People always ask us about the difference between blog and website. If you plan to start blog or a website, reading this article will help you to understand these terms. In this article we will explain what is blog and how is it different from a classic website.
What’s a Blog?
First of all, blog is a type of website. These types of websites are often used by individuals or small group of people for presenting information (mostly in conversational style). The content of the blog is presented in reverse chronological order (the new content appears on top).
The name blog came from the term web log, which was very popular in the 90’s. Journals and online diaries evolved at that time, so the term web log become very popular among internet users. Later it was changed in we blog, so at the end we can have the term Blog.
Because the interest in these kind of websites was so huge, several tools started to appear. These tools helped the users that did not have any technical expertise to create Blogs. This way, blogging become even more popular than before.
The first blogging website Blogger.com was launched in 1999 and in 2003 WordPress was released. Nowadays, WordPress is the most popular blogging platform with over 40% of all websites on the internet.
What is the difference between Blog and Website?
Remember: All blogs are websites, but not all websites are blogs. Blogs were created to have a simple interface and to make regular posts. These posts are typically displayed as a listing in chronological order, with the newest content at the top of the page.
Blog posts are displayed in a reverse chronological order (newest to oldest) on your blog page because they are timely content which means your users will have to dig deeper to view older posts. Blogs are managed using a content management system (CMS) which is simply a set of tools and code designed to allow you to easily add, remove, and edit your online content.
A website is a collection of related web pages, including multimedia content, typically identified with a common domain name, and published on at least one web server.
The first concept to understand is that all blogs are websites. Blogs appear on the internet like any other website, and are found by a URL. Blogs can be found on google just like normal websites.
Pages are static “one-off” type content such as your about page, contact page, products or services pages, home page, and more. A “website” is really anyplace you can visit online with a URL / Domain and allows you to view content.
The main difference is the content
In general, websites are more static. The content on a website remains pretty much the same every time you visit it. Blogs are dynamic, with fresh content appearing at regular intervals. Websites provide factual information about your business, products and services.
Blogs share your expertise in a subject area. You might write a blog post twice per week sharing your top tips, step-by-step tutorials, your opinion on an issue or answers to common customer questions. Websites are organized into pages which present information in a logical manner.
Blogs are a stream of posts, with the most recent post first. Blog posts are often tagged with categories to make it easier to find related posts – but the newest content usually appears first.
Why would you need blog or website?
Every business needs a website. The website is the ‘hub’ of your brand. It’s where your customers can go to find out more about you. Your website includes information about your products and services, your contact information, and your unique selling points.
But if you’re serious about finding clients online, you might also want a blog.
The blog is where your clients get a feel for your personality and where you can answer common questions about your products and services. You can also educate your customers through your blog, so they’re ready to buy your products and services. Blogging also establishes you as an expert in your niche topic, improve SEO and creates lots of relevant content, making it easier to be found online!
Summary
These days there really is no difference between a website and a blog. Most blogging and website content management systems will allow you to create pages which are more static as well as create blog posts that get listed in reverse chronological order.
Most people will create more static pages (such as a home page, about page, contact page, and sales related pages) and regularly update their site with new content through a blog.