Blog vs Website, Which Is Better?

By Alice Fuller on 02/21/2013 in Blog

If you viewed my previous video concerning website success with Lisa Irby, author of “Niche Website Success“, then you should be ready to boldly take that first step or re-entry into websphere. But now that you know what to do to build your web presence, the question for some of you maybe, “Blog vs website, which is better for what I aiming to do online?”

Over the years I’ve gotten this question several times and my response varies depending on the individuals’ needs. And based on my research it’s a question that will continually be discussed and even debated. As most of you know a blog IS a form of a website, but the two can serve different purposes. On some sites those purposes overlap. And in some instances too it may be beneficial to have both.

So, blog vs. website, which is better? Take a look at the video below then share with me in the comments which path best suits your needs and why.

Image: www.seobesttools.com

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8 comments

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PT Dawkins

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Hello Alice

I just watched your video. It was very informative but I have a couple of questions. I am an Indy author and do have a website up and running using netfirms, that highlights two fictional novels I've written so far. It also includes things like my bio, an interview etc. www.ptdawkins.ca

When I published my first novel, I did start up a blog but very quickly realized that I was running out of things to say. At the end of the day, if I can publish one novel per year, there's not a lot else to talk about (until the next one comes out). I also became frustrated with the amount of spam replies I was getting. So I shut it down.

I thought that with my second novel, a happy median would be for me to write a quarterly newsletter and post it to my website, promoted by a broadcast email (I do feel that I can fill that production demand). But then I've been reading that search engines vastly prefer blogs over websites.

Is there a way that I can stick with just having a website but make it competitive with a blog in terms of SEO?

Thanks

PT Dawkins

SheerSocial moderator

@PT Dawkins Thanks for commenting. Creating good blog content on a consistent basis can be challenging for many. But you don't have to come up with ideas all by yourself. You can:

1. Curate content. With proper permission use other people's content but ALWAYS credit and link to the original source.

2. Use guest bloggers. Seek out those that may be willing to write for your blog in exchange for links or even money.

3. Ask your audience what THEY would like you to write about. If your audience is a quiet one, read other authors' blogs and their comments. Comments on other blogs can often spark a blog idea.

4. Keep in mind when writing a blog you aren't writing for YOU, you're writing for an audience. Stay abreast of specific and broad topics concerning your topic.

If spam is a problem use online tools and plug-ins like Askimet, Disqus, Livefyre and others that help curtail spam and moderate comments.

Yes, you're right that search engines love fresh content to crawl, but you don't have to create it in heavy volume. Generate a schedule that benefits YOU. Maybe twice a month, or once a week is good for you. Whatever your schedule be consistent and use those posts in your newsletter.

Lastly, remember to MIX UP YOUR CONTENT. Consider creating videos, photos, or infographics. And be sure to optimize your content with proper keywords for SEO.

Thanks again for commenting!

Naukri101

1 Like

Depending on the type of business you have, creating a website from scratch can be costly and time consuming, starting a simple blog can be quite easy.

SheerSocial moderator

@Naukri You are right starting a simple blog can be easier, HOWEVER, keep in mind what is your ultimate goal? Remember blogs needed to be updated often or at least on a consistent basis. A website doesn't require it. So before you go the seemingly easy route, give some real thought as to what you created your site to do. AND websites aren't as costly as people think. There are some great Wordpress and other templates out there that are really inexpensive that can be used for blogs, full websites, or both.