Choosing which of these platforms as a place to create your company brand and presence on the internet can be a critical factor in its success.  Ideally having both would bring the most benefit but as funds are limited and marketing dollars are on a “as they come” basis, doing one or the other is a more feasible option for many. When deciding on the type of platform for your website it is important keep in mind your overall goals in promoting your business on the internet such as:

1.   Are you looking to gain a high rank within search results for a particular keyword?
2. Does your business/service have variable services/products in which to market/promote?
3. Is it important for you to engage with your audience/customer online- is your product or service complicated or one which requires some explanation?
4. Are you prepared to write ongoing content or manage a social media profile online?

Blogs have become very popular more recently due to the sudden explosion of social media marketing.

Blogging (the verb) refers to the act of writing articles on a desired topic to share with the public.  The “Blog” (noun) is the place where these articles are stored and additionally where a visitor or the reader, can leave comments ask questions or start dialogue about the article.  Blogs provide a perfect and important forum for business owners and or representatives to engage with the public, build relationships and ultimately convert the conversation into a sale.   Sounds excellent for any business, and for the most part it is, however blogging may not be for everyone and it may not always be the wise choice for all businesses looking to gain a presence online. 

When Blogging/Blog Is Not the Best Option

The act of blogging requires dedication and a considerable amount of time and attention on an ongoing basis to be successful.  This is true for all aspects of social media marketing.  The amount of time required for success is not something many can do solely.  Unless it is in your budget to hire a marketing professional to help you I would strongly consider the other options available.

Additionally, there is a method to the social media madness and unless you are trained in the “where” “how” and “who” of social media marketing, it is yet another reason to consider other marketing avenues, or a professional.  We said it was “social” we didn’t say it was easy.

You might NOT be a blogger if: 

1. Your a company (usually product specific) selling a simple product or service. In this case you may be better off sticking with a traditional website platform.  Since content is the driving force of success on a blog, companies whose products or services are singular or simplistic may have a difficult time creating alluring and unique content without sounding repetitive.  For example, if your core business is the sale of hard hats, coming up with content that sounds exciting week after week will be difficult, if not impossible.  Consider your business and imagine writing alluring, provocative content…alot of it!  If it works in your mind then go for it…but if not reconsider.  
2. Since a blogs basic structure and design elements are built for writing and posting content using php programming code amongst a host of others, it can be difficult building a traditional website design without a considerable amount of customization or tweeking. In the end you may find it would have been easier building the site from scratch with basic html code, with more basic flexibility and search engine richness.  Both platforms offer plenty of SEO Friendly features however, saying one is better than the other in terms of optimization is really not possible.  They both offer there own valuable solution.

Although you may opt for a traditional website vs. a blog for your internet marketing presence, it shouldn’t discourage you from social media marketing in general.  The benefits of this type of marketing are many and those who would not benefit from it are few ….possibly none.