Going online has not only become a trend, but also a lifestyle. Websites and personal blogs abound as more entrepreneurs also establish their platforms and niches online. It has become a must for all companies and businesses alike to set an online presence through websites and blogs as major forms of digital marketing.
Generally, people interchangeably use blogs and websites. It must be noted that websites differ from blogs in various aspects. Before delving into the differences between a website and a blog, you need to understand how each of them works first.
What Are Websites?
When you open a browser, such as Google Chrome or Internet Explorer, and enter any web address like www.website.com, you’ll end up on a website. In fact, YouTube, Facebook, And Google are also called websites. Thus, the pages you navigate from a web browser are considered websites.
Websites require an allocated space for file storage, including images and codes. This is called web hosting. There are services that outline and offer affordable shared web hosting plans to assist you in launching your website without hassle. There are many types of websites you can create, such as the following:
E-Commerce Website
An e-commerce website serves as an online store where you can sell your services or products. It’s the perfect forum to advertise and promote your e-commerce business. Through this, earning income and gaining more customers will just be a click away.
Customers can purchase products directly through your website. Your website can also be a guide to show your clients the location of your physical store. In short, an e-commerce website is the extension of your business.
Business Website
Aside from directly selling your products with an e-commerce website, you can also have a business website. This site doesn’t necessarily mean you’re selling your products.
A business site is a site that represents your business. It communicates your vision and mission, products and services, and some technicalities such as your business mantra and logo.
Your site helps build your credibility since nowadays, people automatically assume you have a website if you own a business. Hence, they can verify your credibility and learn more about your company. It also serves as proof that your business is legitimate and reputable.
Portfolio Website
Service providers also need a website to showcase the services they offer. A portfolio website is where they post examples of their past work. This is easier to build than a business or e-commerce website because the focus is merely on enumerating and collecting work samples.
This way, they can show their skills and encourage businesses or individuals to hire them.
What Are Blogs?
A blog is a type of website containing blog posts or articles from an individual or a team of writers. The latest content appears on the first pages of the website.
Historically, blogs evolved from online journals and diaries in the mid-90s.
These web pages were updated discussing the writers’ social commentaries, thoughts, and personal lives. Previously, these pages were called ‘weblog.’
From ‘weblog’ to ‘we blog,’ a webpage is now known as a ‘blog.’
Since blogging became popular, blogging tools and platforms have risen. For instance, one can easily set up a blog using WordPress and other popular blogging platforms.
Earning Money Through Blogs
If you don’t have a business but want to earn money online, you can set up a blog. Many bloggers are earning even without owning a business. Here are some ways on how to do this:
Books And eBooks: Some bloggers have gone from blogging to publishing their books. They do this by showcasing their writing skills in their blogs. If you create high-quality and valuable content, you may also attract publishers and book deals.
Affiliate Marketing: Writing blogs can also help you earn passive income, such as in the case of affiliate marketing. This type of service allows you to write blogs while recommending physical products, digital products, or other services offered by various companies. When readers click on the link of these products or services, you’ll get a commission. You can achieve this by creating valuable content.
Selling Freelance Services: Not only can you use your blogs to earn passive income, but you can also use them as a way to get clients. This means you can make money writing for people as a freelancer.
Blogs Vs Websites
As mentioned, a blog is a type of website. What makes it unique from other types of websites is its regularly updated content. As for websites, they’re more static and posts updates only when necessary.
Also, a website can have a blog section. Since websites are organized into pages, one page may contain blogs. This is true for most business or portfolio websites. Thus, a blog can be a part of a bigger website, or it can also be a website on its own.
Due to the potential of blogging, more companies or businesses now use blogs as part of their search engine optimization (SEO) and marketing strategies. Businesses use blogs to keep their customers updated with their products and events. Some also use blogs to engage with their customers.
Therefore, a website can consist of blogs, especially for the case of business websites. They have ‘about us’ pages, which are static, and blog pages that they regularly update.
Differences In Content
As mentioned, websites have pages, and these are similar to a brochure’s sections or pages. These pages divide the different categories of the website. For instance, one page can contain the business’ general information, while the other page is a home page. Other pages may contain descriptions of the services or products.
For blogs or posts, the content may encompass various topics. Depending on the blogger or writer’s niche, each article talks about anything related to the said niche. To make blogs more interesting, bloggers incorporate a combination of social media feeds, podcasts, videos, or infographics into their blogs.
Conclusion
Now that you know what makes blogs and websites different, you can now decide how to create an online presence for your business. Depending on your business, you may want to start with a blog or a website with blogs.
No matter what industry you’re in, you need to establish your platform online. It is undeniable that websites and blogs will help grow your business and gain more customers.
