Monday, April 18, 2005
Blog vs. Web Page
During my (2-day) absence, the number of visitors dropped dramatically. Which made me think. It's clear that the large majority of the visitors don't know the whole blog - that is, haven't been reading since the beginning or looking at all the previous posts. What's more, it seems normal that only the new posts are valid. The very structure of a blog suggests that it's about news, about what's happening - and so, what tomorrow will be out-of-date. Something like a newspaper. On the other hand, a classical web page does not give that feeling. It's always nice when it's updated, but the non-linear structure gives the idea of something deep, something that resists well in time. Now that I think of it, I react that way myself - the blog will interest me mainly for its latest additions, while a classical web page will attract my attention for a longer time, and make me come back even without the added value of news. You never know what you can find on a web page - there might be something interesting right around the corner. In a blog, on the other hand, what's gone becomes covered by the dust of nowadays. As if the fourth or fifth layer of Troy wasn't as interesting as the newest addition... Yes, I would most definitely change the structure of the blog. Add some categories, tabs, something to encourage a more in-depth look. If I knew how to do it, that is.