Today, we are proud to announce a new structure for our blog - one that encompasses the changes and growth we’ve experienced since we launched the blog over three years ago. Some of the new features include:

• Featured blog posts: With the increased number of blog posts, it’s easy for some to get lost in the shuffle. Each week we will highlight posts or videos that we think should not be missed.
• Topic-based subscriptions: We’ve increased the topics that we cover in the blog and now, you can subscribe to all the posts, or specifically to the new media, policy, or research posts.
• Enhanced video and audio: In addition to embedding videos into blog posts, we have also embedded audio podcasts, when available.
• Streamlined categories and tags: We’ve revisited our categories and tags, making it easier to locate topics and posts you’re looking for.

We’ve learned from you, our readers, about what topics you are interested in by monitoring the comments and traffic to the blog. And we assess traffic and engagement not only on the blog itself, but we also look at what you’re saying about the posts on FacebookExit Disclaimer, TwitterExit Disclaimer, and YouTubeExit Disclaimer. We’ve been accepted as media representatives, allowing us to blog at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna and the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI). What started as a tool to engage and learn about new media has become a platform to share information and engage in a dialogue about topics such as the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and cutting edge research. And we've always had you in mind.

We launched the HIV.gov blog on January 7, 2008. In that very first post we committed to publish a blog post each Tuesday that would focus on how and why HIV.gov is using new media and where to find new media resources. Three and half years and 447 blog posts later, we are proud to say that we’ve never missed a Tuesday blog post. We’ve expanded our use of the blog to cover topics such as HIV research, programs and policies, HIV/AIDS awareness days, and global AIDS initiatives. We’ve seen our traffic and engagement increase over the last three and a half years - and experienced particularly high traffic around the launch of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and World AIDS Day.

This blog is intended to be a dynamic, online conversation, and we’ve always welcomed your comments, ideas, and stories. Since the initial launch of the blog, we've incorporated video and audio podcasts into the blog. We’ve featured HIV.gov-authored posts, guest posts, cross-posts from the White House Office of National AIDS Policy blog and the CDC Health Protection Perspectives blog, PEPFAR blog, and posts from the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases’ (NIAID) Division of AIDS.

We’ve worked hard, week after week, to establish ourselves as a credible, reliable, and responsive source of Federal HIV/AIDS information. We do this to fulfill our mission: to increase HIV testing and care among people most at-risk for, or living with, HIV, by using emerging communication strategies to provide access to Federal HIV information, policies, programs and resources.

We encourage you to take a look around, and let us know what you think. We'd like to hear how the blog has contributed to your work and how we can continue to serve you in your efforts and your work in response to HIV/AIDS.