What Makes a Blog Different? Intro

By on June 26, 2006 in Blogging with 7 Comments

Sometimes, the question isn’t always the question?

What makes a blog different than a web site?  Depending on your perspective and reason for asking, there could be different ways to answer this question.

  1. What’s the difference between a blog and a web site?
  2. What’s a blog going to do for my business that other marketing materials aren’t already doing?
  3. Why should I give hoot or nanny?

When I first started focusing on "blog coaching," I’d answer like it was No. 1. I’ve found that – while it’s a good answer – most businesses are more interested in Nos. 2 and 3.

We’ll talk about these in separate posts today, but as we do, what other questions are behind "What Makes a Blog Different?"

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  • http://blog.marketingprofs.com Ann Handley

    Mike — More often than not, what’s really behind that second question, “What’s a blog going to do for my business that other marketing materials aren’t already doing?”…is really the subtext of fear: “What could I possibly have to say?”
    Of course, what smart business owners/marketers understand is that blogs are not just vehicles to TALK…but also to listen. To speak, but to hear. It’s a fundamental shift in how to market — in other words, by joining your community, and not just talking _to_ them.

  • http://www.converstations.com Mike Sansone

    Great point, Ann (and I’ll probably point to this comment later today)
    There are cultures/ettiquette of offline conversations where as a new member joins in the circle, they remain silent (listening) and only after they are part of the community do they begin to share their voice.

  • http://www.customersarealways.com/2006/06/what_makes_a_blog_different_se.html CustomersAreAlways

    “What Makes A Blog Different” Series At Converstations

    Mike of Converstations has a series on business blogging that offers some great insight and information for those of you who are contemplating the idea of starting a blog and wondering what makes a blog different from other methods of…

  • http://www.realoasis.net Richard Boyd

    Hi Mike
    RSS feeds!!!!
    We no longer surf to check what’s happening. We use various robots to surf the web and to check trends, what the competition is doing…
    Most none tech savvy companies have no idea :)
    Have we updated our website with an RSS feed? No, but when the Autumn kicks in and we are less busy that’s one of the first tasks we will look at.

  • http://www.smallbusinessinternetmarketingcenter.com/Product%20Review%20Center/reviews/bloging_review.htm Tim Whelan

    It’s informal, open to opinion and is usually sincere. Most importantly it is interactive and the content can be challenged, so it pays to be honest. Go ahead someone, challenge me.
    It is a great format for feedback and great potential for creating a new level of efficient business models that are open to greater customer scrutiny but highly effective and are proving to open doors for many startup endeavors.
    As far as marketing is concerned it allows the customer or potential customers in a very non-threatening environment to say how they feel and as mike above mentioned if your smart you’ll listen. Why, because it is in this type of environment that you get to really see and isolate the customer needs and future trends.

  • http://www.converstations.com Mike Sansone

    Richard and Tim – both great points. I notice both of you write about trends- Richard on the competiton, Tim on the customer. Equally important. Thanks for joining the conversation

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