Lately, I've spent more time here on my blogspot than on my main website. I'm trying to get it just right so people will know more about me as a person and as an author through reading my posts. Hopefully, they'll want to look further and check out my novels. I do try to keep my website updated, but not every day.
That got me wondering...
How many people use a blogspot as a website?
How many own websites but not blogs?
How many people prefer both?
Pro Blogspot
I update my blogspot here every day by doing a new post, but can't say the same for my website.
My blogspot is a capsulized version of my website, including vital information, such as links to book excerpts, order information, other blogs, a blogroll, my website.
Pro Website
I offer lots more information on my website which I can't fit into the blog. That makes it much more diversified. It's chock full of book signing photos, other author photos and links, badges from networks I belong to, and so much more. I can add pages at will, using different layouts, backgrounds and color patterns for diversity.
Still, for someone in a hurry, my website may seem cumbersome.
What are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Morgan Mandel
http://www.morganmandel.com/
Morgan, does your website have more than the opening page? I didn't see where to click to go to other pages.
ReplyDeleteI have both a website and a blog. I like having both. I can get a lot of information on the website (each subject has its own page) and it stays fairly stable. I update it once a week, mostly the contests and events pages. But the blog I update every day and it's more transitional.
I think that would be a good way for you to go.
http://helenginger.com
http://straightfromhel.blogspot.com
My website is loaded!
ReplyDeletePeople need to click on one of the book covers to go to mystery or romance. Also, there are blog links on the left.
Should I spell it out more? Of course, I understand it, but maybe not the average person.
What do you think?
I will try as Helen suggests and try to remember to update my website once a week. The blog is no problem. I'm in the habit now of doing it. Almost a whole month doing it every day. A real record for me.
Morgan Mandel
wwwmorganmandel.com
Morgan,
ReplyDeleteFor the last couple of years, I've had both a blog and a Web site, but I paid more attention to the blog. I am in the process of combining both into one WordPress site. I'm using WordPress as a content management system, and the blog is one component. Some of the advantages are these: using WordPress makes it much easier and faster to update the Web site, visitors who come to one or the other see everything on the menu, the search engine advantages of a self-hosted blog apply to both the site and blog.You can see the results at www.lillieammann.com in a few days. I'm creating it on a test site so you won't see the new look until I transfer it—hopefully by this weekend.
Hi Morgan,
ReplyDeleteI used to blog at blogspot every day-but then realized I wanted people to go to my website more than my blog. So I added a blog feature to my website-this has drawn more people to my website where they can view and purchase books. I blog at blogspot every Sunday and then link them both.
www.nancyjparra.com
www.nancyjparra.blogspot.com
Morgan,
ReplyDeleteI have both. I created the website as soon as I knew I had a book. Probably should have done it sooner, but I didn't.
I didn't know anything about blogging until July when I joined the blogbooktour Yahoo! Group and accepted Dani's blog a day challenge for April. I learned a great deal in a very short time thanks to Dani and the whole group at BBT. I still have a long way to go and haven't figured out how to balance the website and the blog. In fact, I really, really need to make time to update the website.
I like the idea of linking them together somehow and I've been looking into hosting a blog from my website domain. Way over my head at the moment, but I intend to learn.
Charlotte
Blogs are an easy way to provide dynamic content to your readers.
ReplyDeleteWeb sites are good for static materials: media kits, press releases, photos, clips, fliers, etc.
You need both. It's good if you can seamlessly integrate them.