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Blogging basics start with understanding the vocabulary of blogs. You need to know what blog, blogging platform, domain and web host all mean. I'll give you a quick overview on what each of these terms mean. Once you know what you're talking about, you'll be able to start blogging on your own.

Blog is shorthand for web log. Where a log is like a diary, so it's an online diary! Blogs are generally published in reverse chronological order (newest first, oldest last). While most blogs are text, more and more are embracing video and audio. The remainder of blogging 101 has to do with more techie stuff. You'll need to have a web host, a domain and a blogging platform.

A blogging platform is a computer software program that allows you to write posts and to update your blog. Your platform is also what you use to design the look of your blog, from color scheme to font size. Common platforms are Typepad and WordPress. A web host is a place where your web files are exposed to the rest of the world. The web host will take care of various things like accepting page requests from internet users and returning the appropriate web page. Don't worry, they make all this transparent, so you don't have to worry about it! You just need one.

A domain is how your readers will find you. Instead of typing in a IP address, they'll type in an easier to remember domain name and the requests will get forwarded on to your web host who will handle things from there. Most domain names end in 'dot com' but 'dot net' or 'dot org' are also popular. Choose a good, easy to remember domain so your readers won't have a hard time coming back for more of your quality content.

Now that you know what a blog is, what a platform is, and what domains and hosts are, congratulate yourself! You'll be able to hold a basic conversation with your fellow bloggers now. It wasn't that hard, now was it?