To Blog or not to Blog

March 06th, 2006 | Category: Blogging,Tips and Tricks
written by: Heidi Cool

If you are reading this, then you probably know that http://blog.case.edu offers blog space to faculty, staff, students and alumni for personal and/or academic/business use. If you are either a blog author or a blog reader you are familiar with the wealth of opinions that can be found through a daily perusal of http://planet.case.edu. You may think of your blog as being part of the Case blogosphere, but distinct from your other Web pages. Today I'd like to consider when and why to blur that distinction by incorporating a blog into your regular Web presence.

By using a blog in conjunction with a regular Web site you maintain the advantages of your existing site, but also gain the advantages of the blog system.

Integrating a blog with your Web site

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One way to do this is to create a stand-alone blog that serves a specific mission. You can then just add a link to this on your main Web site.

This is what we do here on the Web Development Blog. I link to this from the Web Development section of the Marketing and Communications Web site, and include links back to that site, but the blog can stand alone as a place to provide tips, ideas and discussion about Web development.

A more subtle way to incorporate a blog is to treat it as a section of your site. While sections A, B and C reside on your Web server, section D can be on the blog server. If you match your design and navigation on both servers, you can provide a seamless way for users to transition back and forth. Unless they look at the address they may not even notice that they are moving from one server to another as they explore your site.

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The Student Bar Association uses this method. Most of their site sits on the Aurora server, but if you click on the Events link you are taken to the blog server. They have found that the blog system provides an easy way for them to post their copious announcements and events. If someday they decide to incorporate discussions on pertinent legal topics or organizational issues, they could easily do that as well.

It is also possible to let your blog take the lead role in your Web site while other supportive pages reside elsewhere. This is what we've done with the News Center.

In this case we had a site that had existed for years, but we wanted to take advantage of the blog's RSS feeds and archiving system. We also liked that we could have multiple authors—with little HTML experience—post draft entries that could then be edited and approved by another.

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http://blog.case.edu/case-news/ now serves as the front door to our news and information stories and archives. All new stories will be archived by date and topic using the blog system, while the older stories remain where they were. Our Media Center pages and story idea submission form remain where they were as well, yet visitors to the site can travel seamlessly between these areas.

But is it really a blog? Does it matter?

When Aaron Schaefer gave his presentation on Blogs, Wikis, & Podcasts for Beginners, he gave examples of blogs and the qualities that define them. When referring to the News Center blog he said that in his mind it wasn't really a blog because it didn't incorporate commenting. This is an interesting point to make, because in the examples I've given here, my goal is not so much to promote blogging as it is to promote the tools offered by the blog system.

The goal of the News Center is to disseminate news and information. The blog system allows us to do that more easily. It reduces the time it takes to post news stories, and makes it easier for users to subscribe to the feed as a whole or by topic. These feeds can also be brought into other Web pages. The system has met our needs, so whether the News Center is truly a blog or not doesn't really matter.

In conclusion

Whether you need a true blog or not depends on your own communications goals, but if you are looking to enhance your Web presence, the Case blogging system may be a good place to start.

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14 Comments »
  1. Heidi, UCITE has just started a blog and the UCITE sire links to it. Jeremy set up the site for us but now that I've read your post, I'd like to use the same template for it as the UCITE site (with the same menus, etc.), but I am not sure how to do that. Can you give suggestions? Thanks, Mano

    Comment by Mano Singham — March 18, 2006 @2:05 pm

  2. Mano, I can create some templates for you to use. Basically the process involves replacing your current template files and making a few modifications on your configuration page. I'll send you an e-mail when I have the files ready for you. Jeremy and I have discussed standardizing these, so that we can implement them more easily for those who have department blogs. These official versions will probably release when the blog system leaves Beta status.

    Comment by Heidi Cool — March 20, 2006 @1:32 pm

  3. This is a simple newbie question...but are you saying that I can have a standard website and then just link to, say, Blogger, off of that website? Is it actually better to have the blog incorporated as part of the website? (I know...probably shouldn't be using blogger at all, but I am not very technical.) Thanks.

    Comment by Dawn — April 6, 2007 @1:05 pm

  4. I consider a blog to be a great compliment to a website. It is also a way for website owners to communicate and converse with their customers as well as a way for customers to get to know a website owner better. Also, like you mentioned, a blog is very easy to use and can be updated without having to know HTML.

    Comment by Maria Palma — June 13, 2007 @5:09 am

  5. I am relatively new to blogging and can't get enough of it!! i remember at university writing a report on a blogging case study where a guy was mentioning the company he worked for in a negative manner and got sacked after his bosses read it!! be careful what you say, because big brother is watching you

    Comment by website design worcester — August 5, 2007 @11:50 am

  6. very true worcester, some companies even google peoples names before they employ them now!

    Comment by internet markleting services — August 6, 2007 @4:09 pm

  7. I have to put in my opinion here too, I feel strongly that blogs put the power of the web into the hands of everyone, with ease. There are many styles, with various features and this is where the choosing parts come in. It is so much easier to get interactive with a blog type site than with near any other, and I think this will continue to propel the excitement into new applications that increase the ease of use.

    Comment by Bruno Matle — September 4, 2007 @6:39 pm

  8. Are there any blogging websites that facilitate the incorporation of a blog within your own site?

    Comment by Cayman Jobs — September 13, 2007 @10:12 am

  9. I think most of the big blogging services, such as TypePad of Blogger allow you to host under your own domain. Also some Web hosts let you run WordPress or Movable Type on their servers. Dreamhost I know includes WordPress, but I think you could also install Movable Type if you wished.

    Comment by Heidi Cool — September 14, 2007 @12:47 pm

  10. My Answer is absolutely to BLOG!!!

    Comment by Senjaya Khoo — September 22, 2007 @12:26 pm

  11. Yes Blogger allows you to host your blog into your own website. Steps. Just enter your ftp details and a url where your blog should show up. Try it will work

    Comment by Company Formation — September 26, 2007 @2:45 am

  12. Everyone should at least attempt to blog... at least once. That's marvelous that your school offers everyone the ability.

    Comment by Website Design — September 28, 2007 @10:44 am

  13. Hey all, Mark Briody here from Sydney Australia. I came across this blog when doing another Google search and as a fulltime internet marketer and website designer I thought I may be able to add some light to website design alongside blooging. I agree with so many of the comments made and I also think you should give bloggong a go at some point. Blogging is just like anything else...you start off not understanding how it works but in a short time you become quite good at it. Think of your job for example...when you first started you had to learn the ropes but within a month or two you became good at it. Please don't give up just because you don't understand it yet as it will all become clearer over a short time. I was the same when I started in the internet marketing industry... I didn't even think I would ever know how to have a website BUT now I even build websites for other business owners. I am also consulting people on SEO, sales copy, and internet marketing. Who would have thought? Now I get many clients by simply giving away free tips on website design through my website...Well I never would have believed it two to three years ago. Good luck blogging. I wish you well, Mark Briody Sydney Australia http://www.EasyWebsiteCreator.com.au

    Comment by Mark Briody Website Design — July 27, 2008 @8:05 am

  14. I agree with Maria entirely - having a blog is a decent way to communicate directly with customers / consumers of a given website, and adds a touch of personality to it at the same time. However there are the dangers of saying too much, as worcester explained! Remember, ANYONE can read a blog!

    Comment by Company Formation — August 5, 2008 @6:52 am

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