A blog is an information or discussion site published over the Internet consisting of informal, usually textual diary-style posts viewed in the public or private online forums. Blogs are usually displayed in either reverse chronological order, or in a “discovery” style, so that the latest post appears at the top of the page, or at the bottom. Blogs can be helpful tools for marketing oneself or a business; they also have considerable social value as well. Unfortunately, bloggers who abuse their free-for-all status can face serious consequences. The following article briefly discusses the legal issues that usually surround blogs.
Because blogs are essentially personal journals, it can be tempting for a blogger to engage in activities that would otherwise be viewed as defamatory, or as activities that would otherwise be considered harassment. In other words, a blogger could write about or review products for sale with the goal of illegally profiting from the goods or services of another. Such activities would constitute a violation of the anti-spam laws that prohibit spamming. Likewise, if a blogger used the blog to conduct illegal activities, such as identity theft or unauthorized billing of credit card accounts, this could also be viewed as a violation of that same anti-spam laws. As a result, bloggers may face professional consequences for their inappropriate online journaling activities.
There are various defenses to the actions described above. For instance, if a blogger has actually been harmed by another person or company through the posting of their blog (such as through slander or libel), then a defense to liability can be raised by pointing out that, in fact, the other person did indeed violate the blogger’s rights in some way. For example, if someone mentioned another person’s residence in a blog post without that person’s authorization, or if that person mentioned another person’s name in a blog post without that person’s authorization, that could be seen as a violation of the blog writer’s right to privacy. This is not, however, an automatic defense to liability. It will depend on the circumstances of each individual case.
On the other hand, if you’re just getting started with your own blog, you should first do an honest and competently calculated competitive analysis of how you want to structure your blog to maximize its audience reach. You can use search engine optimization (SEO) strategies or you can build a network of contacts, friends, or connections who can help get you the exposure that you need. You can also use paid advertisements on other blogs to help you get started. Remember, though, that SEO takes time to become really successful and it will cost you money to get started.
If you’re just starting out, remember that SEO can take time and that it is likely that your blog posts will not appear on Google’s first page immediately. Therefore, take the time and the effort to build links to other sites. For example, if you own and operate a blog page about fall sports, you can join a web page about fall sports and offer to link to their page, or you can offer to write a guest post for them in exchange for a link to your own blog post. Building links and providing valuable content to other websites that are willing to trade is one of the best ways to leverage your blog posts. In addition, other sites that are interested in having your content will be glad to accept articles about all sports, because you’re providing them with high-value information.
Finally, you should look for popular blogging platforms to help you keep up with the latest trends. In particular, you’ll want to find blogging platforms that have regular update timings, that are easy to use, and that allow you to add in widgets to enhance the functionality of your blog. You can easily install widgets such as Google Alerts, Google Base Insights, Google Webmaster Tools, WordPress SEO, and more. These widgets can tell you what the most popular keywords are being used to search for articles and blog posts on popular blogging platforms. You can also use these services to create mailing lists, follow other sites on Twitter, and more. Using popular blogging platforms to help you leverage your current blog content and build on it is an excellent way to take full advantage of your blog.
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