Blogging is the most ignored social media networks in Botswana, but research shows that it is the most important of all media networks.
Leano Marumo, a blogger who posts about 3D models that he works on, says blogging and other social media networks are bringing people together to form a virtual community.
Among all social networks, blogging has an important place; it can be used to identify a warning sign that a crisis is developing, one that affects the whole world or just a particular group of people. This can be done by regular searching to see what people post and discuss. An analysis of the findings may be helpful.
Moemedi Rabolo, a blogger who posts his personal poems, explains that today, the internet has become a fundamental part of the fabric of life for many people. He warns that companies that do not take social media seriously will soon go out of business.
He explained that when blogging, most of the information one gets is from international bloggers. He noticed that international organizations are already using blogs as an important tool of communication, and encouraged Batswana to do the same so as to sell their products and services internationally.
According to Rabolo, comments from followers are one of the most important features of blogging that work majorly for him, adding that they help bloggers to identify and analyze the mood of the audience. The comments improve him as a blogger and help the audience get what they want.
Rabolo believes blogging could be more helpful to business people, especially politicians. He says he has been a follower of US president, Barack Obama, on twitter since the last US Presidential elections.
Blogging has such a major impact on public relations internationally that all US Presidential candidates had very active blogging spots which they used to get more votes.
“It is amazing the number of Batswana that are on face book ÔÇô it shows that they are internet users, they just do not know what is more important,” says Rabolo, adding that he only knows a few people that blog but thousands on face book. “BBC news published candidates’ blog spots and followed them to find out who is getting more votes. To the international world; this is a serious communication tool.”
“A blog is a personal diary, a breaking news outlet, your own private thoughts, whatever you want it to be,” says Marumo, intrigued by an idea recommended by archaeologists in New York to their students.
He says he had an idea that he used about the difference in skull shapes, an idea he wanted to use for his model but somebody in New York thought it was worth more and needed to be used in colleges. To him this is a tool that if used wisely can improve even our lifestyle as Batswana.
