What's a blog and how is it one of a kind from a internet site? (explained)
Often readers ask us about what's a weblog, and how is it one-of-a-kind from a internet site?
In case you are considering beginning a blog or a internet site, then understanding these terms will help you meet your dreams.
In this newbie’s guide, we will give an explanation for what is a blog, and what’s the distinction among blog vs web sites. We can additionally talk approximately usage situations, with actual-world examples, and their benefits.
What is a blog and how is it specific from a internet site?
What's a weblog?
A weblog is a form of internet site where the content material is offered in reverse chronological order (newer content material appear first). Weblog content material is frequently known as entries or “blog posts”.
Blogs are normally run with the aid of an man or woman or a small group of human beings to present facts in a conversational style. However, now there are tons of corporate blogs that produce a lot of informational and notion-management fashion content material.
A weblog web page displaying posts
Usual weblog posts actually have a comments phase in which customers can respond to the article.
History of Blogs
Blogs evolved from on-line diaries and journals in the mid-90s. At that point, internet users have been already jogging non-public net pages in which they published normal updates approximately their private lives, thoughts, and social commentary.
The term net log changed into first used throughout the past due 90s, which later became ‘blog’, then ‘we weblog’, and in the end simply ‘blog’.
Due to the developing variety of such internet pages, numerous equipment started to appear, which made it easier for users to create on-line journals and personal blogs. These gear helped popularize running a blog and made the generation reachable to non-technical customers.
In 1999, the popular blogging website Blogger.Com changed into released, which turned into later received by way of Google in February 2003.
The same 12 months, WordPress launched its first model as a blogging platform in may 2003.
These days, WordPress is the sector’s most famous running a blog platform powering over forty one% of all websites on the net.
What is The Difference Between Blog and Website?
Blogs are a type of website. The only real difference between a blog and other types of website is that blogs are updated on a regular basis with new content, which is displayed in reverse chronological order (new blog posts first).
Typical websites are static in nature where content is organized in pages, and they are not updated frequently. Whereas a blog is dynamic, and it is usually updated more frequently. Some bloggers publish multiple new articles a day.
Blogs can be part of a larger website. Often businesses have a blog section where they regularly create content to inform and educate their customers.
You can use WordPress to create both, a website and blog, that’s why a lot of business owners use WordPress to build their small business website.
In simple terms, all blogs can be a website or part of a website. However, not all websites can be called blogs.
For example, WPBeginner is a blog and a website. Our website has other content which is published in a non-blog format like glossary, about us, and contact pages.
Non-blog content on a blog website
Now, let’s take a look at another example. This time a website called Awesome Motive. It is a business website and belongs to WPBeginner’s management company.
Awesome Motive
It does not have a blog or any content published in sequential order. It uses pages to organize and present information about a business and collects user feedback by adding a contact form.
You can also say that blogs have articles that are organized using categories and tags. On the other hand, websites use pages to organize and display content.
Blog or Website – Which One is Better?
As a beginner, you may be wondering whether you should start a blog or a website, which one is better? To be honest, the answer to this question really depends on what your goals are.
Many small businesses around the world have traditional websites made up of just pages and no blog. Such small websites are often made to create an informational web presence for a business, organization, or individual.
On the other hand, more and more businesses are realizing the potential of a blog in their overall marketing strategy. Business owners are adding a separate blog section to their traditional websites and using it to get more traffic from search engines.
That’s because blogs are proven to improve search engine optimization (SEO).
Blogs also come with a RSS feed feature which allows users to stay updated with your latest posts. When a new post is published, the RSS feed is updated automatically.
Smart marketers often connect the RSS feed with an email newsletter or web push notification to send their users a notification alert about recent posts, product announcements, and more.
Take OptinMonster, it is a lead generation software and their website has traditional sales pages showcasing their product and features.
OptinMonster website and blog
They also have an informational blog where they teach users how to improve conversions and get more leads. This helps them cover their industry keywords to get free traffic from search engines and make more sales.
Whether you are a business, a non-profit organization, or a professional, adding your own blog to your website can help you attract your target audience, grow your email list, and sell products.
What is The Difference Between Blog Posts and Pages?
WordPress is the most popular blogging platform and a powerful content management system. By default, it comes with two content types: posts and pages. Often beginners get confused between the two.
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.
Static pages are “one-off” type content such as your about page, contact page, products or services landing page, home page, and more.
To learn more, see our beginner’s guide on the difference between posts and pages.
Pages are usually used to create a website structure and layout. Even blogs can have pages alongside them (See our list of important pages that every blog should have).
Why Do People Blog? What are The Benefits of Blogging?
Each individual blogger has their own motivation for blogging. Many of them use it as an alternative to keeping a diary or journal. Blogging sites provides them with a venue to share their creativity and ideas to a wider audience.
Top brands and businesses create blogs to educate their customers, share news, and reach a wider audience. Blogging is an essential part of online marketing strategy for many businesses.
Following are just a few benefits of blogging.
Provides an avenue to organize your thoughts and ideas
Allows you to showcase your skills, creativity, and talents
Help individuals become an authority in their industry
Helps you socialize with interesting like-minded people online
Many bloggers make money blogging using various monetization methods
Businesses use blogging to bring more potential customers to their websites
Non-profits can use blogs to raise awareness, run social media campaigns, and influence public opinion
What are Some Examples of Good Blogs?
Blogging is huge!
Millions of individuals and businesses from all over the world have blogs. This means that there are blogs on just about any topic you can think of.
Here are some popular blogs that you can check out as an example. We have hand-picked the best blogs in different industries to give you an idea of how diverse blogs are.
1. Pinch of Yum
Pinch of Yum
Pinch of Yum is one of the most popular food and recipe blogs online. Started by Lindsay, a high school teacher, the blog allowed her to quit her day job and become a full-time blogger.
2. WeTheParents
WeTheParents
WeTheParents is a popular parenting blog run by Neve and Keane (the parents). They share parenting tips for moms and dads and while doing so they make money by earning commission on products they recommend.
3. We Wore What
We Wore What
Started out by Danielle Bernstein, We Wore what's a famous fashion weblog. With greater than 1.Five Million fans, it covers everything from fashion to interior layout to menswear.
Four. Nerd fitness
Nerd health
A health blog started out via Steve Kamb, Nerd fitness is dedicated to assisting human beings stay in shape. It affords fitness advice, motivation, help, eating regimen and exercising pointers.
Five. Misplaced With motive
Misplaced With cause
A popular tour blog run by way of Alex, who shares her journeys at the same time as offering travel hints, advice, and publications for different backpackers.
6. Tiny Buddha
Tiny Buddha
Tiny Buddha is a private development blog created by Lori Deschene. The weblog publishes content material on happiness, love, relationships, mindfulness, spirituality, simplicity, minimalism, letting go, and extra.
There are numerous extra first-rate blogs accessible on many special subjects. See our listing of the maximum popular types of blogs for a few more thoughts.
How Do Bloggers Make cash?
Usually, people think about bloggers as hobbyists. Even as a few humans have life-style blogs, a big wide variety of bloggers make cash from their blog websites. This permits them to cognizance greater on their weblog, quit their day jobs, and construct a hit on-line companies.
The more a success blogs can make six-determine, seven-parent, or even eight-discern incomes in a yr.
Under are a few approaches that maximum bloggers use to make money from their blogs:
The maximum common and likely the perfect manner to make cash on line is with the aid of displaying commercials. But, as a brand new blogger, you will no longer be capable of contact advertisers at once or manipulate them in your personal.
That is in which Google AdSense is available in. It looks after locating ads, displaying them, amassing payments from advertisers, and sending you those payments for a small reduce.
Many bloggers also make cash via affiliate advertising. Basically, they recommend merchandise on their websites and earn a fee whilst users buy the ones merchandise. For example, you can percentage your favorite Amazon products and earn a referral price while customers buy the usage of your link.
Other common monetization methods include memberships, promoting on-line guides, or adding a web store (eCommerce) to the weblog.
See our list of tested ways to make cash online from your blog for a few more examples.
We even have a list of “smooth-to-begin” online business ideas that you could test out.
Can everyone begin a blog?
Yes, all people who wants to begin a blog, can effortlessly accomplish that.
Inside the early days of running a blog, users needed HTML and Hypertext Preprocessor coding abilties to even update their blogs.
Now, there are masses of running a blog tools like WordPress, Tumblr, Medium, Blogger, Wix, Squarespace, and so on that allow you to without problems create your first blog with out ever writing code.
Essentially, if you can factor-and-click, then you may construct a weblog inside mins.
With that said, selecting the wrong running a blog platform to start a weblog is the maximum common mistake that beginners make. But, because you are right here, you will now not be making this error.
We advocate the use of WordPress. It's far the sector’s maximum popular running a blog platform and internet site builder. Over 41% of all websites on the net are constructed the use of WordPress, simply so you can get an concept of ways famous it's far.
There are styles of WordPress: WordPress.Com, that is a limited website hosting carrier, and WordPress.Org also called self-hosted WordPress. See our guide on the difference between WordPress.Com vs WordPress.Org for greater details.
We advocate the usage of WordPress.Org due to the fact it's far open source because of this you get instant get entry to to all the effective WordPress capabilities. It also lets in you to effortlessly make money out of your blog with none restriction.
Want to learn extra approximately WordPress? See our whole WordPress assessment for distinctive breakdown of its capability.
You'll need the subsequent matters to begin your very own WordPress.Org blog.
A website call (this may be your blog’s cope with and what customers will kind in their browser to visit it. For example, wpbeginner.Com)
Web hosting carrier (this can be domestic of your weblog’s files)
20 minutes of a while
Normally, a website call will cost you around $14.Ninety nine according to year and hosting $7.Ninety nine in keeping with month. Now if you are simply starting out, this seems like a variety of cash.
Fortuitously, Bluehost has agreed to offer WPBeginner users a unfastened domain and bargain on web hosting. They're certainly one of the largest hosting agencies inside the international and are formally recommended by means of WordPress.
After purchasing hosting, you can head over to our step by step guide on how to start a blog for detailed instructions.
The best part about WordPress is that it comes with thousands of pre-made templates also known as WordPress themes. You can choose a theme and then customize your blog design with drag & drop tools. See our list of best free WordPress blog themes.
There are over 58,000+ free plugins available for WordPress. These plugins are like apps for WordPress website that let you easily add features such as contact forms, podcasts, online store, and more. See our expert pick of must have WordPress plugins.
We hope this article helped answer your questions about what is a blog and what’s the difference between a blog and a website. You may also want to see our list of the most useful tools to manage and grow your WordPress blog.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
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