Website vs Blog Part 2

By Debbie • Jan 26th, 2009 • Category: 26th Story, Big Ideas

A few months ago we posted the following blog:

Website vs. Blog

We’ve been having a debate on the 26th floor about what sort of web presence we “need” to make our publishing business successful.

Given that we’re planning extensive digital marketing campaigns for each of our books, we need a great website, right?

While we figure out the next step, we started this blog, www.26thstory.com …..for about $15 a month; It’s scrappy. It’s no frills…….but it does show videos and photos, and it takes questions and comments, and has living, breathing author pages such as these for Emeril and Joann Davis, and will have one for each author as we sign them up.

Which then leads me to ask: Why do we “need” a website? We’ve been looking at proposals for hundreds of thousands of dollars, and I am still not clear what we would accomplish with a website that justifies that amount of money. I certainly understand the difference between their functions, just not the ROI.

Nearly everyone who’s opinion on the matter I highly regard says we need one. Certainly the companies we’ve looked into hiring say yes. And yet no one seems to be able to explain to me “WHY” in a way that makes sense to me.
So I’m asking YOU……what could we gain with a website that’s worth spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on?

sralogoYour comments to the question were AMAZING. I read and used every one. The result is that we decided to forgo the expensive website and instead build a WordPress site. We had a developer named Steffen Rasile, from SRA Design Studio in Helena, Montana, work with us on the technical stuff. Love Steffen. He’s great to work with.

The whole thing came in under $10,000. It’s easily maintainable by all of us and our authors. We hope it’s a fun place to hang out. It’s a work in progress.

Here it is, day 1. Would love to hear what you think.

Thank you for always being so helpful!

–Debbie

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Debbie Reader, Seeker, Enthusiast. Mom
Email this author | All posts by Debbie

  • I love the new design! It looks great. It's simple; everything is laid out and easy to find. It’s how a blog and website should be set up.

    I spent a few hours this past weekend reading all the posts and was really impressed with all of you and your mission with HarperStudio. It would be great to work with you on my book. Perhaps we can talk once I get an agent :)

    Since I’m a blogger myself I thought I’d just share my opinion regarding the comments.

    I don’t think you should require people to create a username and password before commenting. I know that it helps control spam, but you could always require first time comments to be approved. I just worry that it’ll be a turn-off for people who’d like to leave a quick comment.

    Perhaps your developer Steffen could change this or one of you could. I believe it can be done in wordpress under “settings” then “discussion.”

    Besides that, the site is flawless!

    Look forward to checking out the site more often.

    -Andrew
  • I'm diggin' this site. I visit it frequently. I like the changes.
  • Thanks so much. Andrew -- I totally agree about the password / username thing. Am calling Steffen now.....
  • No problem at Debbie! Looks like you've got it fixed already :)

    -Andrew
  • JC
    Very impressive!!! And I'm glad you went with the blog platform and hope you continue to use it for your author websites/blog. WP is a great content management system and so easy for anyone to use. I'm also glad you changed the commenting settings!

    I do online marketing at a competing publishing house, and I am so glad to see someone taking the approach Harperstudios has undertaken. From what I read in Shelf Awareness, sounds like your really covering all your bases, and it's good that you have the backing of your publishing house. Online Marketing is soooo cost effective, and your looking at the big picture, ROI. Your trend setters, I'm jealous...lol

    By the way, I'll be frequenting this blog...already saved it as a favorite. Congratulations
  • I have to admit, I think Wordpress is absolutely great. For us, being more book production oriented than coding savvy, its robust features are just what we were looking for. I mean, really, why go to all the trouble to re-invent the wheel, you know? Now, once we get squared away on using ning.com---which seems to be built with the sort of philosophy---we'll be really moving.
  • Grant
    Congratulations. The site looks fantastic.
  • Thanks Grant. Sarah is my HERO!!!
  • there's something to be said for a classic website, it's prettier if nothing else, but personally I'm a huge fan of the blogsite -- let the blog power the front page and create static info pages for everything else. Wordpress is divine, good selection.

    if I could make a suggestion?
    there's a number of plugins available that allow people to receive email notifications when their comments have received replies. it helps to keep conversations going, and I do personally think that in the long run it makes a big difference when the blog owner takes the responsibility to let the commenters know the conversation is still happening, as opposed to forcing them to click back all the time. Ease of use for the reader is optimal.
    As well, with wordpress 2.7 threaded commenting is now built into the wp system, and there are themes which are already 2.7 compatible and can easily integrate this aspect with no fuss at all.

    the only thing with wordpress is -- watch the temptation to go overkill and try to do too much and add too many goodies. Sometimes simplicity is best.
  • oh, okay, I clicked through from Google Reader so didn't realize you had a different front page from the blog. But in answer to the question I do like the layout and look, the colors are just a bit drab, imo. but it's a small thing. The important thing is everything is easy to find. Also really like the profile badge linking to your other profiles.
  • @ David. Thanks. Great suggestions.
  • Awesome Article I enjoyed reading it :)
  • Very nice information. Thanks for this.
  • You are a very smart person!
  • amazing stuff thanx :)
  • Thanks for the read, and that was very inciteful ; very helpful post! Add me guys, please keep me updated.
  • Just came across your blog on Google. Interesting post, you bring up a few good things to think about. Good luck with the blog.
  • Thanks for the read, and that was very inciteful ;DEFINITELY A very helpful post! Add me guys, please keep me updated.
  • I recently just got cable & SATELLITE TV on my pc and set it up on my tv with RT cable from Radio Shack. Pretty amazing and now I dont need Comcast anymore. Just thought it would also be a good share and pass around to you guys.
  • I also recently just got cable & satellite tv on my pc and set it up with RT cable from Radio Shack for $20. Pretty amazing and now I dont need Comcast anymore. Just thought it would also be a good share.
  • This is what i was looking for. Thank you for sharing it.
  • Hi, I can
  • Very good article. Normally I wouldn't comment but this post deserves it.
  • I have to say, that I can not agree with you in 100%, but it's just my IMHO, which indeed could be wrong.
    p.s. You have an awesome template for your blog. Where have you got it from?
  • Hi. Good job. This is a great post. Thanks!
  • From where did you learn about this topic?
  • Thanks for the great article.
  • I really like your site. Good job.
  • I really enjoyed your post, keep on posting
  • Ava
    How do I add your RSS feed to my reader? I could do with a little beginners help :)
  • Wow! Thank you for this information!
  • Keep working, great job!
  • Your site is perfectly. Great work, I liked. Always, there is many interesting. I'll come to you once again.
  • great job!
    for me the web site and the blog are one and the same , because the blog is a web site :-)
  • Good page / Will visit again.
  • Very interesting... thanks.
  • Very interesting thoughts here :)
  • Blogroll links aint that great :P but i am not the admin
  • yea nice Work :D
  • webdesigningindia
    Nice! Thanks for your comparison.
  • I think blog more than website.
  • I think website than blog. Thanks for sharing
  • mfarney
    I'd say a blog is way better than a website. A website with a blog is the best choice a business owner can make. Feedback is very very important and by only having a site, that feedback may never come.
    _____________
    Mathew Farney - Web Hosting
  • Great work guys .keep up with your good work.We always look forward to your work.
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