Module 7 - Creating a blog

It is finally time to create your first website. But is it a website or blog?




Websites are typically a collection of static pages that provide information about your organisation. A blog ('weblog') is updated regularly like a log or diary. Individuals use it to write about their personal opinions or post interesting resources or thoughts. For an organisation, they are useful for documenting events, updating the public on what the organisation is doing, and posting 'think pieces' about policy or topics related to your work. Organisations often have a website with a blog on it.

Another important part of websites is the difference between web pages and blog posts. Web pages are typically a static page that provide information about your organisation or programme. They can be updated but there is only ever one 'About Us' page. The standard pages include: About Us, What We Do, Blog, Contact Us.

Blog posts are regularly updated and can sometimes be less formal. Blog posts are represented in reverse chronological order (most recent on top) and there can be many posts on the same subject. Blog content can be very creative such as blog series, reviews, interviews, top 10 lists, research, and guest authors.

For more ideas, check out these posts:

• 20 Types of Blog Posts
• How to write a great blog post
• 6 Way to Constantly Produce Quality Blog Content
  
• 13 Types of Blog Posts
• 5 Blogging Tips from Chinese Philosophy
  

There are many free services that allow you to start blogs but the best two are WordPress and Blogger. WordPress is a complex Content Management System (CMS) that many large professional organisations use to run the back-side of their websites. Blogger is a simpler but powerful platform that will allow you to learn about blogging and websites.

1. Choose a topic

The most important thing you need before you start is the blog topic. Why are you blogging? Who are you writing for? The best advice we can give you is to write about what you are passionate about. Answer these three questions before you start your own blog:

• What are you blogging about? What is your topic?
• Who will read your posts?
  
• Why you?
  

2. Create a site 

Step 1: Go to Blogger.com.
Step 2: Sign in with your Google Account or create an account if you don't have one already.
Step 3: Click on 'Create a blog'.
Step 4: Choose a title for you blog and a short web address for the site.
Step 5: Choose a template (Any will do- you can change and personalise this later).

3. Customize the design and layout

Step 1: Click to the 'Design' tab on the top
Step 2: Customize the layout of the page elements by dragging and dropping
Step 3: Click 'Add a Gadget' and choose 'Pages'
Step 4: Add any gadgets you like and drag them into place
Step 5: Remember to click the 'Save' button before leaving and then view the blog.

You can also customize every detail of the site using the Template Designer.

Step 1: Click to the 'Design' tab on the top middle
Step 2: Click on 'Template Designer'
Step 3: Change template, background, or layout
Step 4: Go to Advanced to change specifics, like colour of the blog title, colour of the links
Step 5: Click 'Apply to Blog' to save changes
Step 6: Click 'Back to Blogger' to go to the dashboard or click 'View blog' to see your changes

You should also customize the settings of the blog.

Step 1: Click on the 'Settings' tab on the top middle
Step 2: Here you can edit the title of your blog, add a short description, and control if you want the blog listed in search engines
Step 3: Click the 'Save Settings' button at the bottom of the page before leaving the page
Step 4: Next click on the 'Formatting' tab
Step 5: Here you can edit the format of dates, time zones, the number of posts on the main page
Step 6: Click the 'Save Settings' button at the bottom of the page before leaving the page
Step 7: Next click on the 'Commenting' tab
Step 8: Here you can edit who can comment on your blog, comment moderation (if you want to filter comments before they are posted), and word verification (this prevents spam getting on the site)
Step 9: Click the 'Save Settings' button at the bottom of the page before leaving the page
Step 10: Next click on the 'Permission' tab
Step 11: Here you can invite others to contribute to your blog as another author. After they have accepted your invitation, you can also make them an administrator who can edit the design and layout of the site. I would not recommend this unless it is for your Executive Director.
Step 12: Click the 'Save Settings' button at the bottom of the page before leaving the page

4. Create content

To create a new post:

Step 1: Go to the 'Posting' tab on the top left
Step 2: Then click 'New Post'
Step 3: Copy and paste content into the text box

Step 4: You can upload a picture by clicking the picture button and dragging and dropping where you want it.
Step 5: You can insert a link by copying the website address, then clicking the link button. Paste the web address into the text box and click ok.
Step 6: 'Save Now' saves the post as a draft, 'Publish Post' puts the post live on the Internet for the world to see.

Step 7: Click 'View Post' and check that the post looks as you intended. If not, click the pencils or the tools to edit the post again. It's alright to edit it many times to tweak the post to look just right. You may need to refresh the site using the Internet browsers 'refresh' button.

To create a page:

Step 1: Go to the 'Posting' tab on the top left
Step 2: Then click 'New Page'
Step 3: Copy and paste content into the text box
Step 4: 'Save Now' saves the post as a draft, 'Publish Page' puts the page live on the Internet for the world to see.
Step 5: Click 'View Post' and check that the post looks as you intended.

Finally, remember that one of the best part of blogging is that nothing is permanent. You can edit and revise any mistakes you make and continue to perfect your work. If you don't like a colour or find a spelling error, go back and edit it.

Assignment:

1. Create your own website or blog
2. Customise your design and layout
3. Create an 'About' page and 'Contact' page
4. Create one blog post with a picture
5. Insert the link to your blog in the comment section below with a one line description of your blog.