International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) for Blogs

Can you get a International Standard Serial Number (better known as ISSN) for your Weblog and get listed in the worldwide standardized list of periodicals. Joe Clark runs a site called ISSN for Weblogs which suggests you can get a ISSN number for your blog.

He recommends that “everyone sign up for an ISSN. In most cases, it’s free, and in many cases, you can apply online and have a number within 48 hours.” Before you get started, it is a good idea to read about the compatibility of Weblogs and ISSN registration as many ISSN registrars refuse to allocate an ISSN to your Weblog.

There are a couple of advantages to securing an ISSN for your blog: Legitimacy and indexation.

1. With an ISSN, your Weblog indisputably qualifies as a serial or periodical, putting you in the same category as Stern and the New Yorker (and Hustler, of course).
2. Your Weblog will be indexed in the international database of publications. It will then be possible for a would-be reader to ask a librarian to locate your Weblog via the ISSN database.

Further, the more Webloggers apply for and use ISSNs, the greater the perceived legitimacy of electronic publications.

The ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) is an eight-digit number which identifies all periodical publications and are registered in an international database called the ISSN Register. It is the most comprehensive and authoritative source for the identification of serial publications world-wide.

There is some legal stuff and paperwork involved and if you are a big professional blogger with a good brand name, this might really interest you. Visit the ISSN international centre or US ISSN Center for more information.