Is your blog the whole website or just a part of it

I’m asking before I create my first proper website which will include a blog section and more. I’m really curious about this. I feel that by 2025, it’s tougher to make it just with a standalone blog, especially with easy alternatives like this forum.

It can go either way, but recent changes have hit pure blogs and affiliate sites pretty hard. Having a product or service on your site along with a blog section seems to help.

That said, I know plenty of folks that are doing well with just blogs too.

It really depends on what your long-term vision for the website is.

@Brad
Got it. Maybe I wasn’t clear. I’m just curious if people have just a blog or a site with their blog on it.

I’ve decided to go with the latter for my own project.

sage said:
@Brad
Got it. Maybe I wasn’t clear. I’m just curious if people have just a blog or a site with their blog on it.

I’ve decided to go with the latter for my own project.

Definitely go for your own site with the blog. It gives you way more options for the future.

@Brad
Exactly what I was thinking. There are no guarantees but I believe having different ways to attract and keep an audience will help!

I call mine a blog, but I guess it does more than just that?

Charlotte said:
I call mine a blog, but I guess it does more than just that?

I haven’t checked your site yet, but if you have a menu for parts that are not just your blog, then yes, it’s more than just a blog.

  • There’s nothing wrong with calling it a blog; I think most people do!

Can I ask what else your site offers besides your writing?

@sage
I mostly agree with your take, but I also just launched a small POD store. And even those products are based on my blog writings.

Charlotte said:
@sage
I mostly agree with your take, but I also just launched a small POD store. And even those products are based on my blog writings.

Thanks for sharing. Wishing you the best with the new part of your project. Hope it works out great!

Right now my website is mostly my blog. But I have plans to expand it.

mila said:
Right now my website is mostly my blog. But I have plans to expand it.

Thanks for your input.

I think I will follow a similar path since I’m not super tech-savvy to launch everything I want at once.

Plus, procrastination makes starting with some writing on a simple template sounds a lot easier!

Mine has changed a lot over the years, but it was always more than just a blog from the start.

wordpressguru said:
Mine has changed a lot over the years, but it was always more than just a blog from the start.

Good to know, thanks.

How long have you been at this?

sage said:

wordpressguru said:
Mine has changed a lot over the years, but it was always more than just a blog from the start.

Good to know, thanks.

How long have you been at this?

The website will turn 8 years old in February!

I wasn’t very consistent in the early years but knew I had to start writing.

Most of my content is detailed with an average of 2500 words, so nothing that comes out too quickly.

It’s only recently that I’ve tried to be more consistent, organize articles into series, begin a short form section called Musings, and added a podcast on top of it.

@wordpressguru
Big congrats, that’s great work.

I really like the Musings idea by the way… I won’t be doing quick posts either, so I totally understand.

A lot of my content will focus on my health journey for the last 26 years, along with practical advice for people who need to advocate for themselves in medical visits. I don’t want to give out low-effort or incorrect advice, so being thorough and citing my sources is how I want to approach it.

One other section will be a web app where people can track their pain and customize how it shows up. They can also prioritize their symptoms and label how long they’ve lasted and how much they impact daily life.

@sage
For me, anything worth doing is worth doing well. Building something substantial takes time and intention, and in the end, you’ll be glad you focused on quality over quantity.

wordpressguru said:
@sage
For me, anything worth doing is worth doing well. Building something substantial takes time and intention, and in the end, you’ll be glad you focused on quality over quantity.

That’s the goal! Thanks for your advice.

@sage
You’re welcome!

@wordpressguru
u/thewealthyironworker are you running your own website or using platforms like this forum?

Barry said:
@wordpressguru
u/thewealthyironworker are you running your own website or using platforms like this forum?

I’ve always done it independently. I like having the flexibility and control to do what I want.