"Blog" is a word you're probably familiar with, and for good reason, there are now millions of blogs around the world. Each year on 31 August, World Blog Day is celebrated. According to some sources, this day was chosen because 3108 (the 31st day of the 8th month of the year) can be read as "blog". On the 2021 edition of this celebration, we look back at how blogging has changed the way we consume information.
What is a blog?
In practice, a blog is a website that has the particularity of allowing an editor, the blogger, to keep a digital journal. Justin Hall was the first blogger; he published his blog on 1 January 1994, and his article describes his experience of the Internet. Today, the definition of a blog has expanded enormously and encompasses many more concepts. Thanks to the various features that have emerged since 1994, the web is evolving enormously and becoming very interactive and participatory, impacting the daily lives of bloggers. The web has become much easier to manipulate, notably thanks to the birth of certain sites such as Skyblog which is the ancestor of WordPress. The direct consequence of this new manageability is the birth in a few years of about 50 million blogs in the world, only 11 years after the first blog was published.
One of the main advantages of blogs is that you don't need any special skills to own one. In addition, a blog can be presented in different formats. For example, through videos (Vlog), photos (Photo Blog) or a comic book (Comic Book Blog). An Internet user can decide to share a story, an opinion or even a work. Today, there are over 500 million blogs in the world.
On a continent where Internet access is still considered a luxury in many countries, Africa has slowly but surely succumbed to the pleasure of blogging. Blogging has long been considered as a mean of expressing opinions in sub-Saharan Africa. It is only recently that this tool is increasingly being used for informational and educational purposes. Traditional distribution channels no longer have a monopoly on information. No topic escapes the rise of blogs: technology, photography, personal development, music, cooking, gossip, etc. Another type of blog that has emerged in the last decade is the lifestyle blog; the principle of this blog is to provide advice that aims to make the lives of Internet users more pleasant. Examples of this are skin care articles based on the author's own experience. Although not all the authors of these blogs are healthcare professionals, they have a large audience of millions of Internet users. More and more bloggers' associations are emerging in Africa and competitions are even being organised to bring the blogging profession to the attention of the public.
BlogPower: Great power, great responsibility!
Because they are independent, bloggers have greater editorial freedom than the traditional media. As a result, blogs can tackle even the most controversial topics. Also, their often-informal style facilitates a better connection with the reader. This connection often comes from the interaction generated by the piece of information. Whether it is through comments or shares, the reader can interact with the content and express their opinion on the subject. In order to maintain an engaged audience, blog authors strive to cover only topics that resonate with the interests of their audience. The information shared is therefore evolving and relevant.
However, this multiplicity of sources of information raises questions about the veracity of the information shared and/or the authority of the author in the topics covered. Information mentioned in a blog which is not systematically checked by a regulator, can easily present incorrect data and facts. Even worse, some authors deliberately provide inaccurate information. Disinformation is the act of misinforming and consists of transmitting partially false information with the aim of misleading or influencing public opinion and causing it to act in a certain direction. It is therefore essential to exercise discretion and to check the facts with authorities in the areas covered as a precautionary measure.
All in all, whether it is used to describe the author's point of view for educational purposes or simply for an online journal, blogging is a widely popular medium that had proved its effectiveness with time. For this celebration, we propose a selection of 6 blogs, offering quality content that you will find beneficial:
Les gourmandises de Karelle (LGDK) (Available in French) is a culinary blog hosted by Karelle Vignon-Vullierme. She shares recipes and her daily culinary life. The blog combines video, text and images to make you a professional cook. (Available in French)
Musicfeelings (Available in French) is an opinionated music blog. It deciphers Soul, RnB, Rap, Pop music. It is one of the best destinations to learn about the music industry and enrich your musical culture (Available in French).
Crazy Sally (Available in French)) is a vlog covering everything from current events to beauty/fashion tips to surveys. Her latest series of video reports entitled 'Motherland' aim at presenting Africa in a unique light .
Nataal2.0 (Available in Wollof, French and English) is a photo blog hosted by Mame Cheikh Mbaye presenting Dakar and its surroundings through the lens of his camera.
Daanuu (Available in French) is a blog focusing on sharing Arianne Ulrick's perspective on Nature, spices and fruits.
Passportheavy a vlog focusing on promoting tourism and travel. The goal is to share the joys of travel with the rest of the world and help influence a new narrative in media.
Happy Blog Day 2021! 🥳🤗
Comments