a clear understanding of what websites and blogs are. That way, you’ll know which is best for your needs. In this article, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know, with plenty of examples along the way. I’ll also share tips and strategies for starting your own blog or website. By the time you’re done reading, you’ll know exactly what a website is, what a blog is, and most importantly, which one is right for you.
Contents hide
1 Website vs. Blog: Is There a Difference?
2 What is a blog?
3 Why do you need a blog?
4 What is a website?
5 Why use a website?
6 Starting a blog and creating a website
7 Blogging Strategies
7.1 Strategy 1: Clearly define your niche
7.2 Strategy 2. Getting More Traffic (Visitors)
7.3 Strategy 3: Produce Regular Content
7.4 Strategy 4: Form connections with other bloggers
8 Website Strategies
8.1 Strategy 1: Design Your Website with Action in Mind
8.2 Strategy 2: Keep your site up to date
8.3 Strategy 3: Make sure your site is up and running
8.4 Strategy 4: Help people find your site
9 Website vs. Blog: Which is Better for You?
9.1 Related publications:
Website vs. Blog: Is There a Difference?
If you’ve tried to make money online, you’ve probably seen people talk about “blogs” and “websites” as if they’re the same thing. So is a blog a website? There’s a difference between a blog and a website: A blog is just one type of website. Websites and blogs can look very different. Some blogs are tiny, run by one person in their spare time. Others are huge media platforms. Some websites are just one page and a little text. Other websites are huge online stores . Let’s dive a little deeper into some examples – and see how you can use a blog or a website to achieve your goals.
What is a blog?
A blog is a website that regularly posts new content (often called blog posts or just posts). This type of website requires the use of special blogging software . Blogging software usually also allows for other blog-specific features, such as comments. The first precursors to blogs appeared in 1993 and 1994 in the form of online journals and online diaries. It wasn’t until 1997 that the term “weblog” was coined, from which we get the word “blog.” Since then, many different blogging platforms have emerged to make it easier for people to create their own blogs. Today, many blogs still display their latest posts on the home page – but this is not a requirement. Some blogs are structured in a more business-like manner. They have a “static” home page that introduces the business and contains links to key blog posts. There are many different blogging platforms, but WordPress is the most popular , used by 42% of internet users (to create both websites and blogs). We'll discuss WordPress in more detail later when we look at how to start a blog.
Why do you need a blog?
Why do you need a blog? There are many good reasons. Perhaps one (or more) of them is right for you.
You can use a blog as a creative outlet. Many bloggers enjoy publishing their thoughts and ideas to a global audience… for some, this is the main attraction of blogging. If you want to be able to publish your work for free, quickly, and in a very accessible way, blogging can be a fantastic option for you. Some bloggers publish poetry, short stories, or even chapters of novels on their blogs.
You can use a blog as an online platform. Perhaps you want to establish yourself as an influencer or even a thought leader in your field. If you are a writer or speaker — or aspire to be one — your blog will give you a platform to share ideas and grow your audience.
You can use a blog as a showcase for your work. It only takes 10 to 15 minutes to create a blog… and if you’re a freelance writer (or any other creative type), a blog can be a really easy way to build an online portfolio .
You can use a blog to keep family and friends updated on your adventures. For example, you could start a travel blog to share photos and details of your trip with family and friends around the world. This can be a good option if not all of your relatives use social media: they don’t need to have a social media account or app to read your blog ; they can simply visit your website in any browser. You can easily email them a link.
You can use a blog as the basis for an online business . While a blog itself is not a business, many people make money blogging, turning their blog into a second source of income or even a full-time career.
You can use a blog to promote an existing business. If you already run a business — whether it’s an online store , a restaurant, a consulting business, or any other type of business — you can use a blog as a way to promote your business. Your blog posts can be a great way to attract new customers and help them get to know you and what you can do for them.
What is a website?
A website is any page (or set of pages) on the Internet. It can be a simple page with a company's contact information , similar to an online business card. If you know HTML code , you can create a very basic website using a regular text editor. However, websites are usually created in the same way as blogs, using special software . In fact, many blogging platforms also serve as website builders. You don't necessarily have to use blogging features to create a website . In some cases, websites will include a blogging section. However, this will not be the main focus of the site. Here are a few very different sites to consider:
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Amazon.com: The World's Largest Online Store
Wikipedia.org: The Enormous Free Online Encyclopedia
Down For Everyone Or Only Me? : A simple site that lets you check if a site is down worldwide or if you're the only one with connection problems
Why use a website?
When does it make sense to use a website instead of a blog? There are many cases where using a website makes the most sense. For example:
You can use a website to provide information about a (stand-alone) business or organization . Let's say you run a children's activity center. You could create a website with information about opening hours, facilities, cafe menu, and so on.
You can use a website to provide a tool or resource either online in a browser or as a download. For example, getpaint.net exists to allow people to download Paint.NET ( free digital photo/graphics editing software ).
You can use a website to create a personal home page , an online business card, or an online resume. About.me makes it easy to create a one-page site with a short bio and links to your social media sites .
You can use a website for a special event, such as a wedding. This type of website will allow you to easily provide information for your guests, such as a schedule, maps, seating plans, and wedding registry information .
You can use a website as an online store. To create such a site, you need to use a special e-commerce website builder . This software allows you to add products to the site, manage inventory, register and process orders, accept payments, and so on.
You can use a website as an online forum (or community). If you want to bring like-minded people together, this is a great way to do it. It allows you to create your own community rather than relying on large social networks like Facebook , which can shut down or ban your community without warning. You will need special forum software , such as bbPress for WordPress.
Starting a Blog and Creating a Website
Whether you're starting a blog or creating a website, you'll go through a similar process.
