Company's first website: Blog or Traditional?

Many companies are using blogs as their main website to easily update and post new content. If you know html and css. You can make a blog look like a traditional website plus an option for comments, etc.

Leila,

Barry is right. Most blog applications can be used as a Content Management System [CMS] to create a static looking site and still function as a blog. Wordpress is a popular tool being used as a CMS for site updating and with the right modules, SEO is sometimes even better than running with a static site.

The benefits to a static site are 1) much easier to move (if you ever change hosts), 2) much more versatile in layout than most pre-developed CMS systems, and 3) depending on complexity and site usage requirements, can cost less to develop.

There are several CMS tools out there that can be incorporated into just about any site design or code language. The biggest challenge with using a tool like Wordpress is the cost of coding modules or plug-ins that aren’t already available. Also, most CMS tools use their own syntax and it requires some learning time to get up to speed on the best way to manipulate layout and structure.

Keep in mind that most designers will push for the client to go in the direction they are most comfortable. If I did a blog for someone, I would push for Wordpress over any other because I know that system and its limitations. That goes the same for e-commerce systems and static site development. Your designer may not be as well versed at blogging systems and not want to delve into uncharted waters.

Keep in mind, designers are like doctors: you should always get a second opinion before you let them cut you open.

John,

It really depends on budgets and needs. I'll not reiterate what's been said here, but I'll say that, from my experience, you can easily customize blog templates to give you a "static site" + blog; it only takes a bit more effort than doing a custom blog. But the important thing to get in place when you first start out is figuring out who needs your services (hint: it's not everyone) and what you can do for them; your brand follows from that, as does what kind of content you want to make available to folks on your website.

And think really honestly about your time availability, interests, etc. before you commit to doing a blog. Do you enjoy writing enough to commit to it on a regular basis (it really doesn't have to be daily, but it does have to be fairly often)? Do you know what kind of information your market needs, and can you confidently give it to them? If your heart isn't in it, you might want to skip the blog. There are plenty of other ways to market your business besides throwing another blog into the stratosphere.