A blog is basically an online journal wherein you can digitally pen down your thoughts, ideas, opinions and practically anything that you want people to read.

Blogs come in different styles, formats, and settings, depending on the preference of the user. Many blogging sites, offer built in features such as hyperlink, straight texts, pictures etc. Some blogging sites, even allow you to put video and mp3's on your blogs.

Instead of writing texts, some bloggers choose to make their blogs more audio friendly, by using spoken word entries. This is called audio blogging.

Basically a blog contains these features:

Title - this allows you to label your post

Body - this is the content of your post

Track back - other sites can be linked back to your blog

Permanent link - every article that you write has a URL

Comments - this allows readers to post comments on your blog.

One of the advantages of blogging, is that it is made of only a few templates. Unlike, other websites this is made up of numerous individual pages. This makes it easier for blog users to create new pages, because it already has a fix setting that includes: slots for title, body of the post, category, etc.

This is especially useful for first time users, since they can start blogging right away. They can choose from a number of templates that blogging websites provide.

If you want to start a blog become a member of a blogging website first. Once you have become a member, you automatically become a part of that particular blogging community. You can browse through other bloggers pages, and link them back to their own blogs. They can also make comments on other members' blogs.

Blogging is not just limited to personal usage. There are a lot of blogs that follow a theme such as: sports, politics, philosophy, social commentary, business, etc. These blogs espouse on their specific themes. This way blogging becomes a medium in which people can share their knowledge and opinions about a variety of themes and topics.

Some bloggers even use their blogs as a means to advertise. Some authors advertise their books on their blogs. While other bloggers, use their blogs to shed light to currents issues, events and news.

Nowadays in education, blogs also play an important part. Professors use blogging to document the lessons that they have discussed and taught. This way, students who have missed classes, can easily catch up with their assignments.

A lot of entrepreneurs benefit from blogging by promoting their businesses on their blogs; with millions and millions of people logging onto the net everyday, blogging has become a lucrative move. Some bloggers who run online businesses promote their merchandise online, while others profit through advertisement.

But by far, the most popular blog type is the one that takes the form of a personal journal. This is the kind that is usually used by first time bloggers. Individuals who want to document the daily struggle of their everyday lives, poems, rants, opinions, find that blogging offers them a medium in which to express themselves.

Bloggers usually communicate within themselves. This is one of the appeals of blogging. It creates a community of people sharing their ideas, thoughts, and comments with each other.

Blogs varying in topics, themes, and set-ups, can be found in blog directories. If you want to get an idea of what the blogging world is all about, browse through a number of blogs using these directories. This way you will get an idea of what these blogging communities are like.

Blogging is popular all over the world. Blog is short for the term Weblog. There are no rules when it comes to blogging. Bloggers have the freedom to express themselves, and the best thing about blogging, is that most blogging sites are free.

There are numerous blogging websites to choose from in the net. This gives first time users the option of joining a blogging community that appeals to their interests.