Blog

The word "blog" is a contraction of "web log", and describes a website containing someone's or a group's own experiences, observations, opinions, etc., and often includes images and links to other websites or webpages. In the same way as a paper log or diary, a blog usually takes the form of a regular series of entries called "posts" made over time.

An example of a blog at tommaths.blogspot.com

All of the posts published in one blog tend to follow a clear theme though personal blogs, such as the one linked above, can seem much broader given that they may represent an individual's varied interests. Examples of some more traditionally focused blogs include:

• Blogstronomy: A blog written by an individual who aims to answer readers' questions about astronomy.
• GEM: A blog presented as part of GEM (Group for Education in Museums)'s website, which features posts written by GEM employees and members on themes relating to their work.
• RMG museum blog: a blog of posts relating to the Royal Museums Greenwich operations, activities, collections and stories.

Blogs can be on any topic: all they need is someone motivated enough to write regularly about something. Some blogs are standalone websites devoted entirely to the blog; others are one part of a website that has other features too. There are many reasons for setting up a blog: some people just want to talk about something they care about; some use one as a way of keeping friends and family up to date (though it's important to note that, generally speaking, anything posted on a blog can feasibly be read by anyone in the world); others want to sell services, products, or ideas, or to make money through advertising revenue if they can attract enough regular readers. Be warned, though: building and maintaining a popular blog takes time and dedication.

Next steps:

Find out if the organisation you work for has a blog and have a browse! Do you have a topic that you could write regular posts about? Maybe you could try setting up a blog of your own: there are many free platforms for achieving this, such as Blogger,Wix, and Weebly. One of the most popular platforms for building a blogging website is Wordpress.