Is there a difference between posting a blog and posting an article? If you run a WordPress website, that question might have crossed your mind a lot, especially in the fast-paced and ever-changing digital space. The moment you decide to put up a website to provide a product or service in Newcastle, or to use as a personal space on the web, you’ll need to focus on one important thing: the content.
After completing the website design, you will need to fill your site with interesting pages to draw followers and readers. Web design is the form, while content is the substance.
Good content guarantees the site’s longevity and sustainability, especially if you regularly put out something interesting and informative for your readers. A good content helps your site rank in search engines as well.
What were blogs vs. article like five years ago?
In the earlier days of the Internet, the distinction between a blog post and an article was clearer. Blogs mainly had these elements setting it apart from article contents:
- It was conversational with a free-flowing thought.
- It reflected the opinion of the writer, and thus had a personal tone.
- It also provided a space for readers to post their opinion in the comments section.
- It was self-published.
- It was usually shorter than 600 words, following the idea from a research a decade ago that said online readers mostly read just 28 percent of a post.
- It was published exclusively for the World Wide Web.
Articles, on the other hand, had the following elements:
- No comment section.
- More professional in tone and language; they read like a news report, an academic report, or a press release.
- Factual details, sometimes requiring a citation or a quote from sources, thus it needed to undergo an editorial process.
- 2,000 words minimum based on an analysisthat the top 10 ranking sites on Google commonly had these much words.
- A printed form equivalent.
What changed among the blogs and articles of today?
Today, however, blog posts and articles are almost interchangeable.
Blogs now use citations, factual information, and quotes. Articles now incorporate a space for readers’ feedback in the comments section and on social media.
The length or number of words doesn’t matter as much anymore, as blogs can be longer than a thousand words and articles can be as short as 300. Some blogs have an editorial team and are no longer self-published.
Today, blog posts can be articles and articles can be blogs. Sometimes they’re a hybrid of both, which perhaps adds more to the confusion of writers, publishers, and website owners.
Choosing between blogs and article
So, how do you take advantage of having the best content given these changes? First of all, one thing has to be clear: whether you intend to have a blog or an article, writing a quality piece takes time, effort, and energy.
Next, identify your goals. Why did you set up a WordPress website? What’s your business about? What products or services do you offer? What would you like to gain from the visitors of your site?
When to write articles
If you provide a service that relies on factual information, research, process, and laws – such as a real estate company, a credit firm, or a health and wellness site – then sticking to articles could be more beneficial.
When to write blogs
If you intend to build on your influence and stature in your chosen field or expertise – for instance, as a wedding planner, a marketing expert, or a music guru – then you could posts more blogs than articles.
Improving your site’s content
There are no strict rules about sticking with purely blogs or purely articles for your website. If your Newcastle business competes with millions of other websites, then you have to do what will set your content apart from the rest.
Research.
Ideally, whether you chose to post a blog or write an article, you have to do your research on the information you want to put on your site.
The problem with blogs as an opinion piece is that they sometimes can be written illogically and without basis. Groundless analogies open you up to misinterpretations and controversies, and perhaps harm your reputation and your site’s reputation in the search engines.
Copyblogger suggested in 2008 to link factual information to your analogies and opinions in a way that will relate to your readers. That advice is still relevant, perhaps even more so today, with the advent of fake news.
Engage your readers.
Some online readers like content they can engage with, whether it’s posting a comment on your blog, sharing your piece on their social media, or crafting a rebuttal on their own website. The problem with articles is that they can be void of stimulating content to engage readers if they are too formal.
You can, however, engage the readers of your article or blog by doing these suggestions:
- Write an eye-catching headline.A strong headline can increase traffic to your website by as much as 500 percent.
- Post with consistency and have a clear voice to gain credibility.It will also give your readers reason to keep checking your website.
- Discuss content that your readers relate to or that makes them go, “This applies to my life!”A study revealed that 68 percent of people share information they find on the Internet because it heightens self-awareness.
- Mix up your blogs or articles with image slides, videos, infographics, podcasts, features and interviews.
Update the information in your content.
Keep your blog or article relevant by updating your content. If there’s new information about what you’ve discussed, you can edit the post for an addendum or corrections. However, if you need to discuss the updated information in length, then a new and fresh post would be the better way to go.
Don’t discount SEO.
Every website on the Internet aims to rank high on search engines to gain readership. Websites need to utilise search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques, use credible links, as well as maintain the readability of their content in order to reach their targeted audience.
Looking to give your business a boost online? Jezweb offers professional web content and article writing services. Contact us today and speak with a web marketing expert!