Blog versus website - what's the difference?

When talking about websites, it is important not to forget that there are many types of website. We can deal with company websites, shops, portfolio websites or blogs. It is the latter type that we will take a closer look at in this article. What is the difference between a 'normal' website and a blog? If you are just planning to create your own web space, understanding these differences will help you achieve your goals.

What is a blog?

Blog is the kind of website where the most important thing is up-to-date content, i.e. presented in chronological order (newest to oldest) of entries. Traditional websites are static by nature and are not regularly updated. Blogs, on the other hand, are dynamic and new content appears (usually) frequently. A blog can be a component of a larger website or exist as a separate entity.

The history of blogs, or how did it all start?

Blogs started in the 1990s, the time of online 'diaries'. Even back then, web users were already running personal pages where they regularly published up-to-date news about their lives or thoughts on important events.

And where does the word "blog"? It all started with John Berger from Northwestern University's teaching institute - a passionate writer and artificial intelligence enthusiast. He was also the editor of one of the first online journals, and it was on his in 1997 the word "weblog" was used for the first time. The term has been shortened over time to the form we know today, namely 'blog'. This change was first made by Peter Merholz in 1999. He split the previous term "weblog" into the words "we blog", i.e.... "we blog"!

However, it is not only the nomenclature that has evolved. Due to the ever-increasing number of blogs, the following started to appear tools to facilitate their creation also to people without advanced computer skills. Two dates in particular deserve mention:

• 1999 one year - free blog service launched Blogger
• 2003 year - WordPress launched its first version (as a blogging platform)

Differences between blogs and websites

Before going on to list the differences between blogs and websites, it should be noted that blogs are a type of website. The main difference between standard websites and blogs is timeliness and display of content. The blogs are supplemented and updated with new content regularly. 

Another difference is the way the content is organised. Blogs are blog posts that appear regularly, e.g. once a week or even daily on some blogs, in order to engage the audience! A website, on the other hand, is made up of interconnected pages and sub-pages hosted on a single server. 

Attention! The article uses the terms website/webpage interchangeably in the colloquial sense. However, it should be remembered that, by definition, these terms are not synonymous. A webpage is a separate, single document within a website. A website is a collection of interrelated pages and subpages. 

One other difference should be mentioned, which used to exist but is no longer visible today. It is the objective. In their early days, blogs were mainly used as personal online diaries. Over time, however, they have realised the audience-attracting power they have, so companies have also started to exploit their potential. They use blogs to educate or inform their customers about events. They also use blogs as part of their search engine optimisation strategy.

To summarise this part of the article, it is simplest to say that all blogs are sites (or part of a site), but not all sites are blogs.

And what about the similarities? First of all, you can create both a website and a blog using the popular CMS-such as WordPress!

Difference between blog posts and subpages

WordPress is the most popular blogging platform and a powerful content management system. By default, it includes two types of content: blog posts and pages. Often WP beginners are confused as to how they differ.

Entries are displayed from newest to oldest on the blog (or blog tab if you have one on your site). Pages, on the other hand, are static, 'one-off' content such as the homepage, 'about us' or contact details page.

Company blog - why is it worth having one?

A blog on a company's website is a marketing tool that does not require a large budget, but can really bring a lot of benefits and contribute to the development of the brand. It is definitely worth maintaining.

Top brands are expanding their blogs with more posts to educate their customers, share valuable content and reach a wider audience. Blogging is an essential part of the online marketing strategy for many (large and small) businesses. Learn about its key benefits for business.

Blogging helps build an expert image

While most people only talk about the benefits of blogging in terms of clients, the brand-building opportunity within the industry should not be overlooked. Typically, every niche has a plethora of blogs, but only a fraction of them are trustworthy, valuable and distinctive. It is to the companies running them that the biggest and most demanding customers come. By creating high-quality, valuable content for your blogs, you can become these 'trusted' experts!

With blog posts you can achieve search engine success and increase traffic

If the subject SEO is not completely unfamiliar to you (e.g. you read our articles), then you know that content is crucial in gaining visibility for important business keywords. In this aspect, the blog facilitates, among other things positioning on long tail.  

It is worth noting that companies that blog frequently see a significant increase when it comes to website traffic compared to those who do not blog at all or irregularly. And more people on the site means... more potential customers.

Through blog posts, you can answer frequently asked questions from customers

For every business, there are questions and doubts that "plague" most potential customers. They may concern the services provided, the process of creating the products delivered or even how to use them. In the case of SEO agencies, such common questions include: how long to wait for the effects of positioning i what is positioning for effect. Find out what answers your target group needs and deliver them.

Engage your audience with your blog!

A blog is a specific type of website. Remember that there is nothing stopping it from also being part of your company website. On the contrary, a blog is an opportunity to increase your brand's visibility online and, in turn, gain new readers who may turn into customers. However, you must ensure that the content you provide is of high quality, useful and optimised for search engines.