How to Grow a Community around Your Blog

1. (noun) A list of previous blog posts, in chronological order. 2. (verb) To place files or blog posts in a safer place (on DVD or another server) for longer-term or backup storage.

Used in an HTML tag to give an instruction to a Web browser. For example, in This link goes to <a href="http://www.google.com">Google</a>, the <a> tag gets an attribute (href) and a value ("http://www.google.com") to go along with the basic tag. In this case, the attribute indicates to the browser that what comes next is a hypertext reference — in this case, a Web page.

An often-centralized list of e-mail addresses, URLs, and IP addresses used by spammers that are then forbidden in any blog post on your blog. With an up-to-date blacklist, a lot of spam is stopped before it becomes a comment.

To stop all contact with a MySpace user. He can’t comment on your blog page or send you any message that you actually receive.

A combination of the words Web and log. Bloggers (individuals, groups, or businesses) post a chronological log of information. Content is determined entirely by the author(s) of the blog; many are personal journals.

An entry in a blog, possibly containing text, images, and other media.

The author of a blog.

Outlines what you’re allowed to post in your blog.

Technology that enables you to blog. Can be either hosted or nonhosted.

A collection of links used or recommended by a blogger.

A piece of feedback left by a reader on a blog post, or to leave such a comment.

Typically, an automated process that posts useless information with links to all kinds of other sites on your blog posts.

A short piece of computer code, stored on your computer, that enables Web sites to remember certain settings and information the next time you visit that site.

A kind of control panel in Blogger that shows you the blogs you’ve set up, giving you access posting, using help resources, or even creating another blog.

A type of HTML list that gives a term and then its definition and has built-in spacing to lay out those elements properly.

Amount of room available on your hard drive.

A domain is the address, or main URL, that people type in the browser to get to your Web site. The domain name you choose can’t be used by anyone else.

A service that enables you to register a domain name.

An single posting in a blog containing text, images, or other media, or any combination of those things.

A social-networking service that enables you to keep in contact with families and friends via the Web.

A Web site that allows you to share, organize, edit, and otherwise manage your photos.

Your virtual online address book in MySpace. You can become someone’s friend by either sending a fellow MySpacer a Friend Request or by being on the receiving end of a Friend Request from another MySpace user.

Manages the data, software, and Web hosting of a blog; the blogger just manages the content.

The computer coding used by Web designers to create Web pages.

A navigation tool that allows a user to go from one Web location to another by clicking. Hyperinks (or just links) are typically underlined.

In HTML, the address that a hyperlink connects to when clicked. For example, in This link goes to <a href="http://www.google.com">Google</a>, the hypertext reference (href) is http://www.google.com. Hyperlink references can also jump to new positions on the same page, open a new e-mail message, or begin a file download.

Short for hyperlink, a navigation tool that allows a user to go from one Web location to another by clicking. Links are typically underlined.

A self-test that flags inappropriate blog posts. If you’d let your mom read the post, then it’s probably passed the Mom test. Specifically, don’t blog about topics you think will hurt others; don’t blog about others without their permission, even about topics you consider inconsequential; and don’t identify friends and lovers by name without their permission.

A social-networking service that enables you to keep in contact with families and friends via the Web.

Your MySpace identity. It can contain as much or as little information about you as you’d like.

The ability to aggregate news by using RSS feeds. Having a news aggregator included with your blog package allows your site to pull in information from another blog.

Blog software that you set up on your own Web server. It allows you to take on all responsibilities related to maintaining your blog.

Contains items that must be listed in a particular order, such as a list of ranks or preferences. It may also indicate a list of steps for the reader to follow.

An automated notification system for search engines and newsreaders, letting those services know that your blog has been updated. A ping occurs when one computer asks another whether it’s there; the second computer confirms its presence.

1. (noun) An entry in a blog containing text, images, other media, or any combination of these. 2. (verb) The act of creating and/or uploading a blog entry.

A MySpace profile that’s limited on who can view it, such as only people on your Friend List.

The status of publications, processes, and product designs that are free from copyrights and/or patents and are available for anyone's use.

Really Simple Syndication. An RSS feed is a computer-readable version of your blog, standardized so that it can be displayed in newsreaders and on Web sites and blogs.

A column to the right or left of the main content of a blog that contains things like navigational links, special highlighting graphics that point to social networking sites, blogrolls, archive links, or anything that you want to share with your visitors outside the context of a blog post. Sidebars are usually included on every page of your blog and are consistent from page to page.

A service, such as Facebook or MySpace, that enables to keep in touch with people you know — and meet people you don’t know.

Unsolicited electronic messages sent in bulk that may be commercial, nonsensical, or malicious. In addition to e-mail spam, blog comments and blog forums can be targeted by spammers.

A relevant keyword associated or assigned to a piece of information, such as an image, a blog entry, or a video clip. Tags are usually chosen informally by the content creator or by the online community; they help give content to nontext media and organize information for ease of searching.

A technology that tracks references to a blog posting that occurs on other blogs. They allow bloggers to link to blog posts on related topics.

1. Being honest and truthful on your blog. Also means that you admit mistakes and engage in dialogue with readers who leave comments. Considered proper blogging etiquette. 2. Integration of applications, programs, and media from different sources in such a way that the end user is unaware that the content is not self-contained.

unordered list is a series of bulleted items and is used for lists that don’t require numbering.

A blog consisting of video files, or the practice of placing a video file in a blog post.

A service, such as YouTube, that enables you to share video with others.

The Web server where you software, graphics, and other files live online.

Technology that looks at what Web page is requested and then feeds the browser the appropriate file. It does most of the hard work of serving Web pages to visitors coming to your Web site.

A list of preselected users who are allowed to comment on your blog.

A video-sharing service.