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What is a blog site and how to create one?

A blog is an online conversation or informational website that consists of discrete, frequently informal diary-style text postings. Typically, bloggers show posts in reverse chronological order, with the most recent post appearing first at the top of the web page. And you need a fast internet connection to be successful in creating blogs.

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Short History about Blogs

Jorn Barger, a Robot Wisdom blogger, developed the term “weblog” in 1997. This is to characterize his method of “logging the web” while surfing the internet. In 1999, programmer Peter Merholz simplified the term “weblog” to “blog.”

From then on, blog sites became generally defined as websites with regularly updated information on one or more topics. The phrase is an abbreviation for “web log,” which refers to the act of logging information on a website.

Now, you can use a website builder not just to sell products but also to blog. And when you create a blog, you can also try the free and premium themes available. Also, in creating your own site, you can use a free platform. There are many options on the internet.

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What is the difference between blog and website?

Some people may confuse a blog with a website since they are both platforms containing valuable information. However, they differ from each other.

Blog

A blog is like an online journal. Bloggers express their thoughts and feelings, or some valuable information. It is a type of website or page that displays its information in reverse chronological order. Entries or “blog postings” are common terms for blog content.

A single person or a small group of people usually runs a blog to deliver information in a conversational approach. However, there is now a plethora of corporate blogs that publish a wealth of educational and thought-leadership material.

Website

On the other hand, a website is a collection of web pages and related materials that have been published on at least one web server. A shared domain name identifies a website. Wikipedia.org, Google.com, and Amazon.com are all good examples. The World Wide Web is made up of all publicly accessible websites.

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How to create your own blog?

Here are some easy steps you can follow to create your own blog:

Create an account on your chosen blog site.

It is important to choose the blog site that fits your needs, or the one you truly prefer. There are free and paid blog sites that you can choose from. If it is just your own blog site, you may opt to create on free platforms. However, if it is for your company, it will be best to get the premium ones as they offer a lot of features not available on the free options.

Choose the appearance of your blog site.

You may want to refer to other blogs for inspiration. However, even a free version of a blog site has templates where you can choose from. And even an open source blogging platform like WordPress has default looks. That’s why WordPress software is considered one of the best blog sites.

Create as much content as you want.

To create your personal blog, first, you have to log in to your Blogger account. Then, click the Down arrow on the left. Select New Blog from the drag and drop-down menu. Give your blog a title. Next should be selected. Make a decision on a blog address or URL. Save the file, and that is it, that is how you create a blog.

It is hassle-free because it is a self-hosted WordPress. Now, you have your own blog. To start a blog, you also need to consider some factors, even though it is a completely free blog, there are also free revisions for making sure that the article is written properly.

Tips on publishing your blog

You may start blogging by accessing free blogging sites. A WordPress blog is an example of a free blog, as most of us know. But indeed, there are a lot of free blog sites out there. All you need is to follow these tips for the creation of a good blog.

Identify your target audience.

Even if you’re using a popular blogging platform, it is not a warranty that you will get an audience. This is most especially true when you create a new blog. That’s why it’s important to have a target audience so that you will have a directed content strategy.

Choose topics that are valuable to your audience.

After you identified your audience, you also need to understand what matters to them. They will not read your content if they are not interested in the topic. Thus, you need to strategize on getting their attention by choosing relevant topics.

Write in a clear manner.

Another important reminder is to use easily understandable words and ways of writing. Always take note that your readers are not familiar with complex terms. Always take the side of a layman reader so that your audience will easily appreciate what you wanted to say. Similarly, this will help search engines index your content on top ranks.

Make your blog’s title catchy.

Good headlines are what will draw your audience in. And it’s also often what kills their interest. That’s why you need to ensure that you have catchy headlines.

Create an outline.

To organize your ideas better, it is best to create a content outline. You can also implement it in the actual content, with appropriate subheadings for ease of understanding by the readers.

Have reliable resources.

Of course, information will only be truly useful to your audience if they are factual. That is why your references should be coming from credible and authoritative sites. Certainly, you would not want to spread misinformation.

Proofread before publishing.

Check everything before you publish. These include proper capitalization, grammar, spelling, and proper punctuation marks. This will not only make it easier for your readers to understand but also build the credibility of your own blog.

What is a free domain name?

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Free domains function in the same way as any other domain name. However, the disadvantage of these is that you cannot create the custom domain name you want because you will have to retain the provider’s name. It can be used for a variety of purposes, including your website, own blog, and email account. You can use URL forwarding, the free Freenom DNS Service, or your own DNS to administer your domain. You may use your own domain name, or you may custom domain.

What is a blogging platform?

Blogging platforms are broadcast-style communications systems that allow authors to publish articles, opinions, or product reviews via stand-alone websites, email, feed syndications systems, and social networks.

What are the benefits?

A platform for blogging enables users to produce, organize, and publish textual and visual content on the internet in the form of a blog. There are also many custom domain platforms where you can publish our self-hosted blogs.

The main difference between a blog and other websites is that the content published on a blog is shown in reverse chronological order, with the most recent additions to the website being displayed first.

What are the best free blogging sites today?

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Finding the correct site is critical for your own blog’s success. Whether you want to establish a blog for fun or want to find the best platform to make money and expand your blog as a company. Nowadays, there are many open-source blogging platforms that you can use.

You may opt to choose a WordPress alternative. The other best or most popular blogging channels aside from WordPress.com and WordPress.org are Medium, Blogger, Tumblr, Wix, Ghost, Postach, Weebly, and Typepad. These best blogging platforms are known all over the world. You can create free blogs about any topic on these sites.

The best blogging platform for web hosting depends on the topic that you will discuss. You can also create a blog using some self-hosted version or custom domain.

What are business websites?

A business website is typically used to provide basic information about your firm or as a straight e-commerce platform. It can also be a content management system. With this, you can create a new blog in order to promote other businesses like the online stores that you are supporting.

A business website is an important component of a bigger marketing strategy. As a result, it’s critical to comprehend the role it must play. The website is typically the cornerstone of any online marketing strategy, serving as the established presence for the company. It’s the equivalent of owning a high-end store or a famous office on the internet. It is sometimes described as the center of a company’s universe, and it is the location where other marketing efforts are aimed at driving traffic. Of course, you just need the basic blogging tools and you’re good to go.

Fast and reliable internet for blogging

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If you want to publish the best blog, choose the right tools, blogging sites, and contents that you will use. Of course, you also need to have a fast and reliable internet connection, so that your blogs and the blogging site that you are using work better.

In terms of speed and reliability, Streamtech Fiber Internet is what you need. Its fiber internet offerings are now the best alternative for users in terms of dependability and speed. Congestion is no longer an issue because data and information are conveyed utilizing fiberglass. In comparison to, say, wired DSL, it is also more robust to natural calamities. Have the best blogging experience using fiber internet.

Streamtech is the newest fiber internet provider in the Philippines. We provide a variety of residential internet options. Have questions or concerns about your current fiber internet plan or a new application? Please let us know by using our online form or our social media platforms to send us a message. You can also contact our customer care hotlines for your concerns.

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What is the difference between a Blog vs Vlog?

Blog and vlog are usually interchanged, or people tend to confuse them. It may sound the same, but the two of them are different platforms. However, even if they are different, the two platforms have some similarities. You might be wondering which one is better or best suited for you.

Don’t worry, you can earn money from either of the two if that’s your goal. You just need to make sure you have stable and fast internet for the continuous creation of quality content. So, let’s learn about the definitions and the key difference and similarities between a blog and a vlog.

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Blog

A blog is a written form that is commonly seen on the internet. It usually is an expression of feelings, thoughts, or even useful information. It may appear to be one of the many crucial communication and marketing tools.

Anyone could run a blog, from a single person to a group of people. Even a major corporation that advertises products and disseminates information can create one. A blog can include various text, images, animated gifs, and other elements. “Blogger” is the name of the person who runs the blog, and “blogging” is the activity of posting important content on a website.

Kinds of Blog Post

There are a plethora of blog categories out there. Below are the most common ones:

Personal Blog

It’s known as the “traditional” blog. When blogs started, it was initially connected with them. It used to be someone’s personal diary, where they could express themselves without regard for monetization or commercial strategy.

Personal blogs, of course, continue to exist and serve as online journals. When you’re in the mood to write, you do it without worrying about reaching a large audience or making a profit. When you’re reading this, odds are you have a personal blog.

Business Blog

Businesses have found that blogs effectively engage their customers, establish communities, and attract new customers. Some businesses use blogs to publicize new launches, ongoing projects, impending releases, contests, and other events. Through content promotion, blogs assist companies in increasing site traffic and improving conversion rates.

Independent of their corporate profiles, some companies use blogs to communicate their voices in the community by posting high-quality material. As a result, their blog becomes an authoritative publication in their field. It’s a good long-term strategy and an excellent technique to continuously promote your services over time.

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Travel Blog

Travel blogs are known in the blogging industry since the audience uses them as their reference for visiting destinations. Bloggers under this category work hard since it is time-consuming to discover varied destinations. It is also tedious to look for places with the most outstanding prices and create itineraries. Even learning about a country’s culture, and sharing this information with their audience is part of some travel vlogs.

News Blog

These are the blogs that keep you up to date on what’s new in the industry. They are primarily concerned with presenting the most recent events, new releases, and programs in a particular field of interest.

Unlike other blogs, news blogs do generally not publish opinion pieces or unique content. News blogging tends to publish facts since it’s a form of communication on daily or weekly happenings in life.

Technology Blog

These blogs are devoted to assessing items or services in a particular market. The owners of these blogs review various products. These include their benefits and drawbacks, cost, and overall worth. They also provide recommendations based on their knowledge of the subject. These specific blogs are usually new releases of smartphone brands, laptops, smart TVs, etc.

Lifestyle Blog

Lifestyle blogs include a more comprehensive range of themes than fashion blogs, such as productivity, wellness, workouts, nutrition, and other aspects of living a better life. People require frequent advice on excellent, efficient, and practical recommendations for a high-quality existence.

What is a vlog (video blog)?

Vlog is an acronym for video log. The term “vlog” or video blog comes from the word “blog.” It could be a short or long-form film on various topics such as company promotions, current events, technology goods, etc. Vlog posts typically have vlogging equipment using high-end cameras, high-quality microphones, and camera equipment to produce high-quality videos. Afterward, Vloggers post it online, usually on their youtube channels so that people can watch videos they have posted.

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Kinds of Video Content for Vlog

Just like blogs, there are various types of vlogs. And content types depend on the vlogger’s forte or choice.

Personal Vlog

Just like in personal blogging, it is also one of the “typical” used in vlogging. Vloggers record videos about their own personal or daily routines. This is crucial since it has to be interesting to the online users for them to be watched.

Entertainment Vlog

Comedy and Gaming vlogs offer both energetic and amusing content with a terrific start and music accompanying your narrations. Adding captions to every image would make it clean for the audience. The entire video should contain energetic and being creative so that the viewers pay attention to you. Make sure your videos contain laughable and impactful content.

Technology Vlog

When a new phone is out, or new software is being developed, everyone pays attention to the reviews. To make the product visually available to everyone watching their videos, the individual assessing it should be well-versed with the product’s characteristics and settings. Animated intros, a lower-third for the product & creator details, and subtitles are all good ways to give a professional touch.

Travel Vlog

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People who wish to travel the world and explore new places are interested in viewing travel vlogs. Because they want to get a sense of the lifestyle portrayed in the videos posted and learn about the recommendations made by the person about a specific city or nation they wish to visit. These are enhanced by introducing better, precise shooting angles and a customized thumbnail briefing about the price and number of days. With the addition of some text and background music and some basic editing, a travel movie can become more realistic for the audience.

Food Vlog

These vlogs are commonly used as a food review or showcasing new ideas in cooking. Food vloggers tend to find restaurants on which they can go and create videos or content. Food vloggers need to be crucial on the food they’re showing in their videos. It needs to be appealing and can look appetizing.

Having a YouTube Channel is Common for Vloggers

As YouTube is one of the most used social media, it is common for vloggers to use the platform. Because the audience is into YouTube, vloggers who use the platform find a large number of shares in viewers and subscribers. And in talking about blog vs vlog, the latter definitely is the type of media that uses the said social site.

Differences and Similarities

Now, let us dive into the details of the topic of a blog vs vlog.

Blog vs vlog major differences

The major difference between these two is the form. Blogging is a written format while vlogging is a video format. Blogging takes place wherein the written content is in the editing software and posted on their web page. In vlogging, the content is on the video editing software and posted through the YouTube channel.

Vlogging is more costly since you’ll need good quality when uploading video content. On the other hand, blogging is cheaper since most of the time, you’ll just need a device and an internet connection.

The key difference between blog and vlog is, blog maintenance isn’t expensive since payment for web hosting is cheap. In some instances, it is free. While the hosting cost in vlogging together with its equipment is expensive.

Blog vs vlog similar aspects

The similarities of a blog vs vlog are much interesting. Blog or YouTube channel as vlog can be one of your digital marketing strategies. It will just depend depending on the content you are trying to produce.

Blog vs vlog needs to have relevant content so that the audience can relate to or have the interest in the topic shown. Earning money is also one of the similarities of the two. Most vloggers and bloggers receive payments from companies in promoting their brand or in short digital marketing. Lastly, both the blog and vlog should be impactful to the topic or content they produce so that the people would be interested in them.

Succeed in both blogging and vlogging with reliable internet!

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When you want to start blogging and vlogging, be crucial on your content. For you to have a successful blog and vlog, you’ll need to have unique and relevant topics so that you wouldn’t be left behind. You don’t have to worry about which platform will generate the most money since both of them has income potential, to begin with.

If you create content by getting the attention of business brands, then you would gain more money. Ads on youtube videos or directing an affiliate link on brands can help many bloggers and vloggers boost their profit. If you want to be successful in blog and vlog you’ll need reliable internet. Streamtech fiber internet will keep you connected so that you can have a smooth ride when using these platforms.

As one of the newest internet providers in the Philippines, Streamtech offers affordable home fiber plans perfect for your needs, may it be blogging or vlogging. So, start your journey on either of these two by subscribing to Streamtech now.

If you have questions or you want to know more, you may also check the Streamtech Facebook page.

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List of the Best Free Email Service Providers

Written by: Aiya Rodjel

Despite the proliferation of various methods of communication in the online space, email has remained the most popular online communication technology throughout the years. Through e-mail, people worldwide have coordinated work and catch up with friends and family.

Almost everyone of legal age worldwide has an email account. Even if you don’t have social media presence, there’s a good chance you still have an e-mail. As long as you have reliable business internet, you can access an email service through your computers or mobile devices.

Email service has solidified its position in everyday communication for various reasons. One of the most notable reasons email remains relevant is to set up an email account for free. Some of the best email service providers around don’t charge clients for a limited yet powerful suite of features.

Whether you’re setting up an email account for personal or professional purposes, there are many great options to choose from. Here are some of the best free email service providers you should consider today.

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Yahoo Mail

Yahoo! was launched in 1997 and was among the first email service providers on the web. This free email service provider has gone through many makeovers throughout the years. Recently, Yahoo Mail has adopted a minimalist look. Now, it has support for keyboard shortcuts and a plethora of cool features.

What’s fantastic about this free email provider is how it provides every email account with 1TB of free email storage space. That’s an impressive amount of storage for a free account. Other free email service providers usually charge for cloud storage.

Yahoo Mail can afford to offer its customers massive storage for two main reasons. First, it is unusual for an email account to use up all the free space they give. Second, Yahoo Mail displays marketing ads on an e-mail’s inbox as a way to generate revenue.

You can opt to get rid of these marketing ads from your email service by purchasing a Yahoo Mail Pro subscription. By upgrading your email account, you get entitled to better performance, priority customer support, and email archiving without limits. As long as you have high-speed internet connection care of a robust internet service provider in the Philippines, you can make the most out of your Yahoo account and other services, such as Yahoo calendar.

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Many business owners subscribe to Yahoo Mail’s business plan because it allows them to set up branded email addresses quickly. In addition, Yahoo Mail has an integrated SMS messaging service. You can also attach items up to 25MB in size.

On the other hand, there have been complaints regarding security issues. Plus, this email service’s spam filter is not the best one in the market.

Gmail

Did you know that there are over 1.2 billion Gmail accounts worldwide? Google has an impressive suite of services, such as Google Drive and Google Calendar, but their most popular product is Gmail, its email service. Google launched its free email service in 2004 and has been growing exponentially ever since.

Many people regard Gmail as among the best email service providers primarily because of its simplicity and robust malware and spam detection. Every Gmail account has effortless access to other Google services, such as Google Calendar, Google Drive, and Google Docs. Every free email account has 15 GB in memory and accommodates file attachments of up to 25 MB.

Gmail is among the most popular email service providers, especially Android users. If you’ve got an android device, there’s a huge chance you have a Gmail app pre-downloaded on your device anyway.

On the other hand, there are concerns about how difficult it is to secure excellent email names. Many people already have a Gmail account, given the global demand for Gmail and its advanced features. If your name is common, you will find it challenging to find a nice email name.

Nevertheless, Gmail has the most user-friendly web interface around. This email provider has plenty of attractive features that benefit even advanced users. Gmail is equipped with keyboard shortcuts that allow you to keep your hands on the keyboard while composing and managing email messages. At the same time, there is an advanced search with the same level of support you would get from other advanced search operators.

Microsoft outlook

Formerly known as Hotmail when it was first launched in 1996, Outlook.com is Microsoft’s web-based suite of webmail, calendar services, contacts, and tasks. This email service provider is regarded as Gmail’s most significant competition in popular email services.

Those with an email account with Outlook.com get to enjoy the best out of Xbox, Skype, Windows, and other Microsoft products. Unlike other free email services, Outlook.com doesn’t scan your email’s content to boost advertisers.

The most helpful feature of this free email provider is called Focused Inbox. Once activated, this feature will use machine learning to look through your incoming email messages. The email service will then rank your messages according to importance.

Another popular feature of outlook is an online calendar. This makes it easier for users to manage tasks and send messages simultaneously. Hence, as long as you have high-speed internet, you can make the most of your free email account.

While Outlook can help you keep your inbox organized, it doesn’t allow you to send large attachments. You’re only allowed to send a maximum file size of 10 MB per email. Outlook has an email storage space of 15 GB.

Zoho Mail

Zoho Mail is a professional email service and is one of Zoho’s products for cloud-based solutions. It delivers superb security and surveillance, with a reliable 99.9% uptime and end-to-end encryption.

Zoho Mail is designed to make custom domains stand out and attract clients as quickly as possible. With this secure email service’s free plan, you are entitled to 5 GB of email storage space for up to five mailboxes. While the free plan is formidable in itself, you can share files of up to 250 MB if you choose to upgrade to a paid plan.

This is the best free email service for business communications for various reasons. The most popular reason businesses turn to this email provider is how it helps people keep organized.

On the other hand, a free email account with Zoho Mail has limited free online storage. If you’re looking for unlimited storage space, you’ll have to pay extra.

As far as email services go, Zoho Mail is an excellent alternative if you want to deviate from popular email services in the market. If you’ve got reliable business internet, you can maximize the features of this email service.

iCloud Mail

If you’re heavily immersed in the Apple ecosystem of technology, you should look into setting up an email account in iCloud Mail. To set up a free email account on iCloud Mail, you simply need to go to your iCloud account and set up an email. This can be done quickly through an iOS device or a Mac computer.

What’s fantastic about this free email service is how easily it integrates with macOS and iOS. While iCloud Mail isn’t as advanced in features as other free email services, it’s the best free email service if you’re comfortable with everything Apple-made.

A free plan with iCloud Mail gives you a storage space of 5 GB. If you’d like to take your free email service to the next level, this email service provider offers reasonable packages for you to explore. With a robust internet provider in the Philippines at your side, you can make the most of this easy-to-use email service.

However, this may not be the best free email service if you’re not used to the Apple ecosystem. It might take you time to adjust to its signature minimalist interface.

AOL Mail

If you’re from the Philippines, there’s a huge chance you haven’t heard a lot about this email service provider. AOL Mail is a popular email service provider in the United States. Also called AIM Mail, AOL Mail is the free email service of AOL, which Verizon acquired in 2015.

If you happen to email a client with a wrong message, AOL Mail can quickly remedy your mistake. This email service provider allows you to unsend messages sent to other AOL mail addresses.

In addition, this email provider is equipped with virus protection, which spares your computer or mobile device from malicious attacks. This secure email service makes it easy to keep your inbox organized. It is also equipped with a customized panel so you can focus on business-related matters.

This email service provider has a built-in spell checker, which spares you from making typographical errors. While this email provider’s end-to-end encryption is impressive, you get hit by many ads. You can send encrypted emails through this formidable email service provider as long as you have high-speed internet.

GMX Mail

Also known as Global Mail Exchange, GMX Mail is a free email service. Of course, GMX offers it. This email service provider is available in four languages: German, English, Spanish, and French. This is the best email service provider if your priority is large email attachments. You can send up to 50 MB files with your GMX email accounts.

In addition to large file attachments, GMX also offers its users unlimited storage space. If you’ve got multiple email addresses, you can stay organized by integrating them into this email service provider.

Because this secure email provider was built for German users, German users are empowered with two-factor authentication. For some reason, this advanced feature is not available for international features.

This is the best email service provider for people who need plenty of storage space for attachments and messages. With a trustworthy internet service provider in the Philippines, you too can explore the features of this secure email service.

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Choosing the best email service providers

All the email providers mentioned in this article have impressive features, such as end-to-end encryption and custom domain. Some are even equipped with advanced features like offline mode and email forwarding to take your encrypted email to the next level.

When choosing a secure email service, you simply have to decipher which features and interface would work for you best. Basically, it’s all a matter of personal preference and priorities.

There’s no such a thing as a perfect free email provider, but you still get access to formidable features such as email encryption and multi-user support. You don’t have to spend a ton to make the most of modern technology.

Now more than ever, people rely on online communication for productivity. That’s why having access to excellent email providers is a must. Staying connected helps you get ahead.

If you’re unsure about which email provider to choose, you can test each option mentioned above. After all, you can set up an account for free, so why not? There are so many email providers to explore.

Exceeding your limits to access free email services

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If you want to explore these email providers, you must invest in a high-speed internet connection. You will only get to realize these providers’ true power with reliable business internet.

That’s why you should make the switch to Streamtech. At Streamtech, we provide fast fiber internet plans at an affordable price. Not only can you email clients and import contacts with use, but you can also access all the productivity tools you need to thrive and survive in the new normal.

In addition to fast fiber internet, we also offer cable television connection. Hence, you can send emails and watch your favorite television shows through Streamtech.

While there are innovations every day, it seems that email is here to stay. It would be best to empower yourself with a strong internet connection to send emails conveniently. Contact our team today to get started. You may also visit our official Facebook page if you want to know more.