We've both heard this question often. It's a good one, and we faced it ourselves when we started planning our first class, Six Weeks to Your Webpage, back in the fall of 2007.

So let's clarify... a blog is a website. Technically, a blog is a type of website. What's cool about a blog is that it's more dynamic than a static website, giving the web publisher more chances to connect with website visitors, because they visit the site more frequently to read the updates.

Blog is short for "web log." A blog is a frequently updated website consisting of content entries (called posts or pages) that display in reverse-date order... so newest content appears first.

A Blog is Quick & Efficient
The greatest advantage of a blog is time to market. A blog allows regular folks to create and publish content, audio and video and have it online in minutes, unlike traditional static websites which can take much much longer and may require support from a Web professional. Traditional websites are also more difficult to update unless you’re already familiar with building or editing web sites.

A Blog is SEO-Friendlier
Another big advantage to using a blog platform to create your web presence is that it's easier for people to find your site on Google. Optimizing your website to rank in search engine results (called Search Engine Optimization) is much easier with a blog!

Each time your blog is updated with new content, update services are "pinged." This means search engines are automatically notified. Search engines are built to search and index all websites across the world wide web looking for the most relevant (hopefully) information to display in the search results. Bottom line, blogs tend to be indexed more often than traditional static websites and blogs show up 10 times more often in organic (someone opens a browser and searches for a term) searches than static websites do.

A Blog is Cheaper
Finally, if you are on a budget (and who isn't?) blogs are cheaper to build that traditional websites. Investing in a talented web designer who creates a super cool and fun design will not bring you customers. "Build It And They Will Come" is not a viable strategy.

Even if you get your neighbor to build you a site for free, you will still need a budget to maintain the site and keep the site updated. Also, there is no "pinging" with static websites so you'll probably end up working with another Web professional to help you optimize your traditional website pages for search engine ranking.

Blogging is Easier
With a blog, you log in, write your blog post and click the "publish" button. Your content is on the world wide web, getting picked up automatically in search engines, and helping people to find you online.

With a static website, you have to open up your editor (like Front Page or Dreamweaver), write the article, insert the content into a web page template, update the page properties before uploading that page to your site using FTP software. Next, you "wait" until the search engines do their thing, visit your site and index it. This usually takes a minimum of 30 days to start seeing your website in search results.

Ready To Create Your Own Presence on the Web?
Mynde can help you create a professional web presence you will love to hang out plus show you how to be in full control of your own content.

Author's Bio: 

Mynde's helps people expand themselves or business with an optimystical approach.

She works with people who aren't sure how to do "it" (technology) or have no idea where to start. You learn how to do technology-related "stuff" (like how to build your own website) and get to finally feel smart and empowered so you can grow yourself and your business.

Find out more here: www.MyndeMayfield.com.