The development of blog phenomenon causes varieties of blogs. The differences are not only in types of content, but also in other aspects, such as media types, audiences, devices and etc. Thus, blog taxonomy helps to classify the blogs. 'Blog taxonomy is the study of organizing your blog for both search engines and human beings' (Herzog 2011).
Two different classification systems are discussed in this post. First of all, blog taxonomy that is introduced by Margaret Simons. Below is the list of nine different types of blogs:
1. Pamphleteering Blogs
Pampheteering is 'important to [every] social movement since the printing press was invented ... [Unlike political blogs which only focus on political issues, authors will give] points of view on current events, [politics], sometimes broader events' (Simons, cited in Funnell 2008).
Eg. Larvatus Prodeo
2. The Digest Blog
It acts 'primarily as guides and summaries to things you can access elsewhere, either in mainstream media or no other blogs. Sometimes they include commentary as well' (Simons 2008).
Eg. Fair go, Fairfax
3. The Advocacy Blog
It is quite similar with Pamphleteering Blog. It is divided into a different category is because it focuses on related topics. 'These blogs tend to be run by established advocacy groups or commercial organisations rather than by individuals, and concern themselves with a single topic, whereas the pamphleteering sites cover many different issues' (Simons 2008).
Eg. Telstra Exchange
4. The Popular Mechanics Blog
This blog consists of information that offers instructions or advices on a specialist field. 'Now there is a huge welter of blogs out there now on just about any speciality you care to list, from quilting to gardening, to photography, to scuba driving' (Simons, cited in Funnell 2008).
Eg. Photography Blog
5. The Exhibition Blog
It is especially for artists, writers, craftspeople and different kinds of artisans to share their works to a wider audience.
Eg.
6. The Gatewatcher Blog
This a blog which critiques the reporting issues of media. It 'allowing specialist, experts and others with particular knowledge of public events to watch and hold to account the 'gatekeepers' of traditional media' (Simons 2008).
7. The Diary
It is more personal and intended for an author's family and friends.
Eg. My Personal Blog
8. The Advertisement
As what has stated in the previous post, blog is used as an effective tool in advertising. 'Some of the [blogs] are actually created by the commercial companies and are thinly-veiled advertisements' (Simons, cited in Funnell 2008).
Eg.
9. The News Blog
Authors post the latest news and information in their blogs.
Eg. Baghdad Burning
Next, the second classification system is introduced by Partha Sarathi Mandal. There are five categories of blogs, such as:
1. Media blogs
-Vlog (eg. Howard Rheingold's Vlog)
-Sketch Log (eg. Jillian Tamaki Sketchblog)
-Photo log (eg. Flickr Blog)
-Tumble log (eg. Tumblr)
-Art Log (eg. Ea's Artlog)
2. Device blogs
'A blog written by a mobile device like a mobile phone or PDA is called Moblog' (Mandal 2011, p. 156).
Moblog (Digital Family 2011)
3. Subject Blogs
These blogs focus in a specific subject. For example: music, fashion and etc.
Eg. MusicBlog
4. Legal Status
Blogs can be personal, public, or corporate.
5. Searching Blogs
These help to search for the blogs available on the Internet by using key terms.
Eg. Technorati
These two classification systems have a similarity: both systems categorize blogs based on the nature of the written contents. It is more convenient to distinguish the blogs according to written contents, because each blogger has different purposes and target audiences. As comparison with Mandal's system, Simon's taxonomy classifies blogs in a more specific way. On the other hand, Mandal's classification is too broad. For instance, even though blogs such as vlog and photo log have distinctive contents, they are still grouped into the same category: Media Blogs. Hence, Simon's taxonomy provides the better classification method.
References:
Digital Family 2011, Blog design for every screen, viewed 19 August 2011, <http://www.digitalfamily.com/mobile/blog-design-plugins.html>.
Funnell, A 2008, 'A taxonomy of blogs', The Media Report, transcript, 25 September, ABC Radio National, viewed 19 August 2011, <http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2008/2372882.htm#transcript)>.
Herzog, A 2011, 'Why blog taxonomies are important', Social Media Journal, blog posting, 24 January, Social Media Club, viewed 19 August 2011, <http://socialmediaclub.org/blogs/social-media-journal/why-blog-taxonomies-are-important>.
Mandal, PS 2011, 'Blog and its role in library and information services', Journal of Library & Information Technology, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 155-158, viewed 19 August 2011, <http://publications.drdo.gov.in/ojs/index.php/djlit/article/viewFile/983/411>.
Simons, M 2008, Towards a taxonomy of blogs, Australian Policy Online, viewed 19 August 2011, <http://www.apo.org.au/commentary/towards-taxonomy-blogs-0>.
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