Product Description

If you want to give yourself a Web presence without spending a lot of time or money, a blog is your answer and this is your guide. Blogs (Web logs) are short, diary-like entries on a Web site that has a chronological, journal format. Fun or informative, but not formal, blogs are easy to set up, maintain, and update. You can share your personal, stream-of-consciousness musings or your expertise on any subject ranging from your family vacation to world peace. This guide helps beginners (even technophobes) get started fast, with the essential info on:

• The elements of blogs, such as entries, sidebars, categories, comments, and index pages
• The different types of hosting services, from free to fee and from “turn key” services that are easy-to-use to DIY programs 
• Details on two popular, free “social community” hosted Web services that are ideal for casual bloggers—MSN Spaces and Yahoo! 360
• The scoop on Blogger, a popular free hosted service that has some community tools like the social networks, but is basically blog-intensive
• DIY blogging, covering three of the most powerful and flexible blog programs—Movable Type, WordPress, and Radio Userland
• Hooking into RSS feeds to distribute your blog entries beyond your site
• Choosing a newsreader
• Ways to raise the visibility of your blog and make money from blogging

Complete with step-by-step instructions and lots of screen shots, this guide walks you through everything from setting up your blog and posting your first entry to adding photos, audio, and more. It includes the URLs of lots of sample sites to see to give you an idea of blog possibilities. In addition to the essential how-to, it fills you in on:

• The blogosphere, blog culture and etiquette, snarks, macrologues, and more
• Moblogs that let you post entries remotely using your portable computer, PDA, or cell phone
• Buying a domain through a registrar such as Network Solutions, Register.com, or Go Daddy
• MP3 blogs, vlogs (videoblogs), photoblogging, audioblogging, podcasting, and more

You know you have something to say, whether it’s heavy stuff or just your thought for the day. Make your opinions known. Get your photos shown. With Blogging For Dummies, you’ll soon be blogging with the best of ‘em.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #98506 in Books
• Published on: 2006-01-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Review
“…Blogging for Dummies gets the thumbs up…you should be able to find all the answers to those questions about blogs you’ve been afraid to ask…” (The Inquirer (Web), 21 February 2006)

Blogging for Dummies gets the thumbs up you should be able to find all the answers to those questions about blogs you've been afraid to ask (The Inquirer (Web), 21 February 2006)

From the Back Cover
Compare blog services, find out about feeds, and blog safely

So you're really curious about this whole phenomenon called blogging? Wondering if you should jump on board? Here's your ticket! Find out what makes a blog a blog, how to start one and choose a host, and how to keep your blog updated. Explore styles and content sources — you may even be able to make your blog make money!

Discover how to

• Compare options for hosting your blog
• Follow blogging etiquette
• Work with Blogger, WordPress, and TypePad
• Set up RSS feeds
• Explore sponsored blogs
• Check into podcasting, moblogging, and photoblogging

About the Author
Brad Hill has worked in the online field since 1992 and has written 20 books. As a best-selling author, columnist, and blogger, Brad reaches a global audience of consumers who rely on his writings to help determine their online service choices.
Brad's books include a Publishers Weekly bestseller and a Book-of-the-Month catalog selection. Brad’s titles in the For Dummies series include Google For Dummies and Building Your Business with Google For Dummies. Brad is often consulted in the media’s coverage of the Internet. He appears frequently on television, radio, Webcasts, and has been quoted in Business Week, The New York Times, and innumerable other publications.
Brad is Associate Editor of Weblogs, Inc., the world's largest blog network, where he helps to manage about 100 blogs written by nearly 200 bloggers. As a staff blogger at Weblogs, Inc., for two years, he posted well over 3,000 entries in blogs about digital music, Google, Yahoo!, search engine marketing, and others. As a hobby, Brad operates independent blogs about dogs www.fourfooted.com, classical music (www.undeadmusic.com), and his own bad self (www.bradhill.com). He and his wife maintain a photo blog about their adventures at home and on vacations, read mostly by friends and family.
Brad has not won the Nobel Prize, and the prospect seems doubtful. He remains cheerful.

Customer Reviews

Good if you are JUST starting out
I decided to start a blog and I know NOTHING about blogging, so I picked up this book. If you are having a difficult time selecting which website to blog with, typepad, wordpress, etc. this book is great to help determine which will best suit your needs! I also like that it covers basic info such as trackbacks and blog engines. Again great if you have NO CLUE about blogs I would imagine if you have say a 40% rate of knowledge about blogging this book would be a waste of time.

too many jokes hide the info
I know there's good information here...somewhere...but everytime my eye lights on a page I have to find my way around the author's witicisms to get the information. And I haven't laughed once. If they want it to be funny and engrossing, they should get Dave Barry to write it. Otherwise, it's just annoying.

This book has everything you need to begin and work with blogs
Blogging for Dummies


reviewed by Dr. Eric Flescher, Olathe, KS: (dreric1kansas@aol.com)

Authors: Brad Hill
Publisher: Wiley
Released: 2006
Pages: 368
$ 22 USA
29 Canada
15 UK
ISBN: 0-471-77084-1
Strengths: This is a text you want to get if you are just starting a blog or just thinking about one. The breadth and depth of information provided by the author will give you a solid grounding with blog,s no matter what kind of blog service you will use. The pros and cons for each service are also highlighted.

Weaknesses: Black and white screenshots. Some screenshots are a little on the small side.

Novice/Intermediate/Advanced

Rating: 5/5


I have created websites for several years. Then the word called "blogs" appeared and I did not really know what they really were or how and what ways I could use one. Finally I introduced myself by reading some blogs and "scavenging around for information." Several blogs were created but not before I decided to change where I put my blogs. If I had read this book first, that would not have happened. But better late than sorry and that goes for anyone else who wants to operate a blog for fun, home, pleasure or business. This 368 page book is a " steal" and is just what you want if you are interested in initiating or improving your blog.
The book's author created the Google for Dummies book and is a lead blogger for Weblogs, Inc. His vast experience is amply demonstrated in the five sections of this book. The nineteen chapters provide the full breadth and depth for understanding the many facets of a blog experience, now and in the future. There is more to "web blogs" then just placing a "blog that connects to the internet." It has become more complicated.
The introduction is well done and informative. Part 1 " The what, where , why and how of weblogs," covers entries, post and archiving and understanding the blog mechanics and elements. Now you gain a sense of how blogs appear and what the "look' for your blog(s) should be and the different ways to display your blogs to help make decisions. details the different type of blogs (social networking, self installed blogs, web host blogs.
Part 2, " starting a blog today" compares, and contrasts blogs to decide which blog type is best for your uses. This section covers blog publishing tools such as Blogger, MSN, Yahoo 360, Typepad and others. Understandable and clear, reading these chapters gives you reliable ideas for selecting choices and making up your mind. What I like about this section is that the choices were all displayed and especially for first time bloggers, a user can explore and choose instead of spending all the time hunting for the "right blog." And deciding the right way first, may help you choose your style for your blog that will meet your needs now and for the future eliminating the need for transferring and starting over with a different blogger engine, when I found out and decided I needed more flexibility.
Part 3 "installing your own blog program' has information about mastering your own blog domain, installing your own and starting. Movable type, Wordpress, Hybrid blogs are explored. While I did not choose any of these methods for my blogs, there are many who do so this is another avenue to explore before you start your blogging exploits.
Part 4 `total blog immersion,' goes beyond "blogging." learn about RSS feeds, running a blog business, running podcasts, using photoblogging.
Part 5 is " the parts of ten," is a curious name but is very useful as this section highlights resources and information that can help you learn more about blogging in general. I found this section useful because in many ways, authoring a blog goes beyond many facets of blogging which is similar to advertising and finding out about websites. Learn about blog directories, blog site trackers and much more.
Finally the glossary and index help round out the information. While the book is in black and white, this does not detract from the learning process or take away from it. The screenshots, many of them small, are helpful, give a better sense of how to utilize the tutorials. Along the way, there are four icons displayed in the text (tips, remember, technical stuff, warning!).
i wished I had found this guide sooner. When I wanted to find out further information about blogs and upgrading my idea, I was desperate to find a good resource and guide. A good book was difficult to find but I finally found this text. This dummies book is well done, informative and the price is right for what you can learn. The author has really done a " solid job" and has written a book that is not only easy to read but enlightening. The additional resources and knowledge in the book provide a great understanding to the `world of blogging, ` starting your experience with blogging but extending it. I recommend this book highly for those who want to start their `blogging journey' or "improving your experiences."