How do I use a blog? (BB#2)

In a previous post you learned exactly what a blog is, what a blog post is, and what the crazy activity called “blogging” entails. Next, it’s time to take a look at how to actually get around a blog to use one to its fullest extent.

Most of what you see from blog to blog is pretty much the same. There are only a few minor differences that really shouldn’t trip you up. Without further ado, let’s begin…

Very straight-forward… in a backwards kinda way

If you’ve followed any series articles on other blogs then you probably noticed something odd: part I of any series is listed last and the most recent article is listed first. On a regular website these articles (posts or entries as they are sometimes called) are listed in numerical order: the first article being first and the last article being last.

This “reverse” reading order comes from the fact that blog posts are automatically ordered from the most recent on back through time.

The sidebar: no alcohol, but just as important

All blogs have a sidebar. A sidebar is a long section of a blog or website where extra “stuff” is kept. That stuff can be links to other pages, links to articles, links to recommended websites, and everyone’s favorite: advertising. There can be one, two, or even three sidebars. They can appear on the left side, the right side, or both.

Here’s the important stuff you’ll find in a sidebar. (Please note that each blog might name the contents of their sidebar a little differently.)

Recent Posts

A listing of the most recent blog posts in reverse chronological order. Most blogs will list only the five to ten of the most recent posts.

Popular Posts

Contains a listing of what most visitors are reading on a particular blog. Instead of reading page after page in search of something interesting, the Popular Posts section can give you a clue to where the hidden gems are located.

Categories

Each post (article, entry, etc.) is given a category. So by glancing at the Category section of the sidebar, you can get a good idea of the kinds of posts a blog has and can then quickly locate articles of interest to you.

Archives

If a blog has hundreds of posts, but the Recent Posts section only lists the most current five to ten of of them, then you can use the Archives section to dig deeper into the past.

The Archives of a blog are usually listed by month and year. For example: April 2009. Clicking on that link will show you all of the posts that were written during that month.