Despite the huge popularity of blogs around the Internet, people still have so many misconceptions of the whole phenomenon. Here are just some of them and real-world experiences to debunk these myths.
Anyone can start a blog. Not just anyone! Obviously, you should know how to use the computer, need an Internet connection and some experience using the Internet. You also need a host for your blogs; there are blog hosts that are free and some that cost a small amount per month. One last requirement is not just an ability to communicate your thoughts but also a willingness to do so.
Anyone can set up a blog. This comes down to the blog host you are using. Some hosts get far more technical than the average user may be ready for. Some just require you to fill a one-step form and your blogs will be set up in seconds!
Blogging is grade-school. When in comes to blogging, it’s the actual writing that’s the toughest nut to crack. The more engaged and knowledgeable you are with your subject, the easier and more interesting your writing will be.
Most blogs are political. Nope, only some. Many blogs focus on political topics but most blogs are just bloggers discussing their lives, loves and travels. A list of the 50 most visited blogs at BlogHub (http://www.bloghub.com/top50blogs.htm) shows very few political blogs.
Blogs are in competition with the main-stream media. This is true in a few cases (not as many cases as bloggers would have you think). Just recently, there have been some very popular and influential social and politically-oriented blogs that have caused main-stream media outlets to back-track and change their coverage of important events.
Bloggers just criticize and have no new information to add. This may be true in some cases but blogging today is much more than the personal activity it used to be. Corporations, media outlets, public personalities, politicians and experts in almost every field have now joined the ranks of blog producers. Considering all this expertise, one would have to say that bloggers have a lot of new information to add to any debate.
You can’t believe anything you read in a blog. That’s a bit of an overstatement. You’ll get to read bad information and even intentional untruths in blogs but, for the most part, bloggers who state facts are stating what they honestly believe to be fact. Reader should be responsible enough to verify that any information they receive is accurate.
