Clients often ask me what a blog is and how it differs from a website. If you are considering starting a blog or website, it is important to understand these terms. In this beginner’s guide, we explain what a blog is and the difference between a blog and a website. We also show examples of how to use them and what the benefits are.
Usually the combination of a website and a blog is the best choice, but more on this later.
What is a Blog?
A blog is a type of website where content is presented in reverse order (newer content first). The content is often called “posts” or “blog posts” and is usually written in an informal, conversational style. You can often leave a comment with a blog post to let you know what you think.
Hopefully this guide will help you understand the difference between a blog and a website and decide which one to use to achieve your goals.
The History of the Word Blog and Blogging
The history of blogs goes back to the mid-1990s when they were developed from online diaries and journals. Even then, personal Web pages were maintained where people posted regular updates about their lives, thoughts and social commentary. The term “web log” first appeared in the late 1990s, later becoming “weblog,” then “we blog” and finally just “blog.”
With the growing number of Web pages maintained in this way, various tools became available that allowed users to more easily create online diaries and personal blogs. These tools contributed to the popularity of blogging and made the technology accessible to non-technical users.
In 1999, the popular blogging website Blogger. com was launched and later acquired by Google in February 2003. That same year, WordPress released its first version as a blogging platform in May 2003.
Today, WordPress is the world’s most popular blogging platform, powering more than 43% of all websites on the Internet.
What is the difference between a blog and a website?
A blog is a type of website, but the major difference is that blogs are regularly updated with new content displayed in reverse chronological order (new blog posts first).
Websites, on the other hand, are static in nature and content is organized into pages that are not regularly updated. Blogs are more dynamic and tend to be updated more frequently.
Some bloggers publish several new articles a day. Blogs can be part of a larger website. Often companies have a blog section where they regularly create content to inform and educate their customers.
WordPress allows you to create both a website and a blog. This is why many business owners use WordPress to build their small business websites. In simple terms, all blogs can be a website or part of a website, but not all websites can be called blogs.
Finally, blogs have articles that are organized using categories and tags, while websites use pages to organize and display content.
Blog or website, which is the best choice?
When you take the first steps toward an online presence, you may be wondering if you should start a blog or publish a website, which is better?
To be honest, the answer to this question really depends on what your goals are. Many small businesses around the world have traditional websites consisting of only pages and no blog. Such small Web sites are often created to create an informational Web presence for a business, organization or individual.
On the other hand, more and more companies are realizing the potential of a blog in their overall marketing strategy. Entrepreneurs add a separate blog section to their traditional websites and use it to get more traffic from search engines. That’s because blogs are proven to improve search engine optimization (SEO).
Blogs also have an RSS feed feature that keeps users up to date with your latest posts. When a new post is published, the RSS feed is automatically updated. Smart marketers often connect the RSS feed to an email newsletter or Web push notification to send their users notifications of recent posts, product announcements and more.
Whether you are a business, nonprofit or professional, adding your own blog to your website will help you attract your target audience, grow your email list and sell products.
