Here is a link to Adobe's free Acrobat Reader software
(if you need it to read the "pdf" file inside the ZIP archive):
Click here for more information and a table of contents.
NOTES IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS:
Q: "I have found some Headline Depot news feeds that I like, now what do I do?"
A: Click here for a zip file that explains how to insert "code" into an html file. Although these instructions are written for a Headline Depot script, there are many other scripts that work exactly the same way. Google search boxes on your site, little snippets of scripts that create a clock or calendar on your site, Weatherbug, and many more work the same way. It took me several weeks to figure out what everyone was talking about when I kept reading instructions to "just copy and paste the code into your site." I kept asking, "WHERE?" Now you will know!
HISTORY OF THIS TUTORIAL
After taking an informal poll in each of my class sections (spring 2006), I determined that many students had not heard of a "blog" prior to enrolling in my Entrepreneurship course. Nevertheless, the blogging phenomenon is now "huge" in the small business and entrepreneurship community, and on the Internet at large.
This tutorial was originally intended to be a very brief set of instructions for an academic assignment in a document that was to be three or four pages in length. The general idea relative to the assignment was to have students create a blog using one of the many free online services available on the Internet. And, yes, I practice what I preach: I created my own blog at ArticlesontheWeb.com. (Teachers are learners--learners are teachers.)
According to an article in Entrepreneur magazine (Extended Office pullout section), published in April 2006, "Blogs are a recent example of how relatively simple web technology can create a huge ripple" (p. 18). Despite this ripple, entrepreneurship textbooks (including a brand new book from a major publisher with a copyright date of 2007), have not caught up with the reality of the practical world, at least where blogging is concerned.
I wanted to create a "real world" assignment that would give students exposure to at least a "taste" of the entrepreneurial experience. As has been well documented in numerous articles in the popular press, a blog is free (or cheap, using paid services), easy for anyone to set up, and requires only minimal technical skills. Further, there are documented cases where entrepreneurs are making significant sums of money (over six figures) by approaching blogging as a business unto itself. I found other stories about students who have made a part-time living with their blogs, and bloggers who have achieved other notable accomplishments, such as being offered book deals!
No, it is not likely that everyone is going to do that well!
Students were also asked to add other content to their own blogs to make them more valuable to an audience (such as links and log entries that might be of interest to visitors). Further, there are many ways to monetize Web sites and blogs, including participating in some well known programs such as Amazon.com's Associates Program. Amazon pioneered this type of relationship on the Internet and according to its site, has over one million associates--and the program is free to join.
Meanwhile, the tutorial grew and grew!
A NOTE FOR EDUCATORS
There are still even more resources that I have found, and in the future, I hope to add an expanded marketing section. The ebook lists hundreds of resources for turning a blog into a full-fledged business (something which does take a lot of time and commitment). Some of the resources would require an investment on the part of students. Therefore, for purposes of the academic assignment, students have been instructed to utilize the free blog sites and only sign up for one or more programs that are free to join (such as Amazon).
This ebook may be freely distributed. If you are an educator and wish to use the material or a similar assignment in your own class, permission is hereby granted. I expect to be absolutely overwhelmed at the end of this (spring 2006) semester with three sections of about thirty students each and their business plans, plus the Entrepreneurship Intern Program that I coordinate. However, if I can help, let me know (I strongly recommend email).
According to Wikipedia, a Vlog "or video blog is a blog (short for weblog) which uses video as the primary content." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlog)
Moblog "Acronym used to combine the terms 'mobile' and 'Web log'. Where a Web log (also called a blog) is a Web page that serves as a publicly accessible personal journal for an individual, a moblog is a blog which has been posted to the Internet from a mobile device such as a mobile phone or PDA." (http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/M/moblog.html)
"Moblog is a blend of the words mobile and weblog. A mobile weblog, or moblog, consists of content posted to the Internet from a mobile or portable device, such as a cellular phone or PDA. Moblogs generally involve technology which allows publishing from a mobile device." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moblog)
This Web site and its entire contents Copyright 2006 Dr. Robert J. Lahm, Jr.
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