The History of Blogging
A blog is defined by Wikipedia to be “a website where entries are written in chronological order and commonly displayed in reverse chronological order.” In fact, the word “blog” is a shortened form of the phrase “web log,” or a log that is posted on the web.
Early weblogs were just manually updated components of common websites; however, due to the evolution of tools to facilitate the production and maintenance of web articles in reverse chronological order for these weblogs, the publishing process became simple enough for the less technically-inclined population. This led to the type of online publishing that blogs are known for today.
At first, around 1998-1999, blogs were used as online diaries, where one could discuss whatever news he/she wanted to discuss on whatever topic(s) he/she chose to talk about. Often, this would be about the daily happenings in one’s lives, so blogs were updated quite often. However, over the next few years, the technology continued to advance, making blogs that much easier to publish.
Browser-based software was created that enabled virtually anyone to create his/her own blog and post it online easily. Different blog hosting services, web hosting services, and blog software (such as WordPress, Movable Type, blogger.com, and LiveJournal, among others) utilized this advancement to further give people more options to create their blogs.
In addition, blogging combined the personal web page with tools to make linking to other pages easier.
Permalinks, blogrolls, TrackBacks, and weblog search engines enabled people to connect to other people who shared similar interests. They would often link to each other’s blogs as a way to make online friendships and stay in touch with each other. However, by 2001, blogs started to be used for more than just online diaries or journals. Instead, many American blogs started talking about American politics.
Andrew Sullivan’s blog The Daily Dish, and Taegan Goddard’s blog Political Wire, were two political blogs that first appeared in 2001. Many blogs started providing information on how to accomplish different tasks. They also became known as “how-to manuals.”
Changes like these led to the increased importance of blogs in our society, as well as an increased connection to the “outside world.” In fact, many credit bloggers as the main reason why U.S. Senator Trent Lott had to step down as U.S. Senate Majority Leader, due to his controversial comments that suggested America would have been better off if fellow Senator Strom Thurmond had become the President of the United States back in 1948.
This was controversial due to the fact that Thurmond supported racial segregation during his presidential campaign. Despite media members being at the public event where Lott had made those comments, none of them reported the story.
It wasn’t until bloggers got wind of it and reported it did the mass media start to report it, hence showing the increased importance of bloggers and their ability to present information quickly to the rest of the world.
Further evidence and acceptance by the mass media was when bloggers declared the documents presented by CBS News’ Dan Rather on President George W. Bush’s military service record to be forgeries, eventually leading to Rather’s dismissal as head anchor of the CBS EVening News.
Bloggers providing information on the news via their blogs wasn’t the only way bloggers were providing information. Internet marketers and online websites determined that they could spread their marketing messages via their own blogs.
In addition, it would also allow them to communicate more personally with their customers and website visitors, both in an attempt to learn what they want from those businesses and websites, as well as show that Internet marketers and online companies had a human element to them and weren’t just faceless businesses, which would also help convince people to do business with them.
Today, there are blogs on virtually every type of subject, from politics and sports to gardening and business.
Knowledgeable people on these topics have found a medium where they can express themselves and educate others without having to be employed by a news agency or without leaving the comfort of their homes. Businesses and politicians can write about what defines them and why people should buy from or support them.
Blogs have come a long way over the last few decades, going from personal diary web logs that weren’t easy to post online and update to personal web spaces that talk about anything from sports to politics to breaking news. The advancement in technology has allowed virtually anyone to be able to post a blog online about anything he/she chooses.
Blogging has also become a very important part of our world, helping to shape it via the opinions of those writers who report breaking news, provide political analysis, or offer sports commentary.
For more history on blogging, check out the following:
| 7 Milestones in the History of Blogging - A history of how blogging got to the point it is now. History of Blogging What is a blog? |
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One Response to “The History of Blogging”
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Very interesting article here. Although I think most of the information is ok, I have to question the fact that blogging has been done since 1998-1999, I cannot see it being that long ago, as it really has only been around the net for a max of 5 years or so. I would like to see something that shows this information to be correct.