Definition

Digital media are composed of and/or are designed to read numerical codes (hence the root
word digit). The most commonly used system of numbers is binary code, which converts
information into a series of 0s and 1s. This shared code system means that any machine that
can decode (read) binary code can make sense of, store, and replay the information. Analogue
media3 are created by encoding information onto a physical object that must then be paired
with another device capable of reading that specific code. So what most distinguishes
analogue media from digital media are their physicality and their need to be matched with a
specific decoding device. In terms of physicality, analogue media are a combination of
mechanical and physical parts, while digital media can be completely electronic and have no
physicality; think of an MP3 music file, for example. To understand the second distinction
between analogue and digital media, we can look at predigital music and how various types
of analogue music had to be paired with a specific decoding device. To make recordings
using old media technology, grooves were carved into vinyl to make records or changes were
made in the electromagnetic signature of ribbon or tape to make cassette tapes. So each of
these physical objects must be paired with a specific device, such as a record player or a
cassette deck, to be able to decode and listen to the music. New media changed how we
collect and listen to music. Many people who came of age in the digital revolution are now so
used to having digital music that the notion of a physical music collection is completely
foreign to them. Now music files are stored electronically and can be played on many
different platforms, including iPods, computers, and smartphones.

EVOLUTION OF DIGITAL MEDIA

Digital media, also known as “new media,” comprise content created, disseminated, and/ or
stored using digital computers or mobile devices (video games, blogs, etc.), as well as their
physical embodiment (DVDs, flash memory sticks, etc.). Digital media are often defined in
contrast to “analog media,” new media in contrast to “mass media.” The history of digital
media documents the move of computers from glorified calculators to devices for human
communications, entertainment, and creative production, linking digital media to earlier
interactive machines and media.
Central to this move and to computers more generally is memory: one of the definitions of
digital media is digital storage device. The first clear articulation of computer memory to
store both data and instructions was John von Neumann’s 1945 First draft of a report on the
EDVAC, in which he compared vacuum tubes to human neurons. More concretely, J. Presper
Eckert developed a mercury signal delay tube to produce “regenerative memory.” Static
magnetic memory – based on recording technology developed in Germany during World War
II – was first used in 1952 for an MIT test machine. The term digital media, however, does
not simply mean digital storage: not only do early forms of digital storage (CRTs, ferrite
magnetic coated tapes, and so on) not register now as digital media, the emergence of digital
media effected the notion of medium as storage device. The term digital media encompasses
broader definitions of medium as a form of circulation, dissemination, and communication.
These understandings emphasize algorithms and human use over storage and thus the
difference between technology and media. Important to these definitions are the development
of higher-level programming languages, real-time and graphic user interfaces, and networked
communications – all of which rely upon discrete hardware.

Computation, And Human Augmentation

Higher-level programming languages, which enable language-based exchange between man

and machine, depend on the programmability of discrete computation. Because digital
machines treat ranges of signals as one value, they allow for the precision necessary for
solving equations numerically, and for ensuring that instructions, stored in computer memory,
are accurately read and executed. The first implemented higher-level language was Short
Code for the UNIVAC (1950); the first widely used language FORTRAN, developed by IBM
(1954 – 1957). Stemming from the desire to use the computer to program itself, higher-level
programming languages hide the specificities of hardware and memory allocation from the
programmer, and focus the programmer’s attention on questions of problem flow and data
relations. Computers are thus part of the drive within media development to offer a highly
technologized, equipment-free reality (Benjamin 1968).

Software as a mediating entity also requires real-time interfaces, where real time means
computation that occurs “in conjunction with instruments receiving and responding to stimuli
from the external environment” (OED). The first real-time digital computer was the
WHIRLWIND, a post–World War II project initiated by the US Navy and MIT to produce a
universal cockpit simulator. It eventually evolved into an Airforce-funded, continent-wide
missile detection system known as SAGE, already obsolete by the time it was first fully
implemented in 1963 (Edwards 1996). Real-time interfaces are the basis for time-sharing
interfaces such as UNIX, developed by Bell Labs in 1970, that make the user feel as though
he or she controls a shared machine and are thus considered the basis for personal computing
(Campbell-Kelly & Aspray 1996). Real-time interfaces also make possible graphic user
interfaces (GUIs), in which computers respond in real time to user input framed as an
intervention on to a graphical surface.

Graphic user interfaces – along with a concerted commercial effort to turn computers from
industrial to personal commodities – have helped to make computers personal multimedia
machines. GUIs are part of a series of attempts to make the computer a vehicle of
empowerment and mastery, rather than an object of grudging acceptance and resentment.

Internet Communications As Media

The Internet has provided a means of circulation that makes digital media mass media. Like
the technologies described above, the Internet was a military creation designed to augment
human intelligence and turn humans into more creative producers. The Internet stems from
ARPANET, a US military-funded network designed to link together several research sites.
The main impetus behind its development was the belief that timesharing computer networks
could bring about a “man machine synthesis” (Licklider 1960). The most popular use of
ARPANET was an unforeseen one: electronic mail, an application that would also drive
widespread civilian use of the Internet. In 1983, with the formal adoption of TCP/IP, the
Internet proper – as a network of networks, based on an open protocol to link differently
configured local area networks – would emerge.

Commercial transactions were prohibited on the Internet until 1991, and before 1991 popular
forms of communications were email, newsgroups (1979), Internet Relay Chat (IRC, 1988),
and multi-user text-based games (1978), such as MUDs and MOOs. Access to the Internet
backbone was limited to academia, the government, and the military, although there were
some public bulletin board services run by organizations such as the WELL in San Francisco.
Communications were mainly text-based, although image files could be downloaded.
The Internet as popular mass medium coincided with its commercialization, the privatization
of its backbone (early 1990s) and the development of the world wide web (WWW) by Tim
Berners-Lee in 1990. The WWW enabled the mass sharing of linked files and provided an
easy to use, readily accessible way to post personal and commercial content. At first, the
WWW was populated by personal and institutional homepages, designed with a distinctly
amateur DIY aesthetic (now perpetuated as an indicator of “authentic” digital content).

During the mid to late 1990s, the Internet was conflated with William Gibson’s “cyberspace”
and was viewed as an alternative space that belied government regulation, big business, and
intellectual property (Chun 2006). The information superhighway was to fix all our political
problems, from racial discrimination to the ills created by the mass media. The Internet was
supposedly uncensorable, since it allegedly treated censorship like a network outage and thus
routed around it. It was also a fundamentally anonymous and participatory medium.
According to Janet Abbate (1999), “the culture of the Internet challenges the whole
distinction between producers and users.” Information, the hacker ethic argued, wanted to be
free (Levy 1984). This did not mean, however, that all of the utopian discussions around the
Internet were non-commercial. New companies, such as amazon.com, seemed to threaten the
continued existence of brick and mortar companies. Digital media were also sold as the
medium of convergence and soon, it was prophesied, all mass media would converge into one
narrow-casting digital form.

Digital media have also penetrated other forms of media. For instance, digital special effects
have made animation and stop-image photography a more prominent factor in the practice
and history of cinema (Manovich 2001).

TYPES OF DIGITAL MEDIA

Examples of digital media include software, digital images, digital video, video games, web

pages and websites, social media, digital data and databases, digital audio such
as MP3, electronic documents and electronic books. Digital media often contrasts with print
media, such as printed books, newspapers and magazines, and other traditional or analog
media, such as photographic film, audio tapes or video tapes. Broadly it is classified into
personal and social media.
Personal Media

Personal media is so named because users are more free to choose the media content to which
they want to be exposed, to generate their own content, to comment on and link to other
content, to share content with others, and, in general, to create personalized media
environments. To better understand personal media, we must take a look at personal media
devices and the messages and social connections they facilitate. In terms of devices, the label
personal media entered regular usage in the late 1970s when the personal computer was first
being produced and plans were in the works to create even more personal (and portable)
computing devices.Marika Lüders, “Conceptualizing Personal Media,” New Media and
Society 10, no. 5 (2008): 684. The 1980s saw an explosion of personal media devices such as
the Walkman, the VCR, the camcorder, the cell phone, and the personal computer. At this
time, though, personal media devices lacked the connectivity that later allowed personal
media to become social media. Still, during this time, people created personalized media
environments that allowed for more control over the media messages with which they
engaged. For example, while portable radios had been around for years, the Walkman
allowed people to listen to any cassette tape they owned instead of having to listen to
whatever the radio station played. Beyond that, people began creating mix tapes by recording
their favorite songs from the radio or by dubbing select songs from other cassette tapes.
Although a little more labor intensive, these mix tapes were the precursor to the playlists of
digital music that we create today. Additionally, VCRs allowed people to watch specific
movies on their own schedule rather than having to watch movies shown on television or at
the movie theater. While mass media messages are the creation of institutions and
professionals, many personal media messages are the creation of individuals or small groups
whose skills range from amateur to professional.Marika Lüders, “Conceptualizing Personal
Media,” New Media and Society 10, no. 5 (2008): 683. Personal computers allowed amateurs
and hobbyists to create new computer programs that they could circulate on discs or perhaps
through early Internet connections. Camcorders allowed people to create a range of products
from home videos to amateur or independent films. As was mentioned earlier, portable music
recording and listening devices also allowed people to create their own mix tapes and gave
amateur musicians an affordable and accessible way to make demo tapes. These amateur
personal media creations weren’t as easily distributed as they are today, as the analogue
technology still required that people send their messages on discs or tapes.
Social Media

Media and mass media have long been discussed as a unifying force. The shared experience
of national mourning after President Kennedy was assassinated and after the terrorist attacks
of September 11, 2001, was facilitated through media. Online media, in particular, is
characterized by its connectivity. This type of connectivity is different from that of the mass
media we discussed in Chapter 15 "Media, Technology, and Communication". Whereas a
large audience was connected to the same radio or television broadcast, newspaper story,
book, or movie via a one-way communication channel sent from one place to many, online
media connects mass media outlets to people and allows people to connect back to them. The
basis for this connectivity is the Internet, which connects individual computers, smartphones,
and other devices in an interactive web, and it is this web of connected personal media
devices like computers and smartphones that facilitates and defines social media. Technology
has allowed for mediated social interaction since the days of the telegraph, but these
connections were not at the mass level they are today. So even if we think of the telegram as
a precursor to a “tweet,” we can still see that the potential connection points and the audience
size are much different. While a telegraph went to one person, Olympian Michael Phelps can
send a tweet instantly to 1.2 million people, and Justin Bieber’s tweets reach 23 million
people! Social media doesn’t just allow for connection; it allows us more control over the
quality and degree of connection that we maintain with others. The potential for social media
was realized under the conditions of what is called Web 2.0, which refers to a new way of
using the connectivity of the Internet to bring people together for collaboration and creativity
—to harness collective intelligence. Much of this was achieved through platforms and
websites such as Napster, Flickr, YouTube, and Wikipedia that encouraged and enable user-
generated content. It is important to note that user-generated content and collaboration have
been a part of the World Wide Web for decades, but much of it was in the form of self-
publishing information such as user reviews, online journal entries/diaries, and later blogs,
which cross over between the “old” web and Web 2.0. The most influential part of the new
web is social networking sites (SNSs)4 , which allow users to build a public or semipublic
profile, create a network of connections to other people, and view other people’s profiles and
networks of connections. Although SNSs have existed for over a decade, earlier iterations
such as Friendster and MySpace have given way to the giant that is Facebook. Facebook,
which now has more than 955 million monthly active users is unquestionably the most
popular SNS. More specific SNSs like LinkedIn focus on professional networking. In any
case, the ability to self-publish information, likes/dislikes, status updates, profiles, and links
allows people to craft their own life narrative and share it with other people. Likewise, users
can follow the narratives of others in their network as they are constructed. The degree to
which we engage with others’ narratives varies based on the closeness of the relationship and
situational factors, but SNSs are used to sustain strong, moderate, and weak ties with others.

INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media sites are websites and applications that enable users to create and share content
or to participate in social networking. The evolution of online Social networks by connecting
an individual or user with other individuals or social groups is possible due to the existence of
Social media. Web 2.0 internet-based interactive applications represent the Social Media and
they include user-generated content such as videos, comments, images, blogs, tagging,
podcasts, microblogs and other digital data. Online Social networking is example for Web 2.0.
Social media is the medium for generation and further development of online Social
Networks.
It can be argued that social media is nothing new, in fact, it is as old as long distance
communication itself. Human beings are social creatures, we thrive on, and in fact
need, social interactions to maintain a healthy life and mind. Social media taps into these
primal needs of human beings and it should come as no surprise that social media sites and
social media apps are so popular today.

HISTORY OF SOCIAL MEDIA SITES

The world is divided in opinion on the singular source that led to the evolution of social
media. Rather than fixing a year or a web portal as the point of origin, the formation of World
Wide Web and the subsequent increase in instantaneous connectivity of the Internet is
regarded as the starting point of social media. The rise of Internet gave the world the power
of near-instant communication, which, in the subsequent years to follow, would open up a
world of possibilities, and the landscape of social media.

The first recognizable social media site, SixDegrees.com, was born in 1997. This enabled
users to upload profile pictures and connect with others. Six degrees also let users make
friends with each other and expand their social groups. Incredibly, in 2000 it was purchased
for $125 million and later shut down in 2001 and brought back a few years later. Users were
able to send messages, post bulletin board items to others in first, second and third degree
connections - hence the name. This was, in the true sense, a precursor of greater days for
social media, and the fact that Six Degrees also allowed users to add unregistered people as
friends too showed the global impact that social media would eventually have all across the
world. 

In 2000, LunarStorm was launched. This was one of the first commercial advertisement-

financed social networking websites. This would prove to be a strategy that would become
increasingly important as the decade progressed. It was aimed at teenagers and developed in
Sweden.

Friendster emerged in 2002. This Malaysian-built platform, now defunct, was initially used
as a social networking service website. It was used for all the usual things but also as a dating
site and event, band and hobby discovery service. The site’s interface resembled that of a
dating site, and this relatability worked in getting users accustomed to it. The fundamentals of
it lay in providing ‘Circles’, or common interests where users with absolute common interests
could join, share, discuss and make friends. Although Friendster got off to a fantastic start,
and may have even reached the pinnacle of social media charts at its peak, flawed
management practices and other aspects led to its notable downfall.

2003 saw the emergence of LinkedIn. Its unique selling point is obvious to anyone who uses
it. Its devotion to social media for business has enabled its steady growth into one of the most
popular social media sites in the world. It was aimed specifically at business users to form
professional networks and business connections. This platform took a more serious approach
at social media, far from finding yesteryear classmates or lovers of chocolate ice cream from
across the world.

2003 also saw the launch of MySpace and it quickly became "the" social media site at the
time. You could completely customize your profile but also you could embed music and
videos. In 2006, MySpace became the most popular social networking website in the United
States but was overtaken in 2008 by its competitor Facebook, that internationally became the
most popular social networking site worldwide. Approximately 43.2 million users visit
MySpace on a monthly basis. The company employs approximately 1000 employees. A
unique feature of MySpace is the ability for users to customize their profile information to
give detailed information about themselves and what they are interested in.
2004 saw many more services launched including the Harvard version of Facebook. Care2,
Multiply, Ning, Orkut, Mixi, Piczo and Hyves also launched.

2006 saw the advent of 'proper' Facebook. It remains one of the most popular social media
networks on the internet, and by extension, the world.

Facebook started as just a website for Harvard students. By 2005, it was opening up to other
schools. Facebook has had staggering growth since 2006 and it is now one of the most visited
site on the web.

YouTube first appeared in 2005 which opened an entirely new method of communication.

The ability to create and share media over very long distances was such a game changer that
it has become something of a behemoth ever since. YouTube provides a forum for people to
connect, inform, and inspire others across the globe and acts as a major distribution platform
for original content creators and advertisers, large and small.

Twitter also, launched in 2006 and has attained an almost "cult-like" status since inception.
Its ability to allow users to interact directly with celebrities was almost unheard of previously.
Twitter gained a lot of popularity first because it offered more different options such as micro
blogging and secondly because it was used by some celebrities

2010 saw the birth of other popular social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest.

Today, there is an eye-boggling variety of social media network sites, many of which allow
for sharing between each other. This has enabled this media to allow maximum exposure for
users without sacrificing interpersonal communication. Businesses and individuals could not
imagine a world without it, such has been its infiltration in our lives.

HISTORY OF FACEBOOK

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2007/jul/25/media.newmedia

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/facebook-when-started-how-
mark-zuckerberg-history-harvard-eduardo-saverin-a8505151.html

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-facebook-was-founded-2010-3?IR=T#we-can-talk-
about-that-after-i-get-all-the-basic-functionality-up-tomorrow-night-1
TYPES OF SOCIAL MEDIA SITES

1. Social networking sites

There are numerous social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. These

platforms help us connect with friends, family, and brands. They encourage knowledge-

sharing and are all about personal, human-to-human interaction. They allow you to connect

with other people of similar interests and background. Usually they consist of a profile,

various ways to interact with other users, ability to setup groups, etc. 

Users can share thoughts, curate content, upload photos and videos, form groups based on

interests, and participate in lively discussions. They’re built around the user and everything

that’s important to them and their social circles.

2. Image sharing sites

Visual content like images, infographics, and illustrations capture our hearts, eyes and

imaginations. Social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat are designed to amplify

the power of image sharing.

Users create, curate, and share unique images that spark conversation and speak for

themselves. A picture can be worth a thousand words to your business.

3. Video hosting sites

YouTube revolutionized the way we watch, create, and think about video. It transformed the

medium into something accessible. Recent improvements in tech and connectivity helped

video go the rest of the way.

Video hosting platforms like YouTube and Vimeo help creators put together content and

share it to a platform optimized for streaming. This accessibility makes video a super

important medium.
4. Blogging sites

“A blog is a website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of

commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are

usually exhibited in reverse chronological order.”

A blog is a voice on the web. It’s a place to share, to inform, to complain, to enquire and to

exchange views. Many people use a blog just to organize their thoughts, while others

command influential, worldwide audiences of thousands. It is also useful for publishing

news. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs.

Blogs give an easy method of regularly publishing web pages which are best described

as online journals, diaries or news or events listings. Frequency can be hourly, daily,

weekly or less frequently but daily updates are typical.

Shared blogging platforms like Medium and Tumblr give people a space to express their

thoughts and help connect them with readers.

Microblogging- services that focus on short updates that are pushed out to anyone subscribed

to receive the updates. The most popular is Twitter.

5. Discussion Forums

While most of us have seen many a heated discussion happen on Facebook, discussion sites

like Reddit and Quora are specifically designed to spark a conversation. Anyone is free to ask

a question or make a statement, and this attracts people with shared interests and curiosities.

https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/online-marketing/social-media/what-is-reddit/

5. Crowd sourcing sites

Crowdsourcing in which individuals or organizations obtain goods and services, including

ideas and finances, from a large, relatively open and often rapidly-evolving group
of internet users; it divides work between participants to achieve a cumulative result.

Examples:

https://milaap.org/

Ushahidi, Inc. is a social media site that uses the concept of crowd sourcing for social

activism and public accountability, serving as an initial model for what has been coined as

"activist mapping"—the combination of social activism, citizen

journalism and geospatial information. Ushahidi offers products that enable local observers to

submit reports using their mobile phones or the internet, while simultaneously creating a

temporal and geospatial archive of events. The Ushahidi platform is often used for crisis

response, human rights reporting, and election monitoring.

Wikis: Wikis are online collections of web pages that are literally open for anyone to create,

edit, discuss, comment on and generally contribute to. They are perhaps the ultimate vehicle

for mass collaboration, the most famous example, of course, being Wikipedia

(www.wikipedia.org), the free online encyclopaedia. As at April 2008, Wikipedia reported

that it had a staggering 2,349,270 English-language articles in its database. To put that

number into context, the Encyclopaedia Britannica (www.britannica.com), a leading

commercial encyclopaedia, contains just over 65,000 articles. Because of their open nature,

inaccurate or misleading information can find its way on to a wiki, but if the wiki is active

and vibrant inaccuracies are usually picked up quickly and eradicated by other community

members. So wiki articles are constantly evolving and tend to become increasingly accurate

and authoritative over time as the community grows, and they tend to be updated with new

information as it becomes available.

6. Bookmarking and content curation networks—Discover, save, and share new content.

Bookmarking and content curation networks help people discover, save, share, and discuss

new and trending content and media.

These networks are a hotbed of creativity and inspiration for people seeking information and

ideas. Bookmarking networks like Pinterest help people discover, save, and share visual

content. Other types of networks are also adding bookmarking and curation features. For

example, Instagram now offers features for users to save content and create private

collections.

https://help.pinterest.com/en/guide/all-about-pinterest

7. Consumer review networks

To find, review, and share information about brands, products, and services, as well as

restaurants, travel destinations, and more.

Location-based review services such as Yelp and Zomato continue to grow as personal social

networks adopt geolocation and more users choose to consult the internet along with their

friends for recommendations. There are sites to review anything from hotels and restaurants

to the business where you’re thinking of applying for a job.

Examples: Yelp, Zomato, TripAdvisor

NICHE SOCIAL NETWORK SITES

A niche is a specialized subset of a larger set, so a niche social network is one that targets a

select segment of the general population. Sites like MySpace and Facebook have grown so

large that some users feel a bit lost in the shuffle. On the other hand niche networks allow

users to connect with fewer people who have the same interests, hobbies or professional
associations. Because these networks target special groups, they often incorporate community

guidelines. For example, guidelines may direct users to use a certain tone or language on the

site, or they may forbid certain behavior (like harassment or spamming). Some niche

networks are so close-knit that users begin using shorthand and share inside jokes, much like

a group of friends would.

More and more people are becoming fatigued from the over-saturation of content on the main

social media networks. They’re moving increasingly towards platforms that help eliminate
the

noise and posts that aren’t relevant to them. Niche social networks are smaller and serve only

those who want to be there.

Examples

Dribble

Dribbble is a social media platform for designers. It’s free to sign up, but sharing any of your

work requires an invite from a member of the Dribbble community—and those invites are

rarer than you might think. Once you’re in, though, you can upload images of your work

(called “Shots”) to the community, tag them, and open them up for comments.

It’s hard to find a designer who doesn’t want to share their work on Dribbble. For a lot of

designers, getting an invite to Dribbble is like getting an invite to an exclusive club or

party—except this party is all about sharing your work and getting hired.

https://dribbble.com/about

Behance

Behance is a platform that allows many people with web design careers to showcase their

portfolios of visual work such as graphic design, fashion, illustration, photography, and more.

You can like and follow other people’s work and it has a Pinterest-like bulletin board feel.

Organize your work based on the type of project. You can also list projects that are under
construction and ask your followers for feedback. Finally, you can link part or all of your

portfolio to your social media accounts.

https://www.behance.net/

Letterboxd

https://letterboxd.com/about/frequent-questions/

Flixster

https://www.flixster.com/

Fstopper

https://fstoppers.com/about

Flickr

https://www.flickr.com/explore

Hacker News

Hacker News is a social news website focusing on computer science and entrepreneurship. In

general, content that can be submitted is defined as "anything that gratifies one's
intellectual

curiosity. The intention was to recreate a community similar to the early days
of Reddit. However,

unlike Reddit where new users can immediately both upvote and downvote content, Hacker

News does not allow users to downvote content until they have accumulated 501
"karma" points.

Karma points are calculated as the number of upvotes a given user's content has
received minus

the number of downvotes.

https://news.ycombinator.com/

Indie Hacker

https://www.indiehackers.com/

Product Hunt

https://www.producthunt.com/about

Amino App

It is a convention-like community. The main feature of Amino is communities dedicated to a

certain topic that users can join. Users can also chat with other members of a community in
three

ways, text, voice, or screening room, which allows users to watch videos together while voice

chatting.

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/

Care 2

https://www.care2.com/

Meet Up

https://www.meetup.com/about/

UNIT 2

BLOGS

A weblog, or blog is a “frequently updated Web page with dated entries in reverse

chronological order, usually containing links with commentary”. The term originated from

“WeB log,” and was promoted further by www.blogger.com as a blog. Blog can also be used
as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog. The act itself is often referred to as

blogging. According to Gill [2004], several primary characteristics of a blog include regular

chronological entries; links to related news articles, documents, or blogs (referred to as

blogrolling) and archived entries such that old content remains accessible via static links.

Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more

personal online diaries. Five main blogging motivations were identified in Nardi et al. [2004]:

documenting one’s life; providing commentary and opinions; working out emotional issues;

thinking by writing; and promoting conversation and community. Blogs have become an

increasingly important way of learning about news and opinions not found in mainstream

media, and blogging has become a popular social activity for establishing and maintaining

online communities.

There are many reasons to start a blog for personal use and only a handful of strong ones for

business blogging. Blogging for business, projects, or anything else that might bring you

money has a very straightforward purpose – to rank your website higher in Google SERP. As

a business, you rely on consumers to keep buying your products and services. As a new

business, you rely on blogging to help you get to potential consumers and grab their attention.

Without blogging, your website would remain invisible, whereas running a blog makes you

searchable and competitive.

So, the main purpose of a blog is to connect you to the relevant audience. Another one is to

boost your traffic and send quality leads to your website.

Steps in starting a blog

(Also refer pdf)

https://neilpatel.com/how-to-start-a-blog/

Monetizing using blogs

 Selling ad space on your blog privately or via Google AdSense.

 Becoming an affiliate partner privately or through ad networks.

 Selling your own digital products such as eBooks and tutorials.

 Selling memberships for access to exclusive content or advice.

 Using your blog as a content marketing tool for your business.

Micro-blogging

Micro-blogging is a relatively new craze that’s sweeping through online early adopters, and

looks set to explode as more people embrace social media and learn of its existence. It is

essentially a short-message broadcast service that lets people keep their ‘friends’ up to date

via short text posts (usually less than 160 characters). Twitter (www.twitter.com) is the

biggest player in this space, with similar services being offered by the Google-acquired Jaiku

(www.jaiku.com) and Pownce (www.pownce.com), a service that marries the micro-blogging

short-messaging concept with file sharing and event invitations. Leading social network sites,

like MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn, also offer a kind of micro-blogging functionality

within their ‘walled garden’ networks through their ‘status updates’ features.

At first glance micro-blogging may seem a bit pointless. After all, what can you really say in

the Twitter-imposed limit of 140 characters? Well, think about SMS text messages on your

phone – 160 characters maximum, and billions of people use them to communicate

effectively every day.

The real value of micro-blogging isn’t necessarily in the individual posts; it’s in the collective

aggregation of those mini-posts into more than the sum of their parts. When you receive

frequent, short updates from the people you’re connected to, you begin to get a feel for them,

to develop a better understanding of what they’re all about, and to feel a stronger connection

with them.

Blogging sites

Wordpress.org

WordPress (WP, WordPress.org) is a free and open-source content management system.

WordPress was originally created as a blog-publishing system but has evolved to support

other types of web content including more traditional mailing lists and forums, media

galleries, membership sites, learning management systems (LMS) and online stores.  

https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/self-hosted-wordpress-org-vs-free-

wordpress-com-infograph/

Blogger

Blogger is a blog-publishing service that allows multi-user blogs with time-stamped entries.

It was developed by Pyra Labs, which was bought by Google in 2003. The blogs are hosted

by Google and generally accessed from a subdomain of blogspot.com.

New features

Stats

The redesigned Stats page helps you focus on the most important data from your blog by

highlighting your most recent post.    

Comments

A fresh Comments page helps you connect with readers more easily by surfacing areas that

need your attention, like comment moderation.  

Posts

Search Operators on the Posts page help filter your Blogger posts and page search results

more easily. 

Editor

The newly enhanced Editor page introduces table support, enables better transliteration, and

includes an improved image/video upload experience. 

Reading List 

Even if you don’t create from your phone, it’s now easier than ever to read blogs from other

creators while you’re on the go.

Tumblr

Tumblr takes elements of Twitter, WordPress, Blogger and other publishing services to

create a simple blogging platform with a strong social aspect. It can be used to publish

multiple blogs on the Web for free, as well as promote and discover content through its

community features. 

Post Types

Tumblr is built around seven distinct post types -- text, photo, quote, link, chat, audio and

video -- and a straightforward blogging interface. This means a varied and content-rich blog
can be quickly put together and easily maintained. Images, video and audio can be hosted

on Tumblr's servers free of charge, while Tumblr also enables multiple users to have

posting rights on a single blog if necessary. Associated official apps for iOS and Android

enable posts to be made from mobile devices too.

Scheduled Posts, Queues and Drafts

Blog posts created on Tumblr don't have to be published immediately. They can be

scheduled to appear on a certain date at a certain time, added to a queue which publishes

posts automatically on a pre-determined schedule, or saved as a draft. Posts can also be set

as private and visible only to the members of the blog.

Twitter and Facebook Integration

Tumblr includes tight Facebook and Twitter integration which can be configured from the

user dashboard. Posts made to your Tumblr blog can be automatically linked to from

associated Facebook and Twitter accounts. The setting can be toggled on or off on a post-

by-post basis using the icons on the post creation screen.

Social and Community

Every Tumblr blog can follow other blogs in the style of Twitter, and be followed in return,

with updated posts appearing in the main Tumblr dashboard. New content can be easily

discovered through the dashboard, and any post can be reblogged (similar to a retweet on

Twitter). 

Themes and Customization

Every Tumblr blog makes use of a theme. An extensive gallery of free and paid themes are

available from Tumblr as well as third-party sites such as ThemeForest. 

BLOGGING TOOLS

TOPIC AND KEYWORD RESEARCH

Google Trends 

It is a website by Google that analyzes the popularity of top search queries in Google

Search across various regions and languages. The website uses graphs to compare the search

volume of different queries over time.

https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9817630?hl=en

Google Keyword Planner

https://ahrefs.com/blog/google-keyword-planner/

https://ads.google.com/home/resources/using-google-ads-keyword-planner/

Keywords Everywhere

https://keywordseverywhere.com/

Portent Idea Generator

https://www.portent.com/tools/title-maker/

Other tools

Quora

Reddit

READABILITY

Grammarly

Grammarly is an online grammar-checking tool. Grammarly is a web-based application

designed to help writers develop sentence-level writing skills, reinforce revision habits, and

detect plagiarism. Once you have logged in to Grammarly, you can create a new document or

upload a previously saved document (.txt, .doc, .docx, .rtf) by browsing to the file. You can
also upload a document or copy and paste text from within the open document view.

Grammarly also offers extensions and add-ins for Google Chrome, Microsoft Office, and

Windows.

https://app.grammarly.com/

Hemingway App

https://hemingwayapp.com/

25 Headlines

https://nealrs.github.io/25Headlines/

Google Docs

https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/9300503?hl=en

VISUALS

https://unsplash.com/

https://www.shutterstock.com/

https://giphy.com/

https://www.canva.com/

SEO

Yoast

https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-seo/

https://yoast.com/wordpress/plugins/seo/

SEMrush SEO Writing Assistant

https://wordpress.org/plugins/semrush-seo-writing-assistant/
https://www.semrush.com/features/seo-writing-assistant/

Others

https://themeisle.com/blog/best-blogging-tools/

https://buffer.com/library/blogging-tools

VLOG

Vlog or videoblog, is a blog that uses video as the primary content. Vlog entries are made

regularly, and often combine embedded video or a video link with supporting text, images,

and other visuals. These videos may be embedded and watched on the viewer’s Web browser,

or downloaded to the viewer’s machine or a portable device for later viewing. Like textblogs,

vlogs also often take advantage of Web syndication to allow for the distribution of video over

the Internet. Apart from the term vlogs, videoblogs are also known as v-logs, vid-blogs,

movie blogs, vblogs, vidcasts, videocasts, vcasts, v-casts, episodic video, Web shows or

online TV, and so on. Vlogs are created by videobloggers or vloggers, while the act itself is

referred to as videoblogging or vlogging. As a derivative of blogosphere, vlogosphere is the

collective term encompassing all vlogs. Vlogs exist together as a community or a social

network. Roughly, the life cycle of a vlog is defined in this article as consisting of three

stages: —Producing: In this stage, the vlogger creates and edits a video, and uploads it to the

hosting site and then a new vlog is generated. Sometimes, vloggers can even edit videos

online, without a locally installed software. —Posting: The new vlog is distributed online,

and starts to get recognized in the vlogosphere and often get linked by other vlogs. In this

stage, the vlog can be viewed and commented by other vloggers. Some vlogs even become
authorities in a certain field. —Archiving: When the vlog becomes out of date or loses

usefulness, it will be archived or even deleted.

Vlogs can also be grouped into two categories according to their presentation styles: diary or

Web-TV show. The vlogs of the first category take the online video diary style. Such an

example is Charlene’s vlog at http://crule.typepad.com/, where video is included through

hyperlinks. Currently, most vlogs take the second category of presentation formats, i.e., the

Web-TV show-like style.

Strategies to increase vlog engagement rate

 Encourage viewers to participate by asking questions like “What would you like to

see in my next video?”, “What’s your favorite…”, and “Show me your version of

….” Having this in your title is great, in your description, even better. Actually

asking the questions in your videos is the *best*!

 Ask for Subscriptions, but give them a compelling reason to sub- Let the viewer know

that you’re planning your next video series and to subscribe to make sure they don’t

miss any new videos.

 Don’t forget annotations and in-video programming-Make sure users can easily get to

other videos you’ve created or subscribe right from the video.

 As always, make sure your content is properly tagged, titled, and pick a thumbnail

that stands out in search. No one is going to comment, share, or subscribe if they

can’t find your video. Need help with tagging, check out Pro and Boost.

 Edit your videos to be shareable- Get to the good stuff quickly without wasting the

viewer’s time. Think about what title and thumbnail would encourage your viewers

to share your video with the world..

VLOGGING TOOLS

Screencast-O-Matic

Screencast-O-Matic is a program that records the activity of your computer screen with just a

couple clicks and no software to download. This is a perfect alternative for a “how-to” post

because instead of reading instructions, your audience can just watch and learn.

YouTube MP3 Podcaster

YouTube MP3 Podcaster downloads directly to Firefox which will add buttons underneath

every YouTube video you ever watch on the browser. These buttons will give you different

options of downloading that content, whether you want the Full HD version or just an MP3 of

the audio.

Zamzar

Zamzar is an online file converter. It allows users to video convert files without

downloading a software tool. Users can type in a URL or upload one or more files (if they are

all of the same format) from their computer; Zamzar will then convert the file(s) to another

user-specified format. Once conversion is complete, users receive an email with a URL from

where they can download the converted file. It is also possible to send files for conversion by

emailing them to Zamzar.

VidIQ

VidIQ is a SaaS product designed to help YouTube creators find topic and keywords for their

videos. The tool also has a robust YouTube SEO feature set that assists with creating SEO-

friendly titles, descriptions and tags.

https://backlinko.com/hub/content/vidiq

https://vidiq.com/

TubeBuddy

https://www.tubebuddy.com/

Rev

Speech-to-text solutions for transcripts, captions and subtitles

https://www.rev.com/

Others

TOPIC AND KEYWORD RESEARCH

Google Trends 

https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9817630?hl=en

Google Keyword Planner

https://ahrefs.com/blog/google-keyword-planner/

https://ads.google.com/home/resources/using-google-ads-keyword-planner/

Keywords Everywhere

https://keywordseverywhere.com/

VIDEO CUSTOMISATION

https://wistia.com/

https://vimeo.com/create
VISUALS AND THUMBNAILS

https://unsplash.com/

https://www.shutterstock.com/

https://giphy.com/

https://www.canva.com/