If you know anything about blogs, or like to follow the online posts of your friends, children, or grandchildren, you might be interested in taking up blogging yourself. Blogging is one of many great activities for seniors. Not only does it allow you to share older memories with your loved ones, but it also lets you develop a record of your golden years as you travel and enjoy the freedom that comes with your children leaving the nest. You’ll find that your family and friends will enjoy reading your stories, and you’ll probably look forward to logging your latest adventures for everyone to see. The best part? It’s simple! All you need is a computer, laptop, or tablet.
Here’s what you can do to get blogging in no time:
Get Connected
To get your blog online, you’ll need Internet access. You’re probably connected to the Internet in your home — but what if you want to blog while you’re on the road? If you have a laptop, consider a mobile Wi-Fi service that gives you wireless access to the Internet in most areas of the country. If you have a tablet, your Internet is already built-in, as it is with your mobile phone. Just be aware of your usage plans for mobile and wireless services, and only connect to the Internet while you are active online to avoid exceeding your usage limits. You can compose posts offline and copy and paste them to your blog later if you so choose.
Choose a Platform
Once you’re online, you’ll need to choose a blogging platform. If you are tech-savvy, or know someone who is, one of the most popular and preferred platforms is WordPress. While WordPress does provide a free platform with an abundance of features, it can be intimidating to new users. To use it, just go into your dashboard on the site, choose a free “theme” or page design, and click a button to create a new post. For an entirely coding-free experience, try a blogging platform like Blogger or Blog.com. If you really want to dive into funky blogging platforms, try Tumblr, a stripped-down platform that makes it easy to share photos, stories, media, and all kinds of content you like.
Dictate
If you have trouble typing on tiny keyboards or just dislike typing in general, consider a dictation software program. Dictation programs are great tools for those with arthritis or who have suffered a stroke and have difficulty writing. Not only will they save you all that typing, but many people also find that dictating a story creates a more conversational and interesting post. Dragon is by far the most popular speech recognition software, but users of Google Chrome can also take advantage of a Web-based application called Dictation that’s free, if you can set it up. (Time to invite over those grandkids who are computer whizzes!)
And that’s it! Once you’re connected, have a platform you like, and know whether you’re going to type or dictate, you can get started on your first-ever blog post. Blogging is one of many activities for seniors that allow you to connect with the world via new technology. Set up your own blog today!
