WordPress is, basically, a very basic blogging system.

To create a successful blog there is no need to get complicated. Some of the most powerful and popular WordPress blogs have very few bells and whistles. These simple, basic blogs have maybe four or five static pages which provide the background to what the blog is all about, and maybe why the blogger blogs. Then they have the posts which broadcast to the world what the blogger has to say. The blogger posts regularly, has built up a loyal and expanding readership who provide an interesting stream of comments, and that’s about that. There will be few (or no) extras or ads or distracting links away from the blog.

But what if you do want to have a more complicated blog? What if you want to take advantage of all the add-ons and graphics and interactive goo-gaws that characterize the phenomenon loosely known as Web 2.0?

Well, this is basic Wordpress’s strength. If you want, you can have a very robust, basic blog but you can bolt on a huge array of add-ons known as themes, widgets and plugins which slot into the WordPress engine to provide a very powerful and distinctive web presence. Each blogger can choose their particular combination of add-ons to make their blog unique.

With WordPress you can be as simple or as sophisticated as you want!

The main difference between a blog and a website is that websites tend to be mainly static whereas blogs change often - either because the blogger adds another post, or because someone visits the blog and leaves a comment.

There’s nothing the matter with static websites if they serve their purpose. But when you do want to update a website you usually have to employ someone to do it for you. And that can be a real pain. Often the website has been carefully designed to follow a set format and future updates must conform to that format. So when you come up with some changes that don’t fit into the format, you can find that you have a major upgrade on your hands, and that can cost both time and money, not to mention aggravation.

If, on the other hand, you choose to have a blog then updates are no problem because you can actually do it yourself. Sure, you can have a number of static pages where all your standard, unchanging stuff appears - but there’s plenty more you can do that will make your blog look a whole lot more appealing than a traditional website.

If, for example, you run a small business, you can use your blog to have static pages about all your regular goods and services, your company background, contact information, terms of trade etc. But you can also use blog posts to announce news such as new products, special offers, new staff appointments - you name it. And when you do want to update your price list, no sweat - just pull up the pages and change them there and then. No wait, no hassle, no webmaster bills.

Blogs are easy to set up, easy to use and can give you a distinctive web presence without having any of the downside of a website.

Why not get blogging? I’ll show you how!

Look, these days you don’t have to be a self-obsessed, egocentric loner to want to start a blog. Far from it.

In fact, anyone who wants a web presence needs a blog. Why?

Well, a well-designed blog is very often a better way of reaching your desired audience than a conventional website. A static website that looks very much the same from week to week does not encourage surfers to stick around or bookmark you for a return visit. It just sits there, metaphorically speaking, gathering dust.

Blogs, by contrast, are dynamic, interactive and alive. And the beauty of a blog is that, once it is set up, you can update it every day (or even several times a day) and you don’t need to be a techie to add more pages. You don’t have to wait (or pay) for a webmaster to upload stuff for you: if you can use a word processor you can maintain a blog. You just sit down, log into your blog’s admin area, type out your blog post and with one click it’s up there, live on the Internet!

Blogs can be used by individuals, businesses (big and small), voluntary groups, churches, families, clubs and societies, political parties, hobbyists, eBay sellers, schools, colleges, gamers, travelers, musicians, photographers, cooks, retirees, etc, etc - you name it.

Let me show you how you can build your own, good-looking blog, all by yourself, even if you are a complete newbie!