Join the Blogosphere

Several years ago, a study from the Pew Internet & American Life Project raised some eyebrows.  Researchers found that 3 percent of online U.S. seniors had created a blog and 17 percent had read someone else’s blog.  Both these figures were higher than expected, but in retrospect they hardly seem surprising.  Blogging is a natural for seniors.

For one thing, blogging requires little technical expertise.  If you can hunt and peck your way around a keyboard and click on a mouse, you can blog, thanks to easy-to-use online tools that automate the process of creating a blog and posting new entries. 

In addition, blogging is simply an online version of the kind of journal-keeping that individuals have done since the invention of writing.  The only difference is that the readership of these personal journals, which in the past had been limited to family and friends, now potentially could include the millions of people with access to the Internet.  And finally, many seniors are at the point in their lives when they have both the time to reflect and the inclination to share their reflections with others. 

Reaching Your Audience
In fact, one of the benefits of a blog is that it establishes connections with other people. Most bloggers encourage readers to comment on their online essays.  As a result, a blog allows you to have a freewheeling conversation about topics that are important to you.  If you’re a wine lover, you can compare tasting notes with other oenophiles. If you’re a fountain pen collector, you might want to create a dialogue with people who collect old Parkers or Sheaffers.  No matter what your purpose, a blog allows you to start the conversation and keep it going.

Getting Started
Before you begin your blog, it’s a good idea to check out what other bloggers are writing about.  A specialized blog search engine like www.technorati.com combines excerpts from popular blogs with the ability to track down blogs of interest. 

It also makes sense to think about what you are trying to accomplish before you start writing—and how much time you want to devote to it.  Will your blog be a forum for your reaction to everyday events in your life?  Or will you limit yourself to discussions of a hobby or issue?  Whatever the focus, clearly defined goals will make it easier for you to sustain your blog over time—and bring you an audience of people who know what to expect and like what you have to say.