Blog or Website? Which one do you use?

Just wondering what people's experience is with using a website, or a blog for your main online pressense? Do you use both? Why? What has been the best in your experience?

I can say I've never blogged but i live by facebook (which can be blog-like without the commitment to being regular) and websites. They have served me well, especially my website. I also pair this with flickr which does a good job of ensuring pix show up in google image searches. This is a double edged sword, but my results have been more positive than negative!

Like Kim I am a huge personal website and facebook fan. I've blogged (not for facepainting) and it takes a lot of commitment and it can be tricky to build up a fanbase.

That being said is the motivation behind this question more $ based? While maintaining a domain for my website (I paid a designer but you can technically DIY) is not free, it shows that I'm serious about my business. It tells a potential client that I "cared" enough to invest and that I'm not a 'fly-by-night' hobbyist.

Kim...

I guess it is money based as I'm trying to figure out is it worth it to maintain both, or one, what are the advantages of each.
I have a background in graphic design, and I know html and css, by hand. I built my website, and many others.. but blogger does everything now, I can embed flicker slideshows anywhere in the post, add pages, point my domain! and it's free! However, not sure if there might be more to it than that. I want to know what is getting results for folks, and what is worth spending the time and effort on as I try to build my marketing.

While I think that websites are more likely to be looked up by google for area painters, unless you have a fanbase, I think (I just think, I don't know) very very few blogs get any sort of look. The closest thing to a blog I will wander back to every couple of months is cakewrecks. I know Shannon's blog is pretty successful as far as readers, but she offers TONS of very useful information for the working artist and her skill level is amazing so people are interested. I'm sure if Mark, Wiser or Jinny did a blog regularily, people may show up there.... I guess the only way to really know is to try or maybe Shannon will come by with some experienced insight. But for myself as a consumer...as someone who is always looking around the interwebs for talent and inspriation, blogs have left me cold. My 2 cents!

Actually, upon thought, I did blog once! It's still out there in cyberland here:
http://winnipeghenna.blogspot.ca/

And actually I was told when I wrote it that it was well written and entertaining. (they may just be being nice!! LOL) but unless you can make your blog super useful, super funny, super something....it will drift into cyber nomansland........

I've got a website, and one of the pages/buttons is a blog.
So I integrated it!

Kim,
Not trying to hijack here, but who is "Wiser"? I know who Mark & Jinny are, but not Wiser. Just want to make sure my artist stalking list is complete!

Just a little Google away...

http://www.wiserbodygraffiti.com/

I have all of the above. A website, a blog, facebook fan page, and various other things that don't require me to post (just update my info occasionally.)

I've had my website for 8 whole years now (I set it up Jan 1, 2005) and it works. I keep it current, edit regularly (this helps keep it top in the Google searches), and generally make sure it is relevant to my current operations.

I try to blog a minimum of four times a month - that's once a week if I am regular... sometimes I may go a couple weeks without a post, but that is rare. It is important to post on a regular basis to maintain interest and provide subscribers and followers with new things to read and see.

I've been actively blogging since Spring of 2009.

The blog is more work than the website!! But I take photos all the time (ha ha... when I remember too!) and find it easy to blather on about things.

If you do not think you are going to post regularly on a blog - I would suggest a website. I have bookmarked lots of blogs by face and body painters who post for a couple months, then... nothing. I check back to see if there is anything new and... nothing. As a follower I will stop checking eventually and remove them from my list of bookmarks.

A blog is a big time commitment.

Facebook I've only been on about a year and a half now. It is convenient for messaging with people who use smart phones, and I have had good local results - I put my FB fan page address on my car along with my website. So, as it is free I use it. It is more like a webpage to me as far as updating goes.

So... in conclusion what you choose should probably be based on how much time you want to spend on it on an ongoing basis.

Thanks Lizzie!
And "LIKE" for Shannon's blog!

I think that I am going to utilize the blogger software to better content manage my website. So I will point the domain to the blog, but it looks like a website, with pages on top, and all relevant information, including a home page that easily keeps updated info, specials, articles, festivals, photos etc, right on the home page, in an easily organized archived. I can then make updates to my home page on my smart phone, on any computer with internet, and a lot easier, and no special software. that way, I don't rely on an traditional blog audience, just utilize the features of the blogger software to make things easier. I am working as well on a Newsletter / email list.. and I will have to figure out the best way to manage that.