The appearance and structure of a blog plays a huge role in deciding how the content is received by an audience. A good and visually attractive format is a huge advantage, as it makes reading the blog posts much easier and more pleasant. In this sense, how a blog looks and feels to interact with can be just as important (if not more so) than what’s actually written in the posts.

For most newcomers to blogging, some simple HTML/CSS manipulation and the utilization of a few pre-made blog formats is often enough to get their blog looking more or less up to snuff. But for bloggers with a bit more experience and a larger reader base, getting the right look can require some more powerful tools. It is in these types of circumstances that JavaScript really shines.

Like HTML and CSS, JavaScript is one of the fundamental languages used for web development. It can be utilized to easily create interactive and attractive blogs, and is, in fact, one of the best languages overall for blog building. Here are some reasons why JavaScript has proven itself to be the premier blog development language.

It’s Easy to Pick Up

While many individuals have shied away from using JavaScript because of the horror stories associated with its past iterations, most recent adopters have found that developing with JavaScript is actually surprisingly simple and concise. Where once it was widely considered to be unintuitive, rigid, and easily broken by browser incompatibilities, a decade of development has given JavaScript a complete makeover. In its most recent form, JavaScript is an easy to learn and highly adaptable language. It does not feature compiling and memory allocation, so it can be picked up by relatively green programmers. And with the wide availability of online courses and learning resources, and even knowledge tests for JavaScript, it is one of the easier languages to learn from scratch.

There are a Lot of Development Tools

Because JavaScript has been in use for so long, there are plenty of custom development tools and libraries available for free on the web. Some of the most powerful JavaScript tools are built right into Internet browsers. Many of the most popular browsers allow users to view the JavaScript behind a page with a few simple clicks. By observing and playing around with the code that is revealed this way, it’s easy to figure out how specific things are done and what needs to be used to replicate desirable traits.

It Has High Flexibility

Finally, JavaScript has long been referred to as the “language of the web,” a name which reflects its widespread utilization among different sites. Because it is so commonly used for web development, it is built around the idea of creating maximum compatibility with other web friendly languages. It interacts very well with languages like HTML and CSS, and can slot in to pieces of code written in the other languages without causing any problems. This means that applications written in JavaScript are considered to be extremely robust, and will generally display well across many different types of browser and operating systems.

JavaScript is a language with a great amount of historical clout and a bright future. It has been considered the top tool for web development for many years and is therefore catered to by many newer applications. With the dwindling reliance on Flash-based content and the new popularity of HTML 5, JavaScript is projected to see even more use in the future. This stability and utility are what makes JavaScript the best language for blog development, or any type of internet application.

User generated content is what made the Internet what it is today, and it is finally receiving its due among online marketing professionals. It might also be one of the most important factors in helping you build your blog. So it’s worth diving into and learning about.

What Is User Generated Content?

User generated content consists of articles, comments, infographics, pictures, or videos that are generated by the users or readers of your blog or website.

Most blogs make pretty good use of user generated content which comes from the comments functionality of a blog. Such comments and participation may be generated from polls, surveys, or simply response comments to a blog post. One big benefit of user-generated content is that it can make the job of planning content easier. By looking at what your readers are discussing and what is important to them, you can come up with content that more closely matches their interests.

Upside Potential Of User Generated Content

Many potential benefits exist to having users create content for your website. The following list merely scratches the surface, but should get you started thinking about the advantages to your own blog.

Constant Freshness

While you should not just write for the search engines, you do need to keep their impression of your site good. Google gives an uptick in traffic to sites with greater relevance. Constantly producing content is one way to build a good impression with the search engines in general. User generated content entices the search engines to constantly crawl your website. This keeps it relevant.

Increased Authority

Getting authorities within your industry to write posts on your website positions your blog as an authority in your niche. However, this will involve vetting out the quality of the writers who produce the content. It’s also true that authority can be gained by commenting on another blog in your niche. Sometimes the individual who is willing to take a chance and post a disagreeable position demonstrates authority. This can generate traffic back to the blog of the person posting the comment, but also gives diversity to the information available.

Creating content is time and labor intensive. Getting good images, finding people to write or produce videos, may all be involved. When you run a blog, you may likely have users that will want to create content for you. This allows you to focus more on running your business. User generated content is both valuable and takes the burden off of your shoulders.

Creation Of User Generated Content

While it might seem like the Internet should be a free-for-all, it is important to monitor and control user content. Forums hire a staff of moderators to keep conversations in check. You may try to avoid these costs, but know that a site needs to be monitored.

Always take the time to make some firm policies about the submission standards for your site. It is not unusual for both guests, commenters and posters to locate the loopholes even in the clearest set of submission standards. That means that you will want to evaluate your submission guidelines for loopholes, and continually update them.

Property Rights

Laws protecting copyrights are constantly being tested by the relatively new medium of the internet. “Content curation” can sometimes be a murky area when it comes to property rights. However, allowing your own users to contribute their original content can go a long way in helping a blogger to find enough interesting and original material without worrying about the legal issues of “borrowing” material from elsewhere on the net. Still it is a good idea to consult with a legal advisor to make sure your terms of use are explicit in what you will do with user-generated content and what the user’s rights are regarding that content.

Almost all websites on the net rely on user-generated content to some degree. It is a given that it will support your business and provide it with a boost. Just be sure to incorporate best practices regarding user-generated content. This will go a long way in ensuring your success.