Website vs. Blog Redux

Last week, I posted a blog that asked: Do We Need A Web Site, if We Have A Blog? Received a number of comments addressing the question but it still rattles around in my head. Yes, I link my blog to my website and vice versa, but is that the best way to communicate with my customers and readers?

It seems that by having both, I separate visitors into two groups--potential clinets and blog readers. And that is not, in my mind, the best way to either communicate or to do business.

My intent with my blog is to reach two kinds of readers: 1) Consultants and those seeking some marketing/communications/business information, and 2) to reach potential clients. My blog is succeeding in doing that. Yet, some of my potential clients never visit the blog because they are not used to social media nor are they educated on the subject. So the original question continues to swirl around inside my gray matter.

Today, I received this comment from Susan Pascal Tatum:

Lew,

This is a great topic. It's one that our technology marketing firm has been studying for the last six months. Our conclusion? A blog IS a website - why do you need both? We are just about to launch our new blog/website combo. Meanwhile, if you want to see an example of how conventional website-type information can be included in a blog format, take a look at http://technobuzz.tatummarketing.com.

Best, Susan

I visited the blog and it seems to fulfill all the functions necessary for either a blog or a website. But will traditional businesses who haven't been educated on social media get it? They should discover it, as the URL doesn't give anything away (unlike my Typepad URL, which is novel length). Another person whose blog seems to meet all the necessary criteria is CK's Blog, yet she, like many of us, still maintains a web site, as well. Are we being smart bu maintaining both; or are we making our marketing and communications more complex than they need be?

The bottom line: To grow our communities of readers and potential clients, do we need two portals? Is it still too soon for traditional businesses to understand us if we offer only a blog?

Comments

[Ryan Karpeles]

SEOBook does a good job of merging the two:

http://www.seobook.com/

Their homepage isn't the blog, but it looks somewhat similar to a string of posts - which gets the visitor comfortable with that format.

I think at the very least, the two should be under the same domain.

[Lewis Green]

Ryan,

Thanks for showing us the link. I think examples such as these are helpful.

Lewis

[Susan Pascal Tatum]

Here's another one to check out. Bernie Borges' http://www.findandconvert.com also does a good job of combining the two.

[Jeff Gwynne]

Lewis-

I'm not sure I know the answer, but here's my take. I divide the thinking into two categories: the platform and the content.

Platforms that are typically used for blogs (e.g., WordPress) have some easy content management and built-in SEO features. So, we recently transitioned our corporate web site to WordPress. While the main content doesn't change, we have the RSS of our last five blog entries in the right sidebar so there is some change to the site a couple times of week (while it pales by comparison to the content changes on our blog). With new designs for WordPress et al, corporate web sites on these platforms can look more like traditional web sites.

As for content, I think there should be a separation of between a blog and a web site. Web sites are decidedly commercial and, IMO, blogs should be educational and a place to establish thought leadership.

Bottom line: what I advocate is two distinct sites, both on WordPress (or other blog platform) that are strongly tied together (e.g., specific links to blog entries that support service pages).

Not sure where I'll end up over time because our blog gets many more hits. But, if I combined the commercial with the educational, would I lose readers?

[Lewis Green]

Jeff,

You state the dilemma precisely:

“Not sure where I'll end up over time because our blog gets many more hits. But, if I combined the commercial with the educational, would I lose readers?”

My blog also gets many more hits and it serves as an informational/educational tool. What happens if we combine the two in more traditional ways, wherein the landing page represents commercial messaging to the detriment of free sharing?

Lewis

[CK]

I so promise to weigh-in on this great convo as I'm thinking on this, too. I've just been so consumed getting Social perfect for the very worthy, amazing and tremendous people attending (that's YOU!).

See you in less than 24!!!!!