My Question to Scott Fox: Web Site vs. Blog Hosting?

Ask Scott Fox: Web Site vs. Blog Hosting?

Dear Scott, Can a business use a blog instead of a web site? For businesses that simply need a web presence to provide information, such as an attorney, insurance agent, or consultant, can a blog be used rather than a website? What are the advantages and disadvantages? What platform would you recommend? Thanks, Caroline

Scott Fox

Dear Caroline, The distinctions between blogs and web sites are disappearing. Traditionally a blog was more "post-based", while a web site was more about "web pages". But as everyone online updates their sites more frequently, it turns out that the easy posting and content management tools of blogs work very well for web sites, too. Because businesses such as the attorneys, insurance agents, and consultants you mention are more likely to need to communicate basic, evergreen info than fancy design or e-commerce functionality, blogs could likely work just fine for them. I've found that using a browser-based blog editing system to create and maintain a web site is a great solution, especially for newbies or small business owners who don't have the time, interest, or resources to worry about server maintenance, FTP, and the many other technical details that often accompany running your own site. In fact, this winter I moved this very site, ScottFox.com, from a traditional web host (IPW) to a blog host, Typepad, because the blog updating tools make it so much easier to administer.At first I did this just as an experiment in researching my next book (a sequel to Internet Riches). But I soon found that keeping the main site separate from my blog was unnecessary. As my frequent readers know, I now recommend Typepad to my books/blog/radio audience both for "blogs" and for basic "web sites" because the tools are essentially interchangeable. There's an extensive review/discussion of Typepad's pros & cons at the link below. Wordpress.com also seems to have improved its offerings substantially recently, so we're currently looking at that platform for further review/coverage in my blogs, too.I hope that's helpful. Scott Fox http://www.websitetoolreviews.com/2008/03/bestsitehosting.html ScottFox.com - Internet Riches: Ask Scott Fox: Web Site vs. Blog Hosting?

Comments

Scott,

Thank you for taking the time to answer and also for confirming what I thought to be true! I provide online marketing for several clients and have seen them taken advantage of by web design companies because of their naivety of search engines, websites, etc.

I am considering offering this service to a few clients who have never even heard of a blog, so I really wanted to confirm my own belief that in certain situations, it is actually a more useful tool. I am looking forward to exploring your blog, ebook, etc... I am continually looking for proper information on best practices. There is such an excess if SEO junk out there that it is almost impossible to weed through it all. I am now trying to decide between wordpress and typepad....

Thanks again!

Caroline Barry