Blogs and Communication

By: Emily Anderst, Sam Britton, Tim Sundine, Chris Harkness, Michael Morales and Brody Lund

What is a blog?
A blog is a personal website for an individual, groups, companies, organizations, etc. that is used as a means to express opinions, experiences, observations and ideas. Often times blogs contain links to other websites and references to other sources.

History of the Blog

1967: The Internet is invented. 1994: Claudio Pinhanez of MIT publishes his "Open Diary," a Web page documenting happening in his life. At the same time, Justin Hall, online diarist, became known for his "personal homepage" on the Web. 1995: FrontPage, a web publishing tool which enabled people without coding skills to publish Web sites was released by Vermeer Technologies . 1996: An early experiment in collaborative photo blogging known as 24 Hours in Cyberspace took place. 1997: Jorn Barger starts a daily log of Web links and calls it Robot Wisdom WebLog. The term "Weblog" was soon used by other publishers. 1998: Open Diary assist users in the publishing of online journals. 2001: Big-name bloggers begin to emerge. 2003: The creation of Audioblogger. 2006: Research from the Pew Internet and American Life Project estimates that 12 million U.S. adults publish their own blogs.

Web 2.0
Web 2.0 is a phrase coined by Darcy DiNucci in 1999. Referring to an interactive or non-static form of a website,not an actual program upgrade. This website base allows users to interact and collaborate with each other in a social media dialogue. Blogs fall directly under this umbrella of social media, a way for people to interact. Many people dispute that Web 2.0 is any different than the previous Web technologies.

Blogs and Corporate Communication

Companies everywhere are taking full advantage of blogs as an easy to use form of communication. McKinsey Global Survey of how companies are benefiting from Web2.0, published September 2009; measurable business benefits more innovative products and services

Using blogging sites, 1,173 out of 1,700 executives from around the world have reported;

more effective marketing

better access to knowledge lower cost of business, and higher revenues.

Blogging allows for group to group conversations rather than person to person, such as email.

Blogs and Personal Communication

Blogs can also used as a quick expressive medium for Personal Communication.
Personal Blogs consist of:

An outlet for creativity

A way to stay in touch with friends and family Expressions of feeling and emotion Community Forums Commentary on the latest fad or trending topic Life documentation

Personal Blogs are an easy way to express any idea to colleagues, friends and family.

Blogs and Engineering

Engineering Blogs are not only a speedy way to communicate within the industry, they also:
Encourage innovation and research

Allow access to a wide range of ideas

Present a way to communicate a new theory or project Allow others in the industry to brainstorm immediately Create an informal environment to communicate opinions

Engineering companies have also adopted blogging as a way to:

Interact with customers

Allow sneak peaks and insight into upcoming products

Humanize the company to appeal to customers

Sources
Bughin, J. (2009, January). How companies are benefiting from web 2.0: Mckinsey global survey results. Retrieved from http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/business_technology/how_companies_are_benefiting_from_web_20_mckins ey_global_survey_results Carvin, A. (2007, December 24). Timeline: The life of the blog.Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17421022 Nardie, B. (2004, December). Why we blog. Retrieved from http://psych.stanford.edu/~mgumbrec/Why_We_Blog.pdf NYU stern study shows long-term benefits to blogging in the workplace. (2011, March 2). Retrieved from http://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/news-events/UAT_024183