A microblog is a short piece of writing, videos, pictures, or gifs designed for quick and easy interactions. Posts are usually short, around 300 words or less. They're posted more frequently than a traditional blog post – sometimes multiple times per day.
You may use microblogging platforms to share articles, products, or fundraisers. This type of sharing is popular on apps you're probably familiar with – Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. There is no requirement to use these platforms and start your microblog. You can choose any of them, but using multiple platforms is common.
Fig. 1 - Apps can help you microblog.
Difference Between Blogs and Microblogs
Microblogging differs from regular blogging in a number of ways.
Blogging is usually going to consist of long-form content. This means that posts are at least a thousand words, but there's no limit to how long they can be.
Blog posts are going to be more comprehensive simply because they have more words. Blogging goes in-depth with stories or instructional content,
On the other hand, microblogging is usually meant to be read on your mobile phone and tends to stay significantly shorter.
Some microblogging platforms have a character limit that keeps posts intentionally short. This helps keep people engaged with the content posted. These shorter posts are interactive, personable, and relatable. You can use emojis freely in any microblog post.
One disadvantage of microblogging is that you don't own the platform that you post on like you would on a blogging platform, i.e. you own www.yourbloggingwebsite.com. A company can remove you from their platform at any time.
Here is a table to help you easily remember the differences between blogging and microblogging.
Blog | Microblog |
| Long entries — over a thousand words | Shorter posts — less than three hundred words |
| Article-like posts | Headline-like entries |
| Weekly or monthly posts | Frequent posts, sometimes multiple times a day |
| Website that shares information about a related topic | Common on social apps (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) |
| You can own your own blog and content | The platform owns the microblog and content |
Personal vs. Business Microblogs
Microblogs are designed to be interactive so that people can quickly interact with posts. This is beneficial for both personal and business accounts.
A personal microblog allows you to share personal stories or updates, images and videos of hobbies, and thoughts you may have. Posts can be just a few words, too, especially if it's just for a quick update.
Different Microblogging Platforms
Microblogging platforms are really common and are used daily by millions of people worldwide. They can be incredibly useful because you have the option to add links or videos to these platforms.
This makes it easier to share shorter posts while still providing good information – even if the character limit is 300. Here are some of the most commonly used sites.
Microblogging: Facebook
You might use Facebook as a personal microblog platform instead of a blog platform to keep your friends and family members in the loop on your day-to-day activities. It can be used to quickly share updates on natural disasters, sports, political or local events going on around you. A Facebook status update might look something like this:
Update! We are all safe after the windstorm last night! Thanks everyone for checking in on us!
Facebook is popular for businesses because so many people use this platform. It can save on marketing costs and help a business reach a lot more people by posting updates, events, and products.
Microblogging: Instagram
Instagram is similar to a blog format, only shorter. It's used to share common interests, hobbies, and photos.
A business can use it as a platform to promote products or sales. The image and content below are examples of what might be shared by a business on this platform.
Fig. 2 - Instagram microblog for business.
We've got a new product just in time for Mother's Day!
Check out this cute mug. This design is sure to
melt her heart this year. Order this perfect gift for
mom now, before it's too late!
Click the link in our bio to purchase. #mothersday
#gifts #cutemugs #holidays
Microblogging: Twitter
Twitter is often used to post random thoughts or ideas by a personal user. Businesses might use it for quick communication or to share links to their longer articles. These posts are easily re-sharable or "retweeted" so that a lot of people can see what was posted.
Fig. 3 - Twitter as a personal microblog.
Microblogging Examples
As we mentioned in the introduction, you are probably aware of – or already use – microblogging platforms. Below you will see some microblogging samples that can go on popular platforms like Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.
Fig. 4 - Instagram microblog post.
In this first example, the picture and commentary are suited to Instagram.
The microblog isn't complete unless it contains some comment underneath the image. This is where you could share the recipe and hashtags. We'll talk about the purpose of hashtags later.
Ingredients
.
.
.
Two 8oz salmon filets
Three large green tomatoes
Pink himalayan salt
Fresh Parsley
Italian seasoning
Olive oil
Instructions
.
.
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Place salmon and quartered
tomatoes in baking dish. Liberally
apply olive oil. Sprinkle with salt,
Italian seasoning, and a few sprigs
of parsley. Roast in the oven on
broil for 25 minutes.
#healthyfoods #cookingathome
#friedgreentomatoes #fishdish
In this second example, a business is using a Tweet to promote a product and uses hashtags to help users find their page easier.
Fig. 5 - Business on Twitter example.
Microblogging and the News
Several journalism sites use Twitter or other microblogging platforms to share headlines and links to their articles. This is a great way to alert the masses about breaking world events. Some microblogging news outlets are The BBC, New York Times, and Al Jazeera.
A problem with getting news from microblogging platforms is verifying the truth. This is why microblogs are only considered "news sources" if they fit the criteria for journalism: verification, independence, and accountability.1
Microblogging and Social Media
If you use any social media platforms, you probably have plenty of experience in microblogging. The combination of the two has changed the way we share information. Remember that microblogging is useful to share things quickly and to a broad audience. There are tools that microblogging platforms have so your content can be found even easier. One tool you're probably familiar with is hashtags. Hashtags allow users to find posts that fall under the same tag. So if you're looking for pictures of a recent local event, you might search for #localevent or #event. Hashtags used on microblog platforms get exponentially more traffic to those posts.
Fig. 6 - Microblogs and social media.
Here are some popular social media platforms that are considered microblog platforms:
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