I had a conversation with a new client in White Plains the other day. He had just completed a redesign of his primary domain and blog. Both were lovely. However, they did not share the same domain. Conversely, I had a separate conversation with a separate client just a few days before and my advice was to set up his blog and website on unique domains.So what gives? When would you want to keep you blog and website together and when should they be separate?
Should Our Blog Share A URL With Our Primary Domain?
Yes, if…
If your blog is written around subject matter that relates to your business. So let’s take our first example. He is a service provider and his blog contains articles around the service he provides. It is, of course, peppered with keywords that his audience might use to search for him or his services.
The blog will provide site updates and keyword rich content to keep the search engines happy. It provides useful information for his readers and help to establish his credibility which makes potential customers happy. It also makes maintenance easier to manage since he’ll be dealing with only one content management system.
In this case, his blog should absolutely share a URL with his main website.
No, if…
If your blog is not directly related to your business or is a separate enterprise even if it is sorta-kinda related to your business. In our second example, the client was a medical service provider. He had a website for his practice but was starting a blog that would share general medical information but would also have an eCommerce feature. In this case he was essentially starting a new business; yes, it was related to his practice, but it was separate from it.
In this case the two businesses should each have their own URL.
So when you’re considering what to do with your blog, think about how it functions as part of your overall business model. Does is work with it? Then include it on your primary domain. Does it serve a different function? Then give it its own URL.