I started with the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, which defines blogging as a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer.

Wait a minute! By this definition, I’ve been a blogger all my life! In grammar school, I kept a journal, using an alias, for a girls’ club that was posted on a bulletin board (closet blogger). In high school, I contributed events commentary to the school newspaper (social blogger). For visiting family and friends, I kept an activity journal with great information and useful contacts (travel blogger). At work, I took meeting notes, transcribed minutes, and added commentary about improving business practices (business blogger). I wrote a yearly holiday letter chronicling the latest family events (family blogger). All of this material was either publically posted or made available to a group of people, and every “posting” required style, tone, and etiquette guidelines.

Blogging may seem intimidating, but it’s really just a different medium for distributing information—information that you’ve probably been sharing your whole life, in one form or another. And while it’s true that a blog is available to a larger audience, I’ve found Web audiences to be more forgiving about my writing style and grammar than former teachers and ex-bosses. So if you have something to say, just figure out who you’re talking to and start blogging. It may not be as hard as you think.

My next blog topic: Texting? Wait a minute…

BRAVO

Williams-Sonoma slices and dices its content every which way to appeal to the searching methods of any user: by brand, by season, by popular gift items, by sale items—you get the idea. This approach makes the site highly intuitive, and shows that the company is focused on its audience.

The navigation is dense (and the site map is massive), but it’s well-organized and fairly easy to find what you need, if you come to the site looking for something specific. If you come to browse, watch out. The timely content does a great job appealing to summertime impulse buys—think grilling tools, margarita glasses, and ice cream makers. There are a lot of things to catch your eye, and the first-rate photography can make loaf pans seem exciting.

From a content perspective, the site is packed with information: countless recipes; descriptions of seasonal fruits and veggies (where they come from, how to select them, how to prepare them); information about cooking techniques; and seasonal cooking tips, like how to cut kernels from the cob. Much of this content is adapted from various Williams-Sonoma cookbooks, which means that the company is (unknowingly) following Tendo’s advice to “write once, use many.”

TRY AGAIN

While the site has a lot of information, the home page is busy and looks cluttered, with six promotional areas plus a seasonal navigation box. Choice is great, but too much choice can be daunting.

In addition, the site lacks interactivity. On Epicurious.com users can add tips and comments to the recipes—tips add value and also help build community, but Williams-Sonoma offers no such feature. The site is also ripe for a blog (topics could include cooking tips, cookware tips, design tips, or cooking trends), an “ask the expert” feature, or some other interactive element. The site has all the basics and much more, but it could encourage more repeat visits with a bit more personality and community.