BLOG vs WEBSITE
Submitted by genuwine4532 on Fri, 03/07/2008 - 18:08.
I wonder what your opinion is on Blog vs Website for a newbie niche site?
I am hearing more and more that Blog is better especially because of search engine love and the fact that people tend to trust blogs more. What are the pros and cons?
Thank you
BLOG vs WEBSITE
It really depends on a number of factors...
Blogs have evolved from simple web journals to full-blown content management systems. In order to make a blog work as an affiliate site, you need to get into the code internals and make some changes. This isn't for the feint of heart.
For simple sites (less than 10 pages) using simple HTML or PHP pages probably makes more sense.
Here's a great write up from SEO Moz on deciding whether or not you should use a content management system (CMS), and tips for choosing a good CMS:
http://www.seomoz.org/blog/choosing-the-right-cms-platform-for-your-website-from-an-seo-perspective
Thank you for the link
Thanks I'll check out that link.
This is the biggest reason that I have been wary of blogs, because I know like two things about code internals and from what I've seen of Wordpress it's not exactly user friendly.
Thanks again
BLOG vs WEBSITE
Hello:
I've been working on a content site that's all html/php and it's 40+ pages now. I just installed Wordpress this weekend to .../blog directory to try to get some free traffic through blogging.
One thing I did was set-up Wordpress so that my last 3 post are at the top of my index.php page. It was pretty easy to do, and will help to keep the site looking fresh.
Here's a link to some instructions: http://www.transycan.net/blogtest/2005/07/05/integrate/
I can say that I love how fast and easy it is to put a post up. My goal is to post about 3x per week. It proably won't be that easy, but I'm going to give it a try.
If your going to put up a content site and plan to blog for traffic, you can get up and running quickly with Wordpress.
That being said, I'd listen to Jeremy (and most others here) before I'd listen to me! :lol:
Derrick.
Thanks Derrick
Thank you for your feedback, I have been a little of wary of Wordpress, I've heard that it can be tricky and a pain, but it sounds like you are having an easy time of, do you think it's user friendly for non pro?
BLOG vs WEBSITE
Just my opinion but at some point you are going to have to learn HTML, CSS and PHP if you want to be successful in this business. The other option is to hire someone but even then you should have some background knowledge so that you can effectively communicate what you want done.
Wordpress is an excellent platform for affiliate marketing and once you take the time to learn how it works you can create affiliate sites really fast. It is actually very easy to use. The other major benefit is that it is FREE. But those that have been on this forum for some time know that I am a Wordpress evangelist.
DerrickH, one thing I do is set up a Google alert for the niche I am targeting so that way I have a steady stream of topics to create short blog posts.
-Michael
BLOG vs WEBSITE
Thanks Michael. That's a great idea!
Derrick.
BLOG vs WEBSITE
Interestingly, I had been staying away from Wordpress because I DO know CSS, PHP, ASP, HTML, SQL, and enough other acronyms that I didn't think I needed any help.
However, I installed it on a few sites, and found that it works great in places where I want to go back and touch the site all the time, adding new content. Not so great on sites where I want a lot of control over, say, link structure and layout. I could however, use some pointers on customizing it and making it do what I want it to do better.
Btw, I agree with needing to learn the tools of the trade. I often wondered how many "super affiliates" came from other IT / programing / web related jobs (or hobbies), verses how many knew very little about computer programing when they started and learned on the fly.
BLOG vs WEBSITE
IT skills and tech savvy are a big advantage when starting out. However, they can be learned and/or outsourced ;)
The next version of QYDJ- which I'm working on as I type this message will have a lot more technical focus than the previous e-book. I realized that a lot of people needed help filling in the gaps. I'm hoping the next version of the site will do that.
Best,
Jeremy[/code]
There are a ton of tutorials
There are a ton of tutorials online to help get you started. I'm a complete beginner when it comes html coding and php. Even as a beginner I've managed to work on my blogs. The templates are free and any changes I make come from trial and error. From what I heard, wordpress is a good starting part. One lady on a forum I visit taught herself html and have already started building sites for clients using wordpress.org.
BLOG vs WEBSITE
Blogs are good for adding fresh content and keeping the site active. I seem to have better results getting strait HtmL sites to rank well though. I have started adding blogs to the sites just so i can show activity on the site and new content. But i optimize for the main html pages.
I use Wordpress and there are a couple of things you need to add to it. One being the "All in one SEO" addon and then you need to make sure you set it up from the start with friendly URLs. Tons of good free Themes out there and some very good ones that i have payed for.
If im looking for SERP rank i go html.
If i was looking to build comunity and trust i would go blog.
I would think that for Affiliate Marketing and driving traffic to my site with adwords i would use HTML so that i could have better control over my quality score and better control over my landing pages.
But that just my thoughts and the reason that i signed up for the Black Ink Project.
WordPress is VERY customizable
Not all blogging softwares are created equal, and the cool thing with WordPress is that it's so versatile in what you can do with it. If you need it to do something you go find a plugin and make it work. You can run a separate database to display thing, run your own php code, etc. I've found plugins that will let you do rating systems, newsletters, etc. So in the end it works less like a blog and more like a site, but because its on a blog platform you have some advantages for making updates.
But I suppose its a case by case basis in the end...
niche websites vs blogs
In most cases, building a theme-based niche website that includes a blog is the most favorable long-term option.
Why? Because the material or content on your website is evergreen. In other words, it will be relevant for a long time to come. Search engines love that. Conversely, blogs tend to be a series of newsy, topical posts that may or may not be relevant for very long.
A content-based website is one you will build over time, usually through a series of cohesive articles and reviews that relate to your niche. As you build quality content, your site develops greater value that the search engines love... and to visitors searching for information. As you develop a relationship with your visitors, they will explore your website more extensively, which means they will hang around longer. The longer they stay, the more trust they will develop in you... and the better the chances of you getting that click... click... ka-ching!
A blog tends to get attention quickly which may bring visitors, but those visitors tend to be fleeting. Not good if you're an affiliate marketer. Affiliate marketers usually need time to build a relationship with visitors before they'll buy whatever it is you're promoting. So while your blog might bring you that coveted immediate traffic, unless you post frequently, that traffic is more likely to be fickle. In fact, to back that up, here's a direct quote from Google Analytics 101, dated April 2008...
"Blogs usually have high Bounce Rates no matter what since normal visitor behavior is to read the newest post and then leave."
Blogging also tends to be labor intensive and time consuming... two things I personally detest. Part of what I love about being an entrepreneur is having lots of freedom to do what I want. If you end up developing a popular blog, you've got to keep up with it or it will soon disappear into the ethers. To me, that's tantamount to being a prisoner.
Bottom line... develop a good, theme-based niche website first, then add your blog to go with it if you feel the need. Although developing a high-ranking website may take longer, I believe you will have a much greater chance of steady, reliable, long-term success.
Kerri Mackenzie
www.Small-Biz-Ideas.com
Good Stuff for Entrepreneurs
wp and revolution themes are
wp and revolution themes are proving to be really great alternatives to long nights of designing or expensive outsourcing projects.
PLUS, blog + pining always seems to do much better with the SEO aspect.
dont forget get a domain with the top keywords in it.
ps - monetizing via ad space on blogs is getting easier and easier with more and more plugins becoming available to help you sell ad space through your wordpress blog. :)
Blogging and non-blogging combination
I've used both blogs and non blogs to do affiliate marketing. When I'm a little more passionate about the subject I tend to use blogs (because I know I'll be motivated to write more) and when I feel there is a very clear cut niche "value proposition" I'll do a very focused landing page/mini site. (Because I know exactly what I want to sell and a custom designed page/site allows seems to allow more flexibility to put whatever I want on the page in whatever layout I want.)
I put a blog about mobile worker tools etc and wrote some content to test an offer. Within a month I had made a couple of hundred in dollars of commissions on a $20 average sale from one or two posts. It validated demand for a product I'd like to refer. Now I can do a more focused landing page.
I haven't done this yet but I plan to develop blogs with niche themes but a broad amount of products and then develop landing pages as part of that domain for highly focused niche marketing efforts. If we don't use a Wordpress page for the landing page we'll just append a hand coded page.
I've seen a few tutorials around on how to use a WP site to develop high converting landing pages. The trick is to keep distracting elements: Too many links, Comments with off-site links, etc. keeping you making sales.
Search engines do love blogs. I amazed how quickly content gets indexed. Of course, if your content is interesting and of value to readers you'll have much more long term success.
I love the idea of testing
I love the idea of testing campaigns with blogs first - especially since wordpress is so user-friendly.
Outsourcing your landing page
I will have to outsource my landing page, until I can learn to use wordpress. Any and all suggestions, on either subject are welcome.
Rosalyn Garder is doing a
(edited - see updated comment below)
Also - if your looking for a quick fix - 1and1.com has wordpress built in but it's not very customizeable friendly. They have about 10 templates you can use to get you up and going with your a blog pretty quickly. They install it for you on the domain or subdomain you choose. (Be careful of the hosting fee/contract) I got suckered the first time into buying 3 domains not realizing I was paying a hosting fee for all three!
The Free Blog Classroom
I am doing everything that I can, to get up to speed, asap (until 3:00 a.m., 7 days a week), and I appreciate any, and all help that I get. Where would I go to look at the free blog class? Robert
Blog Classroom
Hi Robert!
The site where you can get those free blog tutorials is
http://www.BlogClassroom.com/blog
Look on the right hand site under assignments.
The tutorials were made to pre-sell a blogging course which
I don't know about, but I found the free videos to be a
simple and quick overview of blogging using Wordpress.
Yisel Guajardo
Update: I'm not sure how
Update:
I'm not sure how much of the info is exactly "free" anymore. I just received an email that "BlogClassroom is Live" and was directed to a squeeze page selling the product for $500.
Yet ANOTHER reason why it is an honor to be a part of the QYDJ forum and The Black Ink Project. I trust Jeremy's commendable style of practicing sound internet marketing principles will keep him above the crowd for years to come.
Blogging with wordpress
I have done things, like a flyer for my small business, with word for windows, but I would really like to learn anything that will help me with the graphics. Wordpress, being capable of graphics, is something that I need to learn, asap. Just one step, in the many that it will take to be successful in affiliate marketing. I know that I can outsource, but I would prefer to learn the tools of the trade. Robert
Wordpress.org
Answering my own question. They seem to have a good tutorial at wordpress.org, but it's time to put 100% of my attention on the Black Ink Project. I'll learn wordpress, after I have the knowledge to put it to productive use.
If you need help with WP
Hi everybody,
I am the author of the WordPress integration tutorial mentioned above in this comment.
I have noticed several referral visits from this thread, so I am posting this for all those interested in setting up a WordPress blog. I am specialized in WP sites/blogs and would gladly assist you with any blog related project or WP customization.
On the other hand I am quite new in affiliate marketing and related SEO. Who knows, we could even have a barter deal...
Please, feel free to contact me directly with your WP projects.
(I hope it is not inappropriate to post this here.)
moshu
Hi Moshu: Thanks for
Hi Moshu:
Thanks for stopping by!
Derrick.
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The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. - Walt Disney
http://twitter.com/derrickh