Blogs or web logs will turn 20 in 2017. As per blog-tracker Technorati there were 152 million blogs worldwide in 2013 as compared to 1,00,000 in March 2003. In India, blogging is the most popular internet activity after emailing.

WordPress is the most popular blogging platform available today. You can install WordPress on a self-hosted blog or you can use WordPress’s free blogging service at WordPress.com

History of blogging

Who started the first blog is not clear. But there is a consensus in the blogosphere that 1997 marked the birth of what has now become an online revolution. Sometime in 1999, the term weblog started getting pronounced as wee-blog or blog for short. In 2007, the number of blogs reached close to 100 million with 1.4 blogs being added every second.

What is a blog?

A blog is a “log” of diary-like entries published on a web site. This is how it started, people publishing their daily thoughts for all to read on their website. The blog entries may be short, quick snippets or longer, thoughtful essays. Sometimes new entries are added every few hours and sometimes just once in a while. It all depends on the author and what she or he wants to express.

How do you get started?

If you want to start a blog, you’ll need a blogging hosting service to host your blog for you. The easiest way is to use a host service like Blogger.com or WordPress.com. Sign up for an account and start penning your thoughts right away.

Keep in mind that both Blogger and WordPress are free services. If you need complete control over your blog, you have to buy a domain name and some hosting space from a webhosting company. A domain name can be registered for one year for about 700 rupees. A basic webhosting package will cost about 1400 rupees/year. That means by spending less than 2500 rupees a year you can own and operate a blog. Who knows – what starts out as a hobby may as well become a full time career a few hours down the lane.