What is the difference between a blog and a website?
Although there is sometimes a fine line between a blog and a website, it is possible to define two opposite and permanent features which show their macro differences:
1) Interaction vs Static
A blog (Web log= Blog) has a double interaction: the content refreshment and the visitors interaction. While the author offers a costant update of the chosen topic – which is very often highly defined (health & fitness after 50s, travels on a budget, quick recipies back from work, etc.) – visitors are encouraged to leave comments behind and to subscribe to the newsletter in order to keep themselves updated with their favourite subject. The articles on the blog (posts) are shown on the webpage in a reverse-chronological (latest to oldest) order. Visitors comments are listed below the related post (in a reverse-chronological order too) and they are sometimes visible for the subscribers only. A regularly updated content is example of a thriving blog.
A website is a collection of several and related web pages, usually indexed in a mainpage. The major content of a website remains generally the same and any interaction with visitors is mainly isolated to an internal page of the website (sometimes a blog, sometimes a contact page with a form to fill up) which shares the same domain name. Websites are updated from time to time due to business changes, layout improvements, general information updates, company’s terms etc.
2) Simplicity vs Complexity
As a consequence of the first point, a blog offers a simple navigation: a single page with posts in reverse-chronological order and an archive section that lists the posts in categories and sub-categories (date, author, subject, tags). On the contrary, the main aim of a website is the browsing of the different pages, which might include an online store, multimedia material or external links to sponsors. Even the language used is a reflection of this main difference: a blog is much more unformally written than a website.
As a summary, comparing these online medias with the old ones:
A blog is a modern newspaper. it writes about specific topics sharing a common point of view with interacting visitors instead of passive readers.
A website is a tv channel: it prepares you for a show and tell, making sure you will not get bored and start zapping somewhere else.
