Blogging 101 is mostly about the blogging vocabulary. To understand blogs, you need to know the terms blog, platform, domain, and web host. Once you have mastered these key elements of blogging, you can enter any conversation about blogging with confidence. After you know what exactly a blog is, you will be on your way to passing the final exam of blogging 101.

Blog is short for weblog, which simply means a series of online posts presented in reverse chronological order. That's all! Most blogs are text, but there are also photo blogs and video blogs. The remainder of blogging 101 has to do with more techie stuff. You'll need to have a web host, a domain and a blogging platform.

A blogging platform is a computer software program that allows you to write posts and to update your blog. Your platform is also what you use to design the look of your blog, from color scheme to font size. Common platforms are Typepad and WordPress. The web host is sort of like the virtual file cabinet where your blog is stored. Your computer communicates with the host when you upload or edit a post. There are thousands of web hosts available. I personally use 1and1.com and Bluehost.com.

A domain is how your readers will find you. Instead of typing in a IP address, they'll type in an easier to remember domain name and the requests will get forwarded on to your web host who will handle things from there. Most domain names end in 'dot com' but 'dot net' or 'dot org' are also popular. Choose a good, easy to remember domain so your readers won't have a hard time coming back for more of your quality content.

Now that you know what a blog is, what a platform is, and what domains and hosts are, congratulate yourself! You'll be able to hold a basic conversation with your fellow bloggers now. It wasn't that hard, now was it?