much as $1.2 million.

There are some blogs that intend to help others. They intend to group people who have similar illnesses, and discuss in the forum section about their raising concerns. Other than information that they can share, what is very helpful is the support that they are able to give each other.

A famous blog that really aims to help is gifter.org. The people involved here encourage people to sponsor wishes and to contribute for charitable donations. They blog about the institutions or individuals they want to help, and write about their cause. Blogs like this could truly help and inspire others to do their own share of reaching out to others.

Furthermore, blogging could be done to do a free market research. If you have a certain business, the forum is the best place for you to hear comments, reactions, complaints, suggestions and needs of customers and prospective clientele. This could aid in marketing strategies and product development.

Microsoft was said to have assigned people to actively blog on topics of interest for developers. By simply blogging, they have increased the perception of how hard the company tries to develop and reach out to their clients.

Blogging is a solid example of the evolution of communication. When before there would be a need for the slow postal mail to be sent, or a person to go door to door to do a sampling for a research, or to hand out flyers to promote a business or a cause, now communication is hundreds of times faster. Blogging could be for a friendly gathering of interests, a formal discussion about a product, or an intellectual discourse about a political view. Still, they are all using the same powerful venue. Isn't it a wonder how what could be perceived to be a simple on-line diary, could actually reach millions?