Datasheet
15
Chapter 1: Discovering Blog Basics
Figure 1-4:
TechCrunch
is your
source for
satisfying
your gadget
news
appetite.
General Motors, Google, and Sun Microsystems all have company blogs, giving
readers a peek inside the corporate culture of what might otherwise be fairly
faceless monoliths.
Southwest has taken this approach (www.blogsouthwest.com). On the blog’s
About page, Southwest says, “Our goal with the new Nuts About Southwest
remains to give our readers the opportunity to take a look inside Southwest
Airlines and to interact with us.” Southwest tries to make sure that the blog
represents a lot of voices inside the company, from managers to captains —
even the president of the company. Like with personal blogs, the tone is light
and conversational, making the company seem friendly and accessible.
Recognizing a blog
You’ve probably seen a blog online already. Because the blogger isn’t required
to put a big This Is a Blog! sticker at the top of the page, you might not have
realized that you were looking at a blog. With a little practice and familiarity
with standard blog elements, though, you can identify any blog in a snap.
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