A key issue you face when starting an internet business is "Should I have a blog or a website? What are the advantages of a blog vs website?"
When I started, which was back in about 2001, it was a website or nothing so I had a website which was cheap but a pain to use. Then I searched out another website that had a user friendly front end with a what you see is what you get" style and I became much more active.
At that time blogs didn't exist, at least not any popular form.
Even when blogging started to become the thing to do, I resisted. I saw it as a self indulgent online diary for people who craved attention.
Then I read the Success Secrets Of The Online Business Superstars and learnt about all the advantages of having a blog and how it can be used to develop a relationship with readers.
I had to try it out and my Business Coaching blog was started.
Traditional Websites
Here are the characteristics of websites I see:
- Static - most websites are rarely updated
- Often websites are over-fancy in design and sometimes in ways that harms search engine rankings
- Easy to update provided you buy a website with a content management system
- Websites have very controlled navigation through formal menu structures which can often be multi-levels
- Websites have one way communication - this is what I say, do, offer
Blogs
In contrast here are some comments about blogs:
- Dynamic - the entire purpose of a blog is to be updated regularly
- Simple design templates which if you do nothing, means your blog looks no difference from many others.
- Because blogs focus on words and are updated regularly, the search engines find blogs good to visit and spider.
- Navigation is more difficult. Blogs are usually listed in date order so even if you have different categories, the end of the story can be read before the beginning.
- Blogs encourage two way conversations. Machine generate spam and from mindless individuals is a problem but the best blogs allow you to add your own comments to an article and the writer can then respond to your issues, questions or opinion.
- Blogs automatically offer a RSS (really simple syndication) feeds which can be read in software like Google Reader.
Hybrids
As blogging software develops (especially Wordpress) you can see more hybrids which combine the advantages of both blogs and websites.
Either you can embed a blog into your website or your website can be built on blogging software with some very nice results.
I am no technical whiz but my Online Profits blog is designed as a blog without a standard front page. Readers see whatever I have written about most recently and it is designed to bring people the latest Internet marketing news and products from the top names.
This Starting An Internet Business blog is different. I want to have more control over how I introduce information to readers who are just starting out and while they want to build an Internet business, may be very confused by all the options and alternatives.
Content Sharing Sites
It may surprise you to learn that you can be an Internet marketer and make money without a blog or a website.
I am a big fan of Squidoo which is an interesting alternative to a website or blog. It is a PR6 website which allows you to post your own content and have lots of user interaction with comments and polls. It can be commercialised although you do have to share Google Adword revenue.
Here are some of my lens:
which attract regular traffic.
Squidoo is not as strong as it used to be because of several Google slaps because spammers were taking advantage but it is highly recommended.
Other alternatives include Hubpages, Article sites, forums and social networking websites like Facebook, MySpace and Ecademy.
Blog vs Website
Back to the original debate, my own view is that if you want an ecommerce business, you have to have your own website.
If you want to sell affiliate products, I would stay with a blog and the content sharing websites. It's the same if you just want to have an information site without any commercialisation.
If your needs are in between those two extremes, then it makes sense to me to have a website with a blog embedded into it. Best for the blog to be properly embeded on the same host rather than separate sites made to look like one.
Thanks for your insights Dan.
I am part of a program that was built on your strategies and teachings.
It is one of the few programs I have bought into in 2 years.
I went to school learning internet marketing from people you know because I heard them mention you many times.
I did not spend too much time as a grass hopper on steroids jumping from program to program.
I was an athlete so I realized I needed to start training and learning online and I'm happy I was proactive because at 53 no one wants me job wise and now it looks as if I won't have to worry about getting a job.
Thank God !
I have much to learn though since I want 6 figures online and I have book marked your stuff and will work at getting to a higher level so to speak.
I will also send folks here.
Posted by: Nicholas Wind | 09/17/2009 at 09:29 PM