Blog and a website... what is the difference?

Did I build a blog and not know it?

[BwanaZulia]

So I have been building websites since 1996 and for the first time ever, someone said to me today that they really liked my "BLOG".

I almost died. I mean, have a built a blog? So I asked myself, what is the difference between a website and a blog?

Google had no good answers. Since blogs are in the category of a website, it is hard to define them both, but when someone called my website that has been around since 1998 a blog, I don't know, it was like an insult.

So... What is the difference between a website and a blog?

To me, a blog is one voice, published frequently and is a one to many system. One person publishes, many read. Gizmodo, Curbed and your friends blog.

A website, is much richer. It is usually not so personal, does not take the first person and offers more in terms of content. Usually the content is broken down into areas not just categories. It allows for multiple people to communicate through forums, photos, news and events. A website is explored, a blog is read.

I guess a website is a more like a reference book while a blog is more of a daily newspaper.

Thoughts? Blogs? :)

BZ

[jo1ene]

Does the individual you mentioned eveen know what hee/she was talking about. IMHO, a blog is someone's useless rants/ramblings (present company excluded). A web site has a variety of content that may actually be of use to someone else. Like you said, a blog is all about the blogger. A web site is about the visitor - if it's any good that is.

[Rosalind]

I always thought that the difference is in the format. A blog has a recognisable column structure, common to many blogs. Plus it's usually created using popular blogging software which sticks roughly to this format.

So, lots of links down the side, plus fairly short entries, with dates attached, that get older the further down the page you go. And usually some sort of archive of older material, and perhaps the ability to comment on what is said, although these two are optional. That makes your blog. It has nothing to do with the quality or depth of what is written. Or at least it doesn't have to.

[incrediBILL]

When someone was babbling I used to say "blah blah blah" in response, now I say "blog blog blog"

That's my opinion.

[leadegroot]

Probably that person has just started using the word 'blog' for 'website'.
Forget it and move on :)

[1milehgh80210]

I think the distinction is meaningless.
A lot of blogs are worthless. A lot of websites are worthless.
I seem to find (some) original content more often on blogs though...)

[zulufox]

My definition:

A website is formal and professional. Websites contain articles: "How to Widget", "Review of Widget", "The effects of Widget on the Stock Market". The articles are well researched pieces of work able to stand on their own (they could be on your site, or a book, or a newspaper).

A blog is informal and personal. Blogs contain mini-articles: "What I think about Widgets", "What I did today", "My theories on Widgeting". The content on blogs is more commentary and opinion than websites. Furthermore, blog entries cannot stand on their own. (An average blog entry is not going to make sense if you printed it in a newspaper).

The Blog/Website Test: If you transcibed a political discussion with your best friend, it would be a blog. If you transcribed your presentation on politics you gave to a graduate level political science class, it would be a website.

[BwanaZulia]

Thanks all...

I guess I was just shocked at someone calling my website with over 300 pages of content and established in 1998 a "blog".

BZ

[incrediBILL]

A website is formal and professional.

Have you looked at any of the webizens with "websites" on tripod or geocities lately?

They defy your description as nothing with stars in the background and blinking spinning animated gifs can ever be classified as "formal and professional".

A blog is obviously a web site, but not all web sites are blogs, they are subsets.

[zulufox]

They defy your description as nothing with stars in the background and blinking spinning animated gifs can ever be classified as "formal and professional".

You found my blog!