Blogging is one of the biggest things to ever hit the Internet. While most people are already familiar with the basics of what a blog is, many are still at a loss when it comes to the details of complexities that come with this phenomenon. When they first came into use, blogs were simple personal journals that people published online to keep a record of their personal thoughts and feelings much like how one would use a diary. These blogs consisted of individual dated posts that could contain anything from personal thoughts to records of day-to-day events. These first blogs were maintained by individuals or small groups of people for a wide variety of reasons. However, blogs evolved as time passed by. The Origins Of The Blogging Phenomenon When the Internet was first opened to the public, people had to rely on early online services like Internet forums. These forums allowed people to post their thoughts regarding anything under the sun on forums threads. However, people kept searching for better ways to express themselves online and this is where online diaries came in. These online diaries were the forefathers of the modern blog. While these early “proto-blogs” had most of the elements of a modern blog, they were simply modified web sites that lacked the automated elements of modern day blogs. As more and more web publishing tools became available, the advent of the Blogging Phenomenon began to takeshape and people came to realize the power that these blogs had. These blogs became avenues for expression and sometimes, even tools for communication but more than that; people came to realize that these blogs could be used to earn money.