Blogs: What is Hot and What is Not

Although podcasting has surpassed the popularity of blogging, that doesn’t mean blogging is a dying art. If you take the time to browse around the Internet, you’ll see that blog hosting communities are still rapidly growing. If you’re not yet part of this crowd, check it out to experience the fun and excitement.

Pressing the Keys at applications. Newbies and advanced users will enjoy blogging at WordPress with the many features available for use such as entry previews, blog categories and blogrolls.

Thumbs-Ups: You can add plug-ins and customize your blog layout. WordPress also provides constant updates for their users.

Thumbs-Down: A bit of software knowledge is required to properly install WordPress. If you have enabled commenting in your site, don’t be surprised to find that more than a few spammers are developing a habit of dropping by your site. [Ed. Note: I've definitely found this to be the case. Having anti-spam filters like Akisimet in place is important to keep on top of the spam issue.]

Fire up at FeedBurner

Is your blog is worth broadcasting? If so, you should consider moving from your old blog community to FeedBurner. At FeedBurner, they help you create content and spread the word about your blog as well.

Thumbs-Ups: With the standard free package, FeedBurner allows you to set up the configuration for your blog for easy posting and even use an RSS subscription button to automatically update the readers of your blog. The Web site gives you information about the average number of visits your blog has per day along with other traffic statistics. You can earn money on the sideline from by adding Google Ads in your blog.

Thumbs-Down: The template editing section of FeedBurner isn't easy to master.

Everything in One at Multiply

If you wish to blog, upload photos, videos, music files, write reviews and post your social calendar with one Web site, all you have to do is sign up for an account at Multiply.

Thumbs-Ups: Photo uploading is virtually unlimited, images can be classified by albums and given captions. Skin choices are provided to give your blogs more color and life and RSS feeds are allowed.

Thumbs-Down: When writing reviews, Multiply doesn’t give users much freedom to customize content by font type or color. Layouts can be edited…but only if you have CSS knowledge and even with that, customization is still limited. The smiley list is woefully inadequate.

Live and Write Freely at LiveJournal

With a hip nickname such as “LJ,” LiveJournal is a Web site that’s designed for the fun-loving crowd on the go.

Thumbs-Ups: Bonds forged online are strengthened by LJ’s email notifications for commenting. If someone comments in your blog, an email will inform you of it. Additionally, an email will be sent to you if your comment on someone else’s LJ receives a reply ­ whether it’s from the blog owner or another blogger doesn’t matter.

Thumbs-Down: LJ isn't easy to customize. Some features offered for free by other blog hosts are only for LJ members with paid accounts.

Be In Vogue at Xanga

Teenagers seem to be enamored with Xanga. If you want a blogging process that’s easy and stylish at the same time, Xanga is the blog host for you.

Thumbs-Ups: Besides having community-based blogging, each post allows you to inform your readers what you’re reading, watching or playing. You can also upload photos, music and write categorized reviews. A guest book is automatically offered to users.

Thumbs-Downs: Although Xanga allows users to use RSS feeds; it takes time to properly integrate it in their blogs. The layout options are limited, the URL for members is a mouthful and commenting is reserved for Xanga members only.

Conclusion

Which blog hosting site do you plan to choose? Wherever you end up blogging, we wish you well! Blog on!