It's a Web Site, Silly (And Much More)
"What's a Blog?"
We hear this question a lot, don't we? I try to keep the answer simple as possible. Here's one I've used most:
A Blog site is a Web site on vitamin juice,
- Each is a series of web pages (remember, search engines index by page)
- Blogs have time-stamped, archived pages (permalinks), Web site pages are often simply modified
- Blogs should allow for some interaction (comments, sharing, trackbacks)
- Blog software includes code for syndicating content (RSS feeds).
As blogging grows in awareness and development, companies are beginning to publish content on blogware - or at least bring their blog into their corporate site's look and feel. A few examples:
- City of Albuquerque - A clean design with the Mayor and the City Council blogging.
- Iowa Dental - The complete site is on MovableType. Each page is actually a blog post. Their blog is password-protected for internal use. (disclosure: our customer)
- C Wenger Group - Keeping the design, the corporate site was moved to blogware (Typepad). Moving parts (database, secure logins) are not served on blogware...but that's not apparent to the user. (disclosure: our customer)
- Drew's Marketing Minute - Drew's blog does not reside with his corporate web site, though the look and feel are incorporated. The company site is the brochure, the blog site is the voice. (disclosure: our customer)
- Briggs Corporation - This site is not a blog or on blogware. Why share it? It comes oh-so-close. Time-stamped articles and Audience Participation...but no RSS feed.
Smart web developers will build company websites with blogs in mind, and often use blogware. The architecture is solid, plugins available - and when you're customer says, "Let's blog!" you hire me...err...you just pull the trigger.
Web (under) developers are busy trying to create their own blogware (huh?) rather than use tools that have already gone through tests, trials and fires. One prospect recently told me their (cob)web developer suggest they use Blogger for their company blog (McFly!)
Here's today's Workshop on BlogTalkRadio, covering this very topic:
Make sure to visit BlogTalkRadio tonight for a great chat with Wayne Hurlbert and Ed Oakley. You can listen from your computer.
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