Website vs Blog on WordPress – What’s the Difference?
One of the most frequently asked questions I get is: “What’s the difference between a website and a blog on WordPress?”
Well, in case you’re wondering, there is a definite difference. But before I get into it, let’s talk a bit about what a WordPress website and blog are.
Definitions
A website is essentially an Internet-facing interface between your business and potential customers. It can be considered to be the digital face of your business. When someone clicks on a web link or views a website’s page on a screen, they are entering your website. When they submit an inquiry or leave a comment, they are interacting with your website.
A WordPress website is built on the WordPress content management system. WordPress is a completely free and open source software package that helps people create websites easily. Simply put, WordPress is the best platform for creating websites.
Features
Although websites and blogs have many similarities, they also have some significant differences. In terms of features, a WordPress website is far superior to a regular blog. Here are some of the features you’ll find on a basic WordPress website:
- Dynamic homepage layouts
- Extensive blog options
- Commenting features
- Password Protected Areas (protected areas means no one, except registered users, can view the content within them)
- Caching tools to speed up the website
- Image heavy pages
- Social media integration
- WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor
- Mobile responsive design
- Fully customizable
- Free backups
- And much more
Now that you have a good idea of what a website and a blog are, let’s dive into the differences between them.
Structure
As mentioned before, a WordPress website is structured a bit different than a regular blog. This is because a WordPress website usually has more complex layouts and contains far more content. To give you an idea of the structure, here is a short list of everything you’ll find on a WordPress website:
- Header
- Navigation
- Content area
- Advertorial
- Article
- Footer
In a regular blog, you’ll usually have just a few posts, often appearing in a row on the front page. This is known as a blog article, and each one usually has just a few paragraphs of content. In other words, the structure of a regular blog is fairly simple:
- Header
- Navigation
- Article
- Footer
Now, you might be wondering why there is so much more content on a WordPress website than on a blog. The answer is simple: it’s all about the design. When you build a WordPress website, the content is usually put in a sidebar, which is why you’ll see so much more content on a WordPress website than on a blog. This is also where the name ‘content area’ comes from. To reiterate, the content area is the place where all the posts and pages are located. In addition, the header and footer are located here as well. The header is what we just discussed—the stuff at the top of the page, while the footer contains the copyright information and links to social media platforms.
Functionality
A key difference between a website and a blog on WordPress is functionality. A website usually has more complex functionality than a blog. It can be considered a digital hub for your business or a single page that connects to other websites and features via links, buttons, or other similar digital marketing tools.
Now, you might be wondering what functionality is. Simply put, functionality is the capacity of a product or a website to perform a certain function. For example, your website has functionality to allow customers to make purchases or create accounts. Or maybe your website has functionality to monitor blog comments or track social media interactions.
If you’re looking for a blog that’s just a simple place to post your thoughts and hold some conversations with others, you might want to consider a non-profit or a personal blog.
Usability
Another important consideration when creating a website is usability. Although websites have advanced a lot in terms of functionality, many have become cumbersome to use. This is especially problematic if you’re a business owner who is not tech-savvy. This is why usability is considered to be so vital — it makes the process of using a website easier for everyone involved, whether it’s a customer, an employee, or a business partner.
Usability is often confused with functionality, but they are not the same. Functionality refers to the product’s or service’s ability to perform a certain task, while usability refers to the product’s or service’s ease of use. When evaluating a product’s or service’s usability, simply think about how easily you can figure out how to use it and whether or not it’s a hassle to do so.
Costs
When it comes to costs, not every type of business can afford a website. The truth is, creating a website requires quite a bit of investment. This is mainly because you’ll need to purchase a domain name, purchase web building software, and hire a web designer or developer to build your website. On top of that, you’ll need to pay for hosting as well as any necessary SSL certificates. All of this can add up quickly.
However, if you opt for a WordPress blog, all of this is usually included in the cost of the service. You don’t need to purchase a domain name, as WordPress allows you to use free domain names. You don’t need to purchase web building software, as you can use WordPress’ built-in web page builder to construct your blog. And you don’t need to hire a developer or designer. All you need is a regular computer or mobile device, a microphone, and some time to put into learning how to use a blog.
Customer Interactions
Along with structure, functionality, and usability, you need to consider how customers interact with your website or blog. Here are some of the most important things to look at:
- E-commerce (online shopping) functionality
- Reviews (both positive and negative)
- Testimonials (opinions)
- Contact forms
- And much more
When it comes to e-commerce functionality, a lot of businesses use online marketplaces like Shopify, WooCommerce, or Big Commerce to easily integrate online shopping with their website or blog. These platforms are completely free and allow you to build an e-commerce store in no time at all.
Shopping on a website can be pretty straightforward, as customers can simply click a button to check out your products. However, you might want to consider doing some research before you dive in. In particular, make sure that you are set up for successful e-commerce shopping. This means getting a good payment processor, shipping options, and ways to track transactions.
When it comes to reviews, the key is to get them from real customers who have purchased the product or service in question. Naturally, you don’t want to include any fake reviews, as you’ll look like a phony and might even get sued.
Understand that — no matter what—reviews can be very beneficial to your company. Even if you want to keep your reviews to yourself, you can still benefit from the feedback. In cases where you do want to keep your reviews private, simply choose a pseudonym or nickname and provide an incentive for customers to leave feedback. For example, you might want to give away a free product or discount to people who leave a review.
When it comes to testimonials, the key is to get them from real customers who have obtained the product or service in question. You might consider offering a bonus for people who leave reviews, as well as giving them special recognition on your website or blog. Naturally, you don’t want to use fake testimonials, as you’ll look like a phony and might even get sued or lose business as a result. So ensure that you only use real testimonials on your site.