What is Micro.blog?

Micro.blog is a unique social platform and blogging service designed for individuals who value owning their content and fostering genuine community interactions. It’s built on the principles of the IndieWeb, emphasizing personal domain control, content ownership, and interoperability with other web services.

The Creator:

• Manton Reece is the mind behind Micro.blog. With a background in software development and a passion for reviving the personal blogging culture, Manton has crafted Micro.blog since its inception through a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2017. His vision was to create a space where blogging feels like tweeting but retains the essence of personal web ownership.

IndieWeb Practices:

Micro.blog actively incorporates several IndieWeb practices:

• Own Your Content: Users are encouraged to use their own domain names. The service supports mapping your personal domain to your Micro.blog account, ensuring you maintain control over your digital identity.

• POSSE (Publish Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere): Micro.blog facilitates posting from your own site and syndicating to various platforms like Mastodon, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and others, automatically, thereby keeping your content under your control while still reaching broader audiences.

• Webmentions, Micropub, and IndieAuth: These IndieWeb standards are supported, allowing for rich interactions across the web, where comments or likes from one site can be reflected on another.

• ActivityPub: Part of the Fediverse, Micro.blog uses ActivityPub for federation, allowing your posts to interact with users on other compatible platforms.

Subscription Model:

• Micro.blog operates on a freemium model. The basic plan starts at just $1 per month, which includes:
  • Your own blog with unlimited posts
  • Your own domain name
  • Podcast hosting

More advanced features like automatic cross-posting, video hosting, and enhanced cross-posting capabilities are available in higher tiers.

Freedom and Flexibility:

• Domain Use: Users are not locked into Micro.blog. You can use your own domain, ensuring that if you decide to leave, your content and URL identity remain with you.

• Backup Options:

  • Automatic GitHub Backup: Your blog can be backed up to a GitHub repository automatically, providing a secure, version-controlled backup of all your posts.
  • Internet Archive: Micro.blog also offers periodic backups to the Internet Archive for long-term digital preservation.

• Export Formats:

  • Hugo Format: Micro.blog uses Hugo as its static site generator, which means all content can be exported in this format. This includes your posts in Markdown, theme files, and configuration, allowing for a seamless transition if you decide to self-host or move to another platform.
  • Additionally, exports can be done in JSON, Markdown, and other blog archive formats, ensuring your data is never trapped.

Why Hugo Format?

I recommend sticking with the Hugo format for several reasons:

• Portability: Hugo is well-regarded in the static site generation community, making it easy to find hosting or move to another service.
• Maintainability: With all posts in Markdown, editing or updating content post-export is straightforward.
• Theme Customization: The theme files allow you to maintain the look and feel of your blog even if you switch platforms.

Conclusion:

Micro.blog stands out as a service that not only promotes but practically implements IndieWeb principles, offering a platform where blogging feels intimate yet expansive. Its commitment to user freedom, with easy data portability and the encouragement of personal domain use, makes it an excellent choice for those who value their digital independence. Whether you’re a seasoned blogger or just starting, Micro.blog offers a way to engage with the web that feels authentic and owned by you.