Having
a forum to post ideas is one of the greatest tools of our modern age. A web log
(blog) is that forum. A blog can be a place where recipes are shared (Simply
Recipes Online, 2012) or where deeper thoughts are gleamed from a very successful
person (Cuban, 2012). Each blog has a basic layout: each new post is placed on
top of the last one creating a log of ideas. Pictures can be incorporated,
along with backgrounds, different fonts, typesets, and color schemes. For a
blog to be successful it must stay on topic, be organized in a way that is easy
to understand, while having a uniqueness that will keep the readers coming back
for more.
While creating a blog to showcase works
created for a degree that has been studied for a lengthy amount of time and focuses
on communicating effectively, the student must be sure to incorporate the ideas
and techniques learned in class over that time. Four areas that must be accounted
for are purpose, design, content, and audience. If each is understood and
mastered, the blog will look professional and keep the target audience’s attention.
Knowing the target audience and
developing a clear purpose for a blog are the firsts step to creating a successful
blog. For students trying to showcase their work in a communications degree to
other students, as well as potentially using the blog as a way to present
examples of work to potential employers, it is important that an idea of what
should be mentioned and what needs to be left out is had. An excellent example
of recognizing who the audience is and explaining what the blog’s purpose is
for L. Brian Hauge (Hauge, 2012). In his third post created June 25, 2012 Brian
tells us who is audience is and why he has started blogging. Brian also goes
into some detail about his understanding of communication and why being able to
communicate the facts and incorporate emotions are important. Then he wraps up
his introduction with a personal story about the background photo he chose.
After reading the enjoyable post the audience has a clear understanding of why Brian’s
blog exists.
Once the purpose are understood and
the audience’s expectations have been established the next step in creating a
blog that will keep them coming back is content. Keeping the content of the
blog on topic lets the audience come to the blog prepared. No one expects to
see a political post in a recipe blog! In her blog titled Communication Corner, Temiloro Oyewole has devoted each post to
displaying her writings and thoughts on the study of communication. And while her
topics on communication range from types of communication technologies to how
to communicate in an intercultural setting each post focuses on the main point
that is Communication. Also, within each post Temiloro’s facts are backed up
with references. She understands that while her posts are about communication,
her facts must be substantiated. Temiloro’s posts are to the point and easy to
read as well. There are no outrageous colors distracting from the information
and her use of pictures in some of her posts help to set the tone for what the
audience is about to read (Oyewole, 2012).
Distracting from the information
being displayed is perhaps the hardest hurdle to overcome when creating a blog.
Knowing who the target audience is, what the purpose for creating the blog is,
and what information will be useful in the blog will amount to exactly nothing
if the design of the blog is overly complicated, amateurish, or disorganized.
An example of a blog which has great information, precise detail of who their
target audience is, with a purpose that is on target, but the design distracts
from the message is Xiomara Guerrero’s blog (Guerrero, 2012). Xiomy’s use of different
color for her fonts may seem creative and in keeping with her background (which
is also very colorful) but they can be difficult to read. This problem is
exasperated by the transparency of her posting section which lets in a little too
much of the background photo. Simply increasing the opacity of the posting
section would allow her use of colors to add to her creativity for her blog,
but for now it is simply distracting and hard to read.
Is there a way to have it all though
and can a blogger who is new to this form of publishing apply these lessons?
Yes! In my own experience as a new blogger I have been researching blogs like
those of Brian, Temiloro, and Xiomara, along with a number of others. I have
found that each blog is as different as their creator while following the same overall
format. I have had to change a few design problems which I encountered while
trying to be too individualistic. It should be remembered that the title of
your blog must grab the attention of your reader. Someone would not create a
blog about their favorite foods and call it the name of their favorite book. If
the blog is about communication and how it can be used in an organizational setting
make the title communication oriented. I had to change the name of my blog to
meet this obvious requirement; it only made sense. Also, when creating the
layout of a blog remember that readability is of the utmost importance. Do not
use colors that are distracting or layouts that draw attention from the content
of your work. When I was designing my blog I played with several layouts, and
some of them did not work out so well. I will continue to design my page to
create a page that is easy to read and navigate. And finally, make your blog
informative. The content placed on this blog should be consistent and plentiful.
I will be adding work to my blog to make all my research known and available.
Blogging is going to be a new hobby
of mine. Whether I am talking about school, work, or just publishing a research
paper I have just finished I will be using it as a venue for my family,
friends, and colleges as well as potential employers to get a glimpse of what I
have been working on, and what I plan to do in the future. By using media such
as pictures along with my articles I will be able to catch the eye of the
reader for specific posts that I want extra attention placed on. Then, one day,
when I decide to make a blog about the books I have read or the foods I have
eaten, I will have a good idea of how to focus on my audience and the purpose,
design, and improve the content. Because, for a blog to be successful it must
stay on topic, be organized in a way that is easy to understand, while having a
uniqueness that will keep the readers coming back for more.
References
Cuban, M. (2012). Blog
Maverick: The Mark Cuban Web Log. Retrieved
July 16, 2012 from http://blogmaverick.com
Guerrero, X.
(2012). Communicating Daily. Retrieved July 14, 2012 from http://xiomyg8.blogspot.com/
Hauge. L.B.
(2012). Sound Communication. Retrieved July 14, 2012 from http://lbrianhauge.blogspot.com/
Oyewole, T. (2012).
Communication Corner. Retrieved July 14, 2012 from http://urnottee.blogspot.com/
Simply Recipes
(2012). Simply Recipes. Retrieved July 16, 2012 from http://www.simplyrecipes.com/
Great post. I have considered using academic style citations with my blog, but I haven't tried it yet. I left you a comment on your g+ page. I am also a Communication Studies blogger. My site is:
http://www.raymondduke.com