Working at Home on the Internet

Cataluña’s Entry for the Blog vs Website Contest (as a guest post)

 Brooke Long is the owner of Cataluña, a Web and Print Service Company which provides quality web site, print design and marketing services to enhance the image of small businesses and individuals, while providing the highest quality customer service. Since the Blog for her business is not yet active, Brooke asked that I post her submission to the Blog vs Website Contest here. So,

HERE’S BROOKE…

Web Sites Versus Blogs

This is a really good question. I feel that the answer can be really confusing. Why? Because it all depends on what or how you are using the Web Site or Blog. Also, are you using your online tools for business or personal reasons? Those reasons can change how you are using your online tools dramatically. Let’s look at business and personal reasons and see how a Web Site or Blog can be used for each.

Business

Web Sites

• General info about you and your company that you want to portray.
• Products and descriptions that are not changing.
• Services and descriptions that are not changing.
• Directions.
• Selling online.

Personal

Web Sites

• Add pictures of you, your family.
• Events that do not change.
• General information.

Business

Blogs

• Have a conversation.
• Build relationships easier.
• Tell what is going on in your industry.
• Answer common questions.

Personal

Blogs

• Have a conversation.
• Build relationships easier.
• Talk about whatever you want.
   

Confusing right?

Well it isn’t. I feel that having both a Web Site and a Blog is a great idea.

For Business: I have a Web Site for my business and about to add a Blog to it as well. I know that the Blog will bring in more traffic and hopefully it will bring more traffic to the web site as well. People who read the Blog might also become interested in what I do. The blog will help me to build relationships and hopefully bring in more sales!

For Personal: I have a web site and blog for my personal site. It’s nice to have static pages that never change. That way I can add pictures as time goes by and people can see the recent pictures or access or latter ones.

The blog is nice because I can talk about what is happening with my family on a monthly, weekly, or even hourly basis. I think that it’s a good way for relatives who don’t live close to us to get an idea of what is going on with all of us.

So you can see that web sites and blogs can and should be used for very different reasons. But as whole I believe that if both are used together and are used well and in the correct way – then they can be very successful!

It’s not too late to enter the Blog vs Website Contest. Submissions will be accepted until July 14, 2008. But time is growing short, so write and send in your post today!

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July 10th, 2008 at 12:41pm | Posted by Joe | Blogging, Guest Writer's Articles, Websites | 1 reader remark | Print This Post

Blog vs Website Contest Extended and Enhanced

 Ok, call it bad planning on my part and really bad timing. What with Canada Day, 4th of July, One judge on vacation, Unclear Rules for participation and probably a slew of other mistakes I made setting up this contest.

So, to make it up to you I’ve extended the submission deadline to 7/14 (yes, I realize it is Bastille Day in France) and Chris Garrett was gracious enough to offer an additional prize to sweeten the pot even more.

Prizes:

The Secret to Writing a Successful and Outstanding Blog

An Insider’s Guide to the Conversation that’s Changing How Business Works

by Liz Strauss

My personal (hard)copy of:

Step Into The Spotlight!  (’Cause All Business is Show Business)

 A Guide to Getting Noticed

by Tsufit

And the Newest Edition:

Your Blog Expertly Critiqued and Reviewed

by Chris Garrett

Concept…

The idea is simple, to help people determine the Advantages or Disadvantages of using a Blog or a Website (or a combination of both) to enhance their business, personal, charitable presence on the Internet. It can be about your experiences, successes and/or failures using either type of web presence, or even your opinion on the good vs evil of each as a way to reach potential or existing customers, friends or contributors.

It’s pretty open, whatever has worked for you, you think could work for others, barriers you have encountered. Whatever, as long as it has a Blog v Website theme.

Revised Rules:

• The post Must be Original. Written by you or someone involved with your blog.
• The article must have been written no earlier than the pre-announcement (6/25).
• All Submissions must be submitted through my contact form subject:contest.
• If you don’t have a blog or it would be inappropriate content for your blog, write it up on Notepad or similar and I will post it here for you. 
• No purely self-promotional posts, please. You know how much I hate SPAM. 
• Linkbacks/trackbacks are optional.

Judges…

Dawud Miracle builds static websites and blogs and also help small business owners understand how to use the full internet to expand their own businesses. He also does a great job at business coaching and consulting. 

Chris Garrett is a professional blogger, Internet Marketing Consultant, new media industry commentator, writer, coach, speaker, trainer and web geek. He was also a founding member of Performancing.

Me You should know me by now I hope.

Depending on the number of articles submitted, I will post updates with links to the Original Articles daily or every two days, with a Final list being published on the last day of the project.

—

The Results will be announced on July 16 and believe me, these are All Great Prizes and the Winners will definitely benefit from any one of them.

July 8th, 2008 at 11:33am | Posted by Joe | Blogging, Community, Websites | 3 reader remarks | Print This Post

The Blog vs Website Writing Project Starts Now

It’s Official…

Today is the start of the Blog vs Website Writing Project

Concept…

The idea is simple, to help Business people determine the Advantages or Disadvantages of using a Blog or a Website (or a combination of both) to enhance their businesses on the Internet. It can be about your experiences, successes and/or failures using either type of web presence, or even your opinion on the good vs evil of each as a way to reach potential or existing customers.

It’s pretty open, whatever has worked for you, you think could work for others, barriers you have encountered. Whatever, as long as it involves Business and a Blog v Website theme.

Rules…

The rules are pretty simple as well.

The post Must be Original. Written by you or someone involved with your business.

The article must have been written no earlier than the pre-announcement (6/25).

Submission links must be submitted through my contact form subject:contest.

No purely self-promotional posts, please. This is to try to help others in their Home Business endeavours. 

Linkbacks/trackbacks are optional.

The Prize…

Liz Strauss’ New eBook

The Secret to Writing a Successful and Outstanding Blog

An Insider’s Guide to the Conversation that’s Changing How Business Works

by Liz Strauss

Duration…

You can submit posts anytime between now and Monday (July 7th) and the Winner will be announced Wednesday (9th). That’s it a little over week and it will be over.

Submissions…

All submissions will be accepted through my Contact Form subject:contest. Please write your article and submit a link to it. Please don’t submit the full article through the form unless you don’t have a Blog, Webpage or some other way of publishing your own article. If that is the case, please explain the reason and I will be happy to publish your submission here and give you full credit.

Judges…

Dawud Miracle builds static websites and blogs and also help small business owners understand how to use the full internet to expand their own businesses. He also does a great job at business coaching and consulting. 

Chris Garrett is a professional blogger, Internet Marketing Consultant, new media industry commentator, writer, coach, speaker, trainer and web geek. He was also a founding member of Performancing.

Me You should know me by now I hope.

Depending on the number of articles submitted, I will post updates with links to the Original Articles daily or every two days, with a Final list being published on the last day of the project.

—

Believe me, I have read Liz’s Blog forever and met her personally at Both SBOCon events (actually that’s how I met Dawud & Chris too), you can bet there is a lot of great information in her New eBook -

The Secret to Writing a Successful and Outstanding Blog

(An Insider’s Guide to the Conversation that’s Changing How Business Works).

Attention: Another Great Prize has been added, check out the introductory post.

June 28th, 2008 at 06:20am | Posted by Joe | Blogging, Community, Websites | 6 reader remarks | Print This Post