10 Reasons a Blog is Better Than a Website
By: Terri Zwierzynski (see my bio)
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When I started my business in 2001, it was a given that I would need a website. Just as I’d need business cards, a telephone, and a computer, I’d also need a presence on the web to truly be in business.
Times have changed — yes, your business still needs to be on the web, but increasingly, that presence is a blog, not a website (and sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference!) Here are 10 reasons why:
- Blogs are a cheap, do-it-yourself way to get started on the web. Blogging platforms are available free or at very low cost, and resources abound to help you set up and launch your blog.
- You can add to or change your blog content anytime. No more waiting until your webmaster has time to update your website! Write new posts, update old ones, even edit your static pages.
- Add audio and video yourself. With the help of a plug-in and a place to host your audio/video, you can spice up your blog with content for your readers to watch and listen to.
- Add interactivity with readers. Blogs are designed to elicit comments from readers, so now you can have conversations with potential customers, instead of just a broadcast.
- Build your list with blog subscribers. Add a subscription box to your blog, where readers sign up to receive email whenever you write a new blog post. You can even replace your ezine with your blog!
- Make your blog search-engine friendly with plugins. SEO plugins exist to manage meta tags and sitemaps easily.
- Search Engines LOVE blogs. Static websites are boring — blogs provide fresh content that readers like to visit often, so search engines tend to rank them higher, too.
- Keep your blog updated even when you are away. Write your posts ahead of time, then schedule them to be published on a date on a date in the future. Readers won’t get bored waiting a month for you to return from vacation!
- Change your blog design easily. How a blog looks is determined by a design theme that is changeable and independent of your content. Update your blog with a new look, without losing a single post or reader comment.
- Move blog content between platforms. A free blogging platform is a great way to start your blog, but you may outgrow its limited features. Export your blog content and then import it into a new platform with more features when you are ready.
Join me Thursday, February 5 at 1pm ET as I interview Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff of the Blog Squad! They’ll share their tips for boosting your business with a blog. The class is free and will be recorded.
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January 24th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
I agree: blogs are the new web sites. I’m encouraging my newbie clients to start with a blog…and also take their websites to a WordPress platform.
January 24th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Cathy — I started with TypePad, which was easy to set up, but I got tired of paying monthly! Moving to Wordpress was definitely a good move for me!
January 25th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Great post! I love both. My Website is where I can promote the company (me) and the training I offer, etc. I learned how to create my own site so I can update it anytime I want, add video, etc. My blog is where I promote what I know with helpful tips, tricks, and strategies.
Fortunately, Google loves my Website and my blog.
January 25th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Terri, This was very helpful in my quest to become a better blogger. I have both with one linked to other. Are you on twitter
January 26th, 2009 at 1:41 am
Hi Cathy,
It seems like this should be re-titled “10 Reasons a Blob is Better than a Website IF you don’t know how to build a static website.”
The reality is that coming out of the gate, neither platform (blog or static) is better than the other…they are both just different. All in all, it really depends on what you intend to do with your website…..
For instance, an ecommerce site would be better suited as a static site. If they wanted to utilize the true power (secret) of the blog, they would just implement an RSS feed (which is doable and in reality is the main difference between a blog and website).
Now, if you don’t know how to do the rudimentary things of website building (like HTML), then you are right…a blog is better…then again, a blogger would eventually have to get their hands wet with learning basic PHP skills if they wanted to modify themes.
January 28th, 2009 at 11:37 am
Hi, Terri.
Great post. I completely agree that blogs are the way to go. I struggled for months trying to figure out how to get a website up, being very technically-challenged and also not wanting to spend a lot of money. It was also important for me to be able to make changes/add content on my own. So when I discovered the Wordpress blogsite option, it changed everything for me. I created my whole site on my own, and now I can make changes anytime I want to and I don’t have to rely on someone else. There’s also not an ongoing cost (besides the yearly hosting plan, approx. $70), which is great as well.
And, your point about search engines loving blogs is right on point as well. It’s so easy to add fresh content on a regular basis, and that’s what search engines respond to.
February 3rd, 2009 at 1:25 pm
I can’t agree more about starting with self-hosted Wordpress. It was intimidating at first, but was really much easier than I thought it would be and the tutorials online are nothing short of amazing! The number of different themes that Wordpress offers free is also a big draw, and I’ve noticed that more websites are using Wordpress as their -non-blog- website!
Thanks, Terri, I know your ‘10 reasons..’ will encourage others to take the leap!
February 3rd, 2009 at 8:24 pm
So, it seems like if you could have a blog as part of your overall website you might have an ideal situation? Some content stays relatively static, and then the blog gives you an opportunity to make updates, etc.
February 3rd, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Sorry folks, implemented a new Wordpress spam filter and it was holding all your comments in moderation!
Bobbi: yes I am on Twitter, and would love to follow you back: http://www.twitter.com/TerriZSoloCEO
Leo: I agree, it depends on your skill set whether a blog is better or not, as well as the application. For most starting solo entrepreneurs, who don’t have a lot of web skills (yet), a blog is a definite option…but it’s not the only one!
Amy/Peggy/Debbie: I’m so glad to hear your success stories! I’m sure it will inspire others who want to dip their toe into the Wordpress pool
Ken: This is what I have at Solo-E now…the website includes a blog as one of the main links from the menu. However, my SEO expert is actually advising me to make my blog into the home page…taking it a step further. I’m working on that transition, and may have some results to report soon!
May 6th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Very well written post however, I would recommend that you turn the No Follow off in your comment section.
Keep up the good work.
May 15th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Finally someone who can write a good blog ! . This is the kind of information that is useful to those want to increase their SERP’s. I loved your post and will be telling others about it. Subscribing to your RSS feed now. Thanks
May 19th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
Thank you! We appreciate the compliment and you spreading the word
May 19th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
ffmpeg — thanks for bringing that to our attention, I’ll look into it!
June 8th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
A fantastic read….very literate and informative. Many thanks….what theme is this you are using and also, where is your RSS button ?
June 9th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
The theme is a custom theme, built to match the website design
The rss feed is a link in the box on the left, where it isn’t very visible, I see now! Here’s the link: http://www.solo-e.com/blog/feed
I’ll be working on some redesign of the theme and will make the rss feed more visible, thanks for the feedback.
June 10th, 2009 at 11:42 am
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August 3rd, 2009 at 5:00 am
fantastic article so far about this differentiation…I think now I must start Blog without setting up the Websites…but really it helps me alot..
November 11th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
I think the #1 reason for me (and you cover it several times above) is that blogs are easy to manage, migrate and enhance. You don’t need a 2-year degree in web design or CSS to run one successfully. Nice work!
Eric Rudolf´s last blog ..5 Visually Appealing Plugins for the Lazy Blog Designer
November 11th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Thanks, Eric. We’ve come a long way from spending $1000’s (and several months) on a web design (I admit I did this!) that only a webmaster could modify. Blogs can be set up for practically nothing, and little skill — making it much easier for solo and small business owners to get on the web right away. And the enhancements that you mention are easy and manageable, from premium or custom themes to change the look, to plugins that add cool functionality. It’s plug-and-play at its best
December 5th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Nice to see original content for once on a blog ! great
December 19th, 2009 at 5:09 am
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