Involvement on Blogs

The Young, Hopeful, and Clueless's Introduction to Blogging

Ranging from “15 Ways to Flirt” to “15 Ways to Overthrow the Government,” blogs cover a plethora of information for many purposes while creating a community for every type of blogger and unique reader. At its most basic level, a weblog is a website where the content consists of regularly updated journal entries arranged in reverse chronological order (Forsey). Blogs are created for the user experience by the information presented, multimedia carefully selected, and casual wording. The goal of a blog is for readers to seek out information, read information, and respond to information. Blogs are great online locations to become involved in discourse communities because of the educational nature combined with entertaining composition to promote knowledge, personal growth, and a sense of community.

Social media and blogging are both communicative in nature. Similar to social media, blogs require creators, content, and updates. A large difference between social media and blogs is their focus. Blogs focus on user engagement through food-for-thought while social media focus is on user experience through influence. I am more likely to use social media as an extension of my life with the pictures I post, the peers I reach, and updates to events.

    On a separate post, I mentioned intention is important when starting out on social media. Intention carries across to blogging and online spaces. Blogging is something that I do for myself. On Facebook, I respond to family members. When I use Snapchat, I direct message friends or add pictures and videos to my story for people to view. But when I start typing in a Google Search engine about my personal inquiries, I reconnect with myself. Instead of extending myself to the wants and needs of others, I give into the personal indulgence of self-care.

I have many interests, and because of blogging, I can explore each one. I read about lifestyle tips, like backpacking through Europe, but I also have teenage girl moments where I read micro-expressions for flirting or how-to’s on baking. Additionally, blogging aids my career in research. Blogs are great resources because their animal advice is tested. Furthermore, blogging grants free access to important information. I am not officially diagnosed, but I still live with symptoms of ADHD that are hard to manage. Knowing that there are people who have been diagnosed comforts my soul and makes me excited for my diagnosis one day. 

    My blog content is reader-focused. Multimedia is selected to enhance the message. I hope readers learn and grow from my trials and tribulations. My target audience gives me permission to write about ideas I am passionate about and potentially help others. My peers are my family and friends from high school. While I love them and they appreciate my self-help rants, I feel their likes are out of sympathy because care more about me than the inspiration. My audience on the blog will be searching out answers; they want the help! I love social media to connect with peers, but I appreciate the alternative blogging for its personally fulfilling nature. First, blogs encourage personal growth. Readers have to search out the blog while social media feeds typically present new content based on algorithms. Blogs develop a well-rounded character instead of staying in a lane. Second, blogs promote knowledge. I follow Facebook pages about fish keeping, but because blog posts are longer and the information goes in-depth. Third, blogs develop maturity. People who seek out blogs gear their minds away from social media posts.

After a positive experience on a blog, readers feel inspired and want to continue the discussion. Blogs foster positive, open communication. Social media has an influence on emotions and self-image. A competitive mindset is based on the association of peers, status, and power. When I log onto social media, I feel resentment and insecurity. I compare myself to others based on who I hang out with, how I dress, and what I share. Blogs go further than high school accomplishments and popularity, which social media prides itself on. A further-developed adult still faces comparison on social media based on how their life played out. It is nice to keep in touch, but seeing posts about children and grandchildren, promotions, and neighborhoods becomes straining.

Offering ideas and ways to connect, blogging and social media have their place in the online world. Social media allows people to connect with peers and build their aesthetic, while blogging encourages self-exploration and new perspectives outside one's normal, in-person community. How do you use your online communities? Do you prefer the instant connections built off of social media, or do you enjoy the deeper searching adventure found in blogs? I use both social media and blogging as different ways to express my personality. While I am bubbly and family-oriented on social media, blogging provides an inspirational escape geared towards the more "renaissance" aspects of my personality.

  

    Image Credits

"Ai Generated Question Mark Balloon" by Geralt via Pixabay.

"Traffic Sign Signpost Skills" by Geralt via Pixabay.

"Saturday Night Drinking" by Problems of an African Girl via GIPHY.

“Technology, Futuristic, Science Image" by Geralt via Pixaby.