Does your brand need a blog? It’s a question that we’re frequently asked and the answer is usually yes, as long as you have a genuine use for it. A company blog can be a fantastic way to communicate with your audience, to establish your company as a market thought leader and to indirectly promote your products or build hype for new releases. Providing you can keep it regularly updated with engaging content, we would always urge a brand to run a company blog.
We’ve spoken before about the benefits a blog can bring to your business so we won’t delve into that now. Instead, we want to take things back to basics and lay out the differences between your blog and your website, as it’s something we know can trip people up, particularly if you’re a newcomer to running a website.
What are the differences?
We sometimes see the words website and blog being used interchangeably but the two are very different things with different functions. To lay it out as simply as possible:
Your Website
- Compulsory for brands who want to operate online
- Contains static content
- Focuses on the services/products your brand offers
- The tone is generally formal
- The audience is addressed, rather than conversed with
Your Blog
- Recommended for brands but not compulsory
- Usually viewed as an ‘add-on’ to the website
- Emphasis on interactivity and communication with the audience
- The tone is generally more informal
- Contains regularly updated content about a variety of brand-related topics
As you can see, it’s entirely possible for a brand’s website to exist without a blog but organisations would be missing out on a wonderful opportunity to connect with customers and build meaningful relationships with consumers who will be inspired to visit your site time and time again. As website content tends to be static and rarely updated, it’s the fresh feel and steady content stream of a company blog that keeps visitors coming back for more.
Should I separate them?
This is an option that some brands consider but our advice would always be to house your website and blog in the same space. Running a separate website and blog dilutes the positive impact the two elements have on each other and you’ll end up with the two competing for attention rather than co-existing harmoniously. Running both in a dedicated online space can boost your SEO, promote brand cohesion and save you both time and money, which is a win-win in our book!
