Blog vs. Article: The Difference Explained

Both blogs and articles add value to a website, but each has distinct characteristics that make them more suitable for certain purposes. Think of blogs as white wine and articles as red wine; although they have many similarities, they pair best with specific dishes and enhance the taste of the food. In the same way, blogs and articles enhance the credibility of your website.

Many people use the terms blogs and articles interchangeably. Understanding the difference between the two types of content is key to developing an effective content marketing strategy. What is a blog vs. article, and how can each type of content be beneficial?

What Is the Difference Between Blogs and Articles?

In simple terms, blogs are relatively short pieces of content used to present information in a casual yet engaging way. Articles are more in-depth and written to cater to an expert audience.

Both blogs and articles offer information. The primary difference between the two is how they accomplish this goal. They are different in six ways:

1. Tone: Blogs have a casual, conversational voice. Articles are more authoritative and formal because they cover technical topics in-depth.
2. Research: Blogs require relatively simple research. Articles contain expert levels of research with studies and scientific facts that lend credibility to the content.
3. Engagement: Blogs encourage reader engagement. They are for people to share, discuss and comment on. Articles are often too technical for casual readers to understand. Their audience is experts and specialists in specific subjects.
4. Length: There is no set word count for either blogs or articles, but generally, the former option is significantly shorter than the latter. Blogs are usually between 300 and 2,500 words, while articles may contain up to 5,000 words.
5. Place of publication: Blogs have a single feed with many short posts to inform readers of specific topics. Articles are much longer and are usually on different web pages.
6. Point of view:  As part of their conversational style, blogs usually feature a first-person point of view (I/we). Articles may use the first person if they cover a scientific study, but most use a third-person (they/them) point of view to maintain a formal tone.

How Do You Know If a Website Has a Blog or Articles?

The easiest way to determine if a website features a blog or article is to identify the layout. Blogs have many short articles about the same topic or industry posted on a single web page. Articles take up an entire page.

Another way to tell if a piece of content is a blog or article is to identify the purpose behind the content. A blog intends to share broad information about a subject in an engaging way so readers continue to visit the website to view future posts. In contrast, an article should authoritatively present in-depth information. Readers probably won’t revisit an article frequently, but they may use it in other articles or blog posts as research.

The final way to distinguish a blog post from an article is to examine the writing style. Blogs are often casual in tone, making them easy for everyday readers to understand. They break down bigger topics into small, more manageable chunks that are easy to digest. Articles have a technical tone that is usually hard for people to understand unless they already have a thorough grasp of the article’s subject. Articles cover more complicated topics for industry experts rather than casual readers.

How Do Blogs and Articles Help Your Website?

Blogs and articles can be part of an effective search engine optimization strategy. If the content contains strategic keywords, it helps the website rank highly on search engines. Each type of content also boosts the website in a specific way.

Blogs usually feature multiple posts. You may update them on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis. The major benefit of this regularly updated content is that it continues to draw traffic to your website. With each new post, you can draw new readers to your site. Old readers are more likely to return to your site consistently to consume new content if they expect it regularly.

Articles are single posts. While they may generate a limited amount of continued new traffic, they are more likely to appear in search results when users search for technical terms and subjects. When other websites cite your articles, it not only positions you as an expert but also points traffic to your website. Articles are great for link-building purposes.

Which Type of Content Offers More Value?

Blogs and articles both offer value, so the type of content you choose depends on the value you need to bring to your business.

Consider blog posts like four quarters and an article as a single dollar bill. Both have the same value but offer different benefits. The quarters are more beneficial if visiting an arcade or vending machine. The dollar bill is more useful if you pay a store for goods.

Your website likely doesn’t need blog posts and articles, but you may not know which type of content serves your business best. You can figure it out by answering one simple question: What do you hope to accomplish with your website content? Encourage reader interaction and make your company seem approachable through a blog, or offer users an in-depth look at a subject in an article that may be cited frequently in the future, further enhancing your credibility.

Should You Have Blogs or Articles on Your Website?

If you want to boost the visibility or credibility of your website, blog posts or articles can be useful. They are each effective for different tasks, however, so you rarely need both types of content on your website. BKA Content can help you decide whether a blog or article will help you accomplish your business goals. We can also create content to save you time, money and effort. See for yourself how our content creation services help you build an effective marketing strategy.