Last week, I came across an article by the developer of BearBlog titled "Will AI kill blogging?" The author discussed whether artificial intelligence would kill blogging. While acknowledging the rapid development of large language models and the potential threat they pose to content marketing and similar fields, the author argued that personal blogs are not affected by this threat.
I agree with the author's viewpoint. Blogs are a place for self-expression. Whenever I visit someone's blog, I enjoy reading their "About" page, exploring different life experiences, and getting a sense of the individual behind the blog. It feels like a real person telling their story, filled with emotions. In contrast, content generated by artificial intelligence gives me a cold and impersonal feeling.
This led me to think that every blog should have an "About" page. It serves as a window for readers to understand the author and the blog itself. It doesn't have to be too detailed; a simple description of the author's identity, interests, profession, or personal beliefs will suffice. Besides information about the author, the "About" page can also include details about the blog, such as its name, the platform used, the first domain name, and any special meaning or stories behind them.
On my blog's "About" page, I document the changes and evolution of my blog over time. For example, in 2021, I sold a domain name and then created a new blog called "胡言胡语" (meaning "Nonsense" in English). Recently, I changed the domain name again to "zuofei.net" and renamed the blog to "今是昨非" (meaning "Now is not the same as before" in English). I consider these changes as part of the blog's development and evolution.
Humans are emotional beings, and the words we write carry our emotional tendencies and values, unlike ChatGPT, which presents facts and arguments in an objective manner. Creating an "About" page allows readers to build trust between the audience and the author because we, as readers, want to know the real person behind the scenes. In simpler terms, the "About" page can be seen as a self-portrait, where we analyze and introduce ourselves. I believe this is an essential ability.
So, how do you write an "About" page? In my opinion, tell your story and write your life.
When I visit blogs, I have a habit of first reading the "About" page. I have also come across some unique and interesting "About" pages that I can use as a reference to improve my own. For example, 陈仓颉 mentioned in his "About Me" page that he has become more left-leaning since 2020. He also documented his previous blogs, domain names, and hosting providers, indicating his love for record-keeping and note-taking. His blog also contains articles about note-taking software. Another example is 破袜子, whose "About Me" page is even more detailed. It includes information about his favorite sports teams/athletes, dislikes, and personality traits. After reading his "About Me" page, you can vividly imagine the person behind the blog. Lastly, there's 老张, whom I call Zhang Shu. His "About the Blogger" page stands out for its detailed introduction of the blog's article categories. He continuously improves the content of this page, and his domain name and blog name have undergone numerous changes, reflecting his love for tinkering and experimenting. There are many more examples, which I will update gradually.
As for my own "About" page, I'm not entirely satisfied with it. I will find some time to improve it, to analyze and present myself once again.