A Genealogy Blog Primer**Everything You Wanted To Know About Genealogy Blogs But Were Afraid To Ask!copyright 2009 Thomas MacEntee

IntroductionThis introduction to the world of genealogy blogs – as seen by GeneaBloggers – has been a long time in the making. While genealogy blogs have been around for years, it is only within the past few years that bloggers have begun to become aware of their fellow genealogy bloggers ("geneabloggers") and have interacted with each other.

Introduction (continued)This primer seeks to highlight questions most often asked by those who might want to start their own genealogy blog and hopefully provide some answers or at least a means of further researching those questions.

FAQWhy should I have a genealogy blog?What types of genealogy blogs are there?How can I easily read all the great posts from genealogy blogs?Do I have what it takes to create and maintain a genealogy blog?Do I need lots of technical knowledge to run a genealogy blog?

FAQ (continued)Should I be worried about privacy?What are the copyright issues involved?How do I make sure my genealogy blog thrives and grows?How do I participate in the genealogy blogging community?So how do I get started?

Why should I have a genealogy blog?Those of us who have genealogy blogs are more likely to rephrase the question as "Why shouldn't I have a genealogy blog?" since many of us could not imagine pursuing our own genealogy research without one. If you were to ask any person currently blogging about either their own genealogy or the genealogy industry, you would probably hear the following:

Researching: each week there are stories about genealogists breaking down brick walls (some which have been in existence for 40 years!) simply by posting information in their genealogy blog and having a search engine like Google pick it up for others to find.Why should I have a genealogy blog?

Why should I have a genealogy blog?Sharing: my family can't understand the research data in my genealogy database or notebooks. I can present family history information in small snippets on my genealogy blog.

Why should I have a genealogy blog?Connecting: I personally have located cousins simply because I have a genealogy blog. Some are cousins related to me going back eight or nine generations through a common ancestor. Others are first cousins about whom I had no information until they found my genealogy blog and tracked me down.

Why should I have a genealogy blog?Writing: having a genealogy blog has helped me improved by writing style and it has helped me put dates, facts and figures into a readable format for me to share with family members.Marketing: genealogy companies and especially genealogy societies leverage the social media power of blogs to publicize products and events.

Why should I have a genealogy blog?Involving: many geneabloggers have found new ways of connecting with fellow genealogists through their genealogy blogs. Some of us are newly retired and are looking to build upon our genealogy hobby. Others are limited – either due to geographical isolation or physical limitations - in the opportunities to connect with other genealogists in person.

Why should I have a genealogy blog?Relieving: some of us are looking for a creative outlet due to either stressful job situations or family events which have brought about pain and turmoil.Giving: some genealogy blogs are set up to "give back" to the larger genealogy community in the form of education and research.

What types of blogs are there?In the sections below, I've attempted to list representative blogs for each type. All are listed alphabetically and do not show a preference in any way. My attempt was to select a variety of blogs based on format, writing style, and blogging platform. Please review the entire list of over 444 genealogy blogs at GeneaBloggers to really appreciate how many great blogs there truly are!

Individual Family HistoryProbably the most popular type of genealogy blog and the most personal. Everyone has their favorites among this blog type especially since the family history stories can be very personal and written to warm the heart.

Individual Family History (continued)100 Years In AmericaApple's TreeBluebonnet Country GenealogyCreative GeneErnie's JourneysGenBlogGeneration's Gone ByGrace and GloryGreta's Genealogy Blog

Individual Family History (continued)Hill Country of Monroe County, MississippikinexxionsLittle Bytes of LifeOlga's DaughterOrations of OMcHodoySmoky Mountain Family HistorianSteve's Genealogy BlogTennessee Memories

Individual Family History (continued)The Cheek That Doth Not FadeThe Educated GenealogistTransylvanian DutchTwig TalkTwo Sides of the OceanWe TreeWest In New EnglandWhat's Past Is Prologue

Genealogy IndustrySome blogs are focused on the latest news in the genealogy and family history industry and are not affiliated with any one product or vendor. These blogs do more than simply regurgitate press releases put out by companies – they often provide valuable reviews of books and software as well as give an inside peek to the goings on major genealogy-related corporations and websites.

Genealogy Industry (continued)About.com: GenealogyAnceStories: The Stories of My AncestorsEastman's Online Genealogy NewsletterDearMyrtleFamily Tree Magazine blogsGenea-musingsGenealogyBlogGtownma's Genealogy

Genealogy Industry (continued)Paula's Genealogical EclecticaRenee's Genealogy BlogRoots Television – Megan's Roots WorldThe Ancestry Insider

Genealogy VendorsMany vendors of genealogy-related products and websites will set up a blog in order to market their product and disseminate news about new versions or improvements. Since those who follow blogs utilize an aggregator or reader, the posts are like "press releases" sent to subscribers and carry more impact than just posting an item on the vendor's website under a news section.

Genealogy Vendors (continued)Ancestry blogFootnote blogGeni blogLegacy NewsMyHeritage blogRoots Magic blog

Genealogical SocietiesA blog seems to be a perfect match for non-profit organizations including genealogical and historical societies. Some blogs are very straight-forward with posting of meeting minutes, upcoming events and news. Others offer newsletter access and even their own databases of information.

Genealogical Societies (continued)Baton Rouge Genealogical and Historical SocietyCalifornia Genealogical Society and LibraryChula Vista Genealogy CaféGrey County Historical Society BlogIndiana Genealogical Society BlogItawamba History ReviewMoSGA MessengerRavenna Area Historical Society Blog

Genealogy ConferencesSome blogs are set up to publicize and market an upcoming major event such as a conference or a series of expos. For the most part these events are planned a year or more in advance.

Genealogy Conferences (continued)Family History Expos Genealogy BlogFederation of Genealogical Societies conference blogInternational Black Genealogy Summit blogNational Genealogical Society conference blogSouthern California Genealogical Society Jamboree

Archives and LibrariesMany libraries and other research facilities have created blogs in order to disseminate news about their collections as well as upcoming events.

Archives and Libraries (continued)Ancestor Research LogGenealogy Librarian NewsGlenview Public Library (Illinois)Library of Congress blogSpokane Public Library blogThe Newberry Library (Chicago)

ResearchSomewhat rare and hard-to-find, but there are some blogs that are created strictly to provide research data to other genealogists, to track the process of indexing research materials or to even track one's own research activities.

Research (continued)Family Bibles (highlights bibles for sale on Ebay)Genealogy Roots blogGrant Parish Louisiana ObituariesLowville ObituariesOlive Tree Genealogy BlogOnline City, County and Rural DirectoriesThe Geneaholic(a great example of a research and activity journal by Randy Seaver in which he details each day and the type of genealogy work performed)Toronto 1861

TechnologyThe use of technology has not only vastly expanded the ability of genealogists to work from the comfort of their home, but it has also brought forth an entire array of choices from websites, databases, software and even computers themselves. Not only do genealogists need resources to figure out how to use specific technologies, but they need critical reviews of products and a heads-up as to what new technologies are coming down the pike.

Technology (continued)Bootcamp for GeneaBloggersComputer Tips & TutorialsEastman's Online Genealogy NewsletterFamily MattersFamily Oral History Using Digital ToolsMacGenealogistRainy Day Genealogy ReadingsTamura JonesThe Family CuratorThink Genealogy

ethnicityMany blogs are focused around specific ethnic groups and the genealogy of those families including African-American genealogy, French-Canadian genealogy, Irish genealogy, German genealogy and more.

Ethnicity (continued)A Canadian Family (Acadian/French-Canadian)Al's Polish-American Genealogy Research (Polish)Black Nashville Genealogy & History (African-American)Find Your Folks (African-American)Hispanic Genealogy (Hispanic – in Spanish)Looking4Ancestors (Canadian)Olive Tree Genealogy Blog (Canadian and Dutch)

Ethnicity (continued)Our Georgia Roots (African-American)Scottish Genealogy Blog (Scotland)Small-leaved Shamrock (Irish)Taneya's Genealogy Blog (African-American)Trace Your Dutch Roots (Dutch)Tracing The Tribe: The Jewish Genealogy Blog (Jewish)

GeographyMany blogs are dedicated to a variety of ancestors from a specific location such as Ireland, Canada or even on a more local or state level. All Things QuebecCanadaGenealogy, or 'Jane's Your Aunt'Colorado ReflectionsFirelands History Blog

Geography (continued)Genealogy CanadaJackson County JournalJanet The ResearcherLouisiana Genealogy BlogNebraska Roots and RamblingsSt. Vincent MemoriesStories from Aroostook County, Maine and Beyond

One place studyThe concept of "one place study" or "one name study" is popular in the UK and involves detailing every aspect of the history of one town or village. Albany Hill TownsLowville Long Ago blogLowville Long AgoWinging It

SurnamesA common type of genealogy blog is one devoted to a specific surname group. Sometimes this type of blog is tied in with DNA testing and research for that specific group. A Worthington WeblogBerry Family DNA blogCorel CousinsiPentimento Genealogy and History

Surnames (continued)Jake Fletcher's Genealogy ProjectMcGinnis HistoryPutting The Family Puzzle TogetherRaeburn Family OdysseyZalewski Family Genealogy

Family ReunionsNot found very often but blogs that help prepare other family members for upcoming reunions seem to make sense. A blog can help you communicate plans for the event and to gather needed information for the family tree.Rush Reunion Benedicta, Maine

DiariesA rarity among genealogy blogs are the ones which reproduce diary transcriptions with one blog post for each day in the diary. Most of these blogs also include a helpful "who's who" post so that you can keep track of names of people and places.

Diaries (continued)Grandma Austin's DiariesGrandma's Diary (one of the best)Granny's Genealogy (the Belle's Box series of posts are a diary of mementos)

CemeteriesWhile some may see it as a quirky obsession, there are many genealogists who also have a healthy fascination with graveyards and they blog about that obsession and their activities to help preserve those cemeteries!Association of Graveyard Rabbits(over 66 cemetery-related blogs!)Cemeteries and Cemetery SymbolsGranite In My BloodMy Tombstone Collection

Photos and chartsAt some point most genealogists need to deal with all those family pictures or they need to create charts to show off their research. Blogs in this category range from discussions of photography genres (including Victorian post-mortem photos and ladies with glasses) to identifying orphan photos.

Photos and charts (continued)The Chart ChickDead Fred's Relatively SpeakingfootnoteMavenGeorge GederPhoto DetectivePhoto SleuthShades of the DepartedWho Will Tell Their Story?

craftsIt's only natural that scrapbookers are also genealogists – or is it the other way around? Many people involved with genealogy decide to put their creative talents to use and produce items for family members including quilts, scrap books and more. Creative GenealogyScrap Your Roots

HumorAs my mother would say, "Sometimes you just have to laugh." And even when you pursue something as passionately as genealogy, you need a blog to remind you not to always take it so seriously.

Humor (continued)A Couple of Bubbles Off Center ("About a few immigrant ancestors thinking wayyyy outside the miter box to even consider sailing off to the unknown, let alone DO IT.")The Genealogue (The king of genealogy comedy! Unique and one-of-a-kind!)The Virtual Dime MuseumThe "You Go Genealogy Girls" blog (I almost considered creating a Road Trip blog category, that's how good this site is!)Uphill Both Ways

How can I easily read all the great posts from genealogy blogs?Most geneabloggers leverage the power of blog readers and aggregators such as Google Reader or Bloglines to help them sort through the hundreds of new posts each day. It is virtually impossible – and impractical – to bookmark and visit each and every genealogy blog in existence let along your favorite ones!

Do I have what it takes to create and maintain a genealogy blog?You probably had the same thoughts when you started researching your family history, right? Did you have self-doubts and wonder if you had the skills to find your roots? Starting a genealogy blog is quite a bit like starting to research your family's history for the first time.

Do I have what it takes to create and maintain a genealogy blog? (continued)You probably want to gather some information, set down some goals, and also make some notes about how to achieve those goals. Using the links in this primer and leveraging the resources at GeneaBloggers is a good start.

Do I have what it takes to create and maintain a genealogy blog? (continued)Once you get started with your genealogy blog, you will find many fellow bloggers willing to answer your questions and help out. You would be surprised at how many of today's most popular geneabloggers got their start by simply reaching out to other genealogy bloggers and asking questions or asking for assistance.

Do I have what it takes to create and maintain a genealogy blog? (continued)And if you are worried that you can't commit to posting to your blog on a regular basis, don't worry. It is your genealogy blog and you set the schedule and the tone for your blog. You can post as little or as often as you'd like. And if you are stumped for blog post ideas, the genealogy blogging community has made it easy with memes like Tombstone Tuesday and Wordless Wednesday as well as the popular Weekly Genealogy Blogging Prompts.

Do I need lots of technical knowledge to run a genealogy blog?Well you are accessing this post from the Internet and on a computer so you do have some basic computer skills, right? It is very easy to get started with blogging and in fact, most blog platforms such as Blogger or WordPress can have you publishing your first post in about five minutes!

Do I need lots of technical knowledge to run a genealogy blog? (continued)Most new bloggers tend to keep the look and feel of their blog simple. Many will only explore new features and formats after they've seen them appear on the blogs of fellow bloggers and will often ask, "how did you do that?" You will find that genealogy blogs run the gamut in appearance from very plain, simple and streamlined to chock-full of badges, widgets, and other fun items.

Do I need lots of technical knowledge to run a genealogy blog? (continued)You'll also find that as you get more involved with the genealogy blogging community, they tend to be a helpful bunch and there are many fellow bloggers with different types of technical knowledge who are willing to help.

Do I need lots of technical knowledge to run a genealogy blog? (continued)Becoming a member of GeneaBloggers (it's free!) by submitting your new blog to the GeneaBloggers blog list helps as well. GeneaBloggers can then help publicize your new blog, you'll find new followers and also gain access to our technical resources such as the Bootcamp for GeneaBloggers blog with lots of "how to's" on widgets, formatting, templates and more!

Should I be worried about privacy?You should always be concerned about privacy when using the Internet especially when creating a blog or website which might contain personal information. Every day you hear stories from friends or relatives and on the news about people having their identity stolen or falling victim to various scams on the Internet.

Should I be worried about privacy? (continued)What you need to understand is that there are ways to approach your Internet use sensibly.You wouldn't leave home without locking your door, right? You wouldn't go to a strange place if you felt unsafe, right? Use your good judgment, rely upon your "gut instincts" and when in doubt ask a fellow geneablogger or do your research.

Should I be worried about privacy? (continued)While a blog might look very public and give the appearance of everything being "out in the open," did you realize that some blogs can be set to private? And access only given to the friends and family members you designate?

Should I be worried about privacy? (continued)Did you also know that some bloggers decide to remain anonymous or create a "web persona" similar to a pen name? Investigate all the ways in which you can still maintain your privacy and the privacy of your family members yet still have a public space where you can share your genealogy research and write about your ancestors.

Should I be worried about privacy? (continued)Here are some tips: Decide if you want a public or private blog – it is possible to create a private blog and then make it public but much more difficult to begin publicly and then make a blog private.Consider a semi-public blog where there is a private section which can only be accessed by family members or others who have the login and password credentials.

Should I be worried about privacy? (continued)Before you create your blog, if you want to create a web persona, think about a name and an identity you want to use. See if an account name has already been "taken" at major website such as Google, Facebook, etc. Use a site like Usernamecheck.com. Then create an e-mail account using Google mail or Hotmail or one of the many, free on-line e-mail services.

What are the copyright issues involved?Bloggers and potential bloggers would be wise to fully understand the basics of copyright law especially as it pertains to the concept of "fair use." Becoming educated on copyright law as it pertains to blogging is easy if you know where to look:

What are the copyright issues involved? (continued)Stanford University has produced an excellent educational website – Copyright & Fair Use - which gives a good overview of how copyright law works, what exactly is meant by "fair use" and more. Many bloggers and geneabloggers rely upon this website to get a better understanding of what should and should not be reproduced on a blog.

What are the copyright issues involved? (continued)The Electronic Frontier Foundation has produced an excellent Bloggers' Legal Guide which also discusses some do's and don'ts of copyright law.A great resource within the geneablogging community is Craig Manson's blog GeneaBlogie. Besides being a most excellent spot to learn more about his family's history, Craig has closely tracked various copyright issues as they pertain to quoting and using published materials on a blog.

How do I make sure my genealogy blog thrives and grows?Creating a blog is much like starting a garden: you will get out of it what you put into it. Some are content to only post every so often and they may find that they don't get many followers or comments on their posts.

How do I make sure my genealogy blog thrives and grows? (continued)Others will post several times a week or even several times a day and also make sure they follow other bloggers and comment on blog posts. Basically you get a return based on your level of investment. But there really is no pressure to meet a "minimum" level of participation.

How do I make sure my genealogy blog thrives and grows? (continued)Some genealogy bloggers have become very adept at marketing their blogs and their blog posts including developing a "brand." The technology available that allows you to market your blog – and all or most of it is free! – is amazing. Genealogy bloggers are all over social media sites such as Facebook,Twitter and others.

How do I make sure my genealogy blog thrives and grows? (continued)DearMyrtleEastman's Online Genealogy NewsletterfootnoteMavenGenea-musings

How do I make sure my genealogy blog thrives and grows? (continued)There really is no limit as to how far you can go with a genealogy blog. In fact, if you check several of the more well-known geneabloggers, you will see that they maintain not just one genealogy blog, but several and some even have their own websites and domain names! A select few have managed to turn genealogy blogging into a business or at least an all-consuming pastime!

How do I participate in the genealogy blogging community?Comments. The most important thing you can do in order to participate in the genealogy blogging community and to get your own blog noticed is to place comments on posts by other bloggers. When you make a comment – even as simple as saying, "Hello" or "I really enjoyed your post," you not only recognize other bloggers but you create a link back to your own blog and profile on the Internet. Very often others who read comments will be curious as to who you are and what you blog about.

How do I participate in the genealogy blogging community? (continued)Carnivals. A blog carnival is an organized on-line event in which bloggers create blog posts around a specific subject. Most genealogy-related carnivals accept posts from blogs as long as they are in keeping with the theme or subject matter and are submitted by the set deadline. The carnival host will create a "round up" posting listing all the posts submitted by other bloggers, sometimes with descriptions. Participating in a carnival is a great way to get a new blog noticed and to not only gain new readers and followers but also to create links back to your blog.

How do I participate in the genealogy blogging community? (continued)A Festival of PostcardsCarnival of Central and Eastern European GenealogyCarnival of Genealogy (the grand-daddy of all genealogy blog carnivals!)Carnival of Irish Heritage & CultureGraveyard Rabbits CarnivalSmile for the Camera

How do I participate in the genealogy blogging community? (continued)Memes. A meme is similar to a carnival but it has a looser organization and usually does not involve a summary or "roll-up" post on another blog. Think of a meme as being similar to the game Operator that you may have played as a child: you basically say something (by posting on your blog) and the next person picks up that same phrase and posts to their blog about it.

How do I participate in the genealogy blogging community? (continued)Many times a meme can literally "spread like wildfire." Memes usually involve fun activities that allow your blog readers to learn a little bit more about you. Bloggers like memes because it means one less idea you need to come up with for a blog post!Some memes are scheduled on a weekly basis, publicized by GeneaBloggersand focus on specific topics:

How do I participate in the genealogy blogging community? (continued)Black Sheep Sunday involves posting about a ne'er-do-well or black sheep ancestor in your family tree. Posts have included photos, newspaper accounts of crimes, etc.Madness Monday is a dual-purpose meme: participants post about an ancestor the may have had a mental illness or some other affliction or an ancestor that drives the blog owner mad because they can't be located or key information about them is missing.

How do I participate in the genealogy blogging community? (continued)Tombstone Tuesday is one of the simpler memes and involves posting a photo of the gravestone of one of your ancestors. You can choose to add a comment or back story or not.Wordless Wednesday is a meme whose popularity is not just limited to genealogy blogs but can be found across the Internet in blogs of all types. A photo is posted with only credit information (title, date, location and who owns the photo).

Now how do I get started?Take it slow and step-by-step:Find the genealogy blogs that interest you and read up on their posts. Make notes on the blogs format, the author's writing style, the type of content etc. Use these blogs as a stylistic basis for your own genealogy blog.Select your blogging platform – the site that will host your blog and help you create posts and manage your blog. The most popular are Blogger, Wordpress and Typepad. Create your blog and review the basic default settings including privacy and access.

Now how do I get started? (continued)Create your first post – an introductory post about you, your blog, your family history – and congratulate yourself on getting started!Visit GeneaBloggers and get your blog listed on our blog roll.Go visit those genealogy blogs that inspired you and either send the author an e-mail thanking them or post a comment along with a link to your new blog.

Now how do I get started? (continued)Get involved in the geneablogging community by commenting on other blog posts and participating in memes and carnivals.Never be afraid to ask questions of your fellow geneabloggers – we all started out in the same place you just did. We are proof that learning to blog is a process – and not an overnight one. Reaping the success and rewards of a great genealogy blog takes time and cultivation of your genealogy blog.

A Genealogy Blog Primer**Everything You Wanted To Know About Genealogy Blogs But Were Afraid To Ask!copyright 2009 Thomas MacEntee