What's the difference between a web site and a blog or weblog?
You might be surprised how many people ask this question, and how complicated it is to answer, but here's an attempt at a simple explanation.
Essentially, a blog (short for web log) is a just a special kind of web site.
If you want to update your site often and make it easy for other people to add comments, a blog is a great choice.
Blogs are designed to make it easy for anyone to post text and images to the Internet (even if you don't know HTML, the language of web design). If you want to make frequent updates to a site and don't want to learn too much about the technical details, a blog is a good choice.
Blogs are especially popular among people who want to share their opinions, expertise, political views, and stories. Many popular blogs are managed by more than one person, with comments from many readers, creating a kind of ongoing discussion. Blogs also include search features and ways to organize information in categories and topics.
Today there are millions of blogs on nearly everything you can imagine:
- personal blogs
- celebrity blogs
- business blogs
- mommy blogs
- political blogs
- and so many more...
One of the biggest limitations of blogs is that they are not as easy to customize as you might imagine. You can choose from a gazillion templates, but if you want to change the colors or images or other features in a template after you select it, the learning curve goes up fast.
If you want to create a custom web site design or add features such as a shoppping cart, photo galleries, or forms, you may be better served by the programs and services features here, in this article about creating web sites with Dreamweaver and other web design programs).
A blog is an ideal way to post text and images frequently, -- similar to a diary, except with a blog your entries (or 'posts') appear in reverse chronological order, meaning your latest post is always on top.
Another great blogging feature is that other people can add comments, and even text and images to your blog. (Of course, you can always delete comments you don't like, and even choose if comments from visitors should automatically be posted to your blog or held for your review first.) Most of the best blogs include many comments on blog entries made by readers, as well as links and references to other blogs.
Another good use for a blog is as a place where a few people can easily contribute to an ongoing discussion and share information and ideas.
Blogging is easy
All you need to create a blog is a web browser and an Internet connection. There's no software to download – the tools are online. Although you must sign up to create your blog, most sites offer a free level of service, with paid options if you want to use more advanced features and advertising options.
A blogging program is like a software program you use through a Web browser. You can write, edit, and save posts, and return to the blog from any computer with a connection to the Internet.
Some of the most popular blogging tools are:
blogger.com: Popular because it's free and easy to use, but you'll find more options at WordPress or TypePad.
WordPress: One of the most popular blogging tools among professional bloggers, WordPress offers a gazillion templates to choose from, lets you create or edit your own template, and provides loads of extensions to add features to your blog.
TypePad: Also well respected by professional bloggers, TypePad features advanced blogging options and loads of customizable templates.
LiveJournal.com: One of the more popular blogging tools outside the United States, LiveJournal offers many options for serious and beginning bloggers.
No matter which of these services you choose, plan to spend at least an hour going through the setup process when you first create a blog. Once your blog is up and running, you can log back in to add posts, change the template, and take advantage of many other options.
Once you've registered, you select one of the template designs included with your blogging program. Or you can spend a little more time and download and install additional templates.
You'll add text to your blog, such as headlines, stories, and biographical information, by filling out forms through a Web browser. When you click the submit button, your text is automatically added to your blog. You can also upload photos and create a list of links to other Web sites or blogs. As soon as you publish your entries, they’re live on the Internet.
If you want a more personalized design or more advanced features, be prepared to spend a little money. Look for template sites, plugins, and widgets, and you'll be amazed at all the things people are doing with blogs these days.
The more time you spend on your blog, the more you can expect to get out of it.
