BLOGS. You have probably heard about them before- they're all over the internet, they've been mentioned in magazines and newspapers, as well as on television. Most major websites today have blogs in addition to their main content, that is, if the website itself isn't a blog.
So what exactly is a blog?
According to Wikipedia:
A blog (a blend of the term "web log") is a type of website or part of a website. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. 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.
Most blogs are interactive, allowing visitors to leave comments and even message each other via widgets on the blogs and it is this interactivity that distinguishes them from other static websites.
Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability of readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (Art blog), photographs (photoblog), videos (Video blogging), music (MP3 blog), and audio (podcasting). Microblogging is another type of blogging, featuring very short posts.
As of December 2007, blog search engine Technorati was tracking more than 112,000,000 blogs.
What you're reading right now is a blog, and I have been blogging since 2002. (I've had several blogs over the years.)
Why should you have a blog?
It's about creating a web presence- promoting your music, sharing your thoughts and ideas with the world, building a relationship with your fans.
Blogging allows you to speak to the world. It allows you to engage in conversation with other people you wouldn't normally meet. Blogs help to build your brand, whether it be professional or personal. In fact, many bloggers have even become famous simply by writing regularly, promoting their work, and chatting with friends online (it's much more difficult to do this day and age, but it is still very possible), and some are earning six figures a year from their blogs alone!
Blogs are very SEO-friendly, meaning search engines love them. For each post you write, a new page is added to your website/blog. Each one of these post pages links back to the main page of your blog, which helps your blog to rank higher in search engine results. The bigger your blog, the more chances it will be seen. (But keep in mind, it's quality content that ranks the highest, not the copy-and-paste junk you can find off free article websites.)
Blogs are great alone, or as part of a website (They're a great way to build the popularity of an already-existing website!)- it's up to you. You decide how you want your blog to be- there are no "rules" to blogging, and that may be why it has become so popular. It's the perfect outlet for the artsy types- it gives you yet another place to be creative, as well as promoting your music to people you will probably never meet. And who knows, it could even open a lot of doors for further advancement in your project(s). The possibilities are endless. Take advantage of that.
