Has anyone successfully integrated a blog directly into their website or for that matter just used Word Press for the CMS of their entire SEO'd web site?

First, I like blogs. I think they help keep web pages up to date, dynamic, and give the readers a reason to come back. But, having a seperate blog and web site to me just seems too disconnected. I'd like to integrate both together. I would actually prefer to go with a solid looking blog and no web site, but obviously you'd lose all your SEO keywords.

So my question is this, anyone successfully integrate their blog directly into their web site?

If not, maybe I'll be the Guinea Pig.

- Matt

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Simply Grand Rapids Real Estate Blog

Matt,

You can use WordPress AS a website and blog. I have done so here:

alpharetta-real-estate-blog.com

blog is located at /blog

I'm still fooling around with the layout and may add a colum on the left to differentiate the blog a bit more, but, it works great.

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Ryan Ward, REALTOR® - Keller Williams Realty Consultants. (404) 630-3187
Atlanta Real Estate - My featured area is Alpharetta Real Estate and it is where I call home. Read my Atlanta Real Estate blog.

Nice Job Ryan!

Thank you for the example. Now I know it can be done.

-Matt

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Simply Grand Rapids Real Estate Blog

We've definitely merged some characteristics of the two (i.e. a "website" and a "blog"), with the base, if you will, being one or the other. For instance, with a wordpress ("blog") base, we run http://www.boston-condos-for-sale.com, and have begun working in more static features akin to a "website", such as a page on a specific condo development that we especially like, which is at /boston-court-square-press-lofts/.

We're now also looking at doing the inverse as well, with having more of a "website" as the base, and then working a "blog" directly into the site, which is where I think your original question was headed. There is a lot of power in this model, offering standalone static content (typical neighborhood information for instance via the "website"), but then adding a dynamic element of new content on a regular basis (via the "blog").

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285 Columbus Lofts - New 63-unit Boston loft development in the former Red Cross building
FP3 Boston Condos - FP3 Fort Point Channel Boston Seaport Condos
Boston Real Estate - Providing Google Map based search of condo developments

Hi Matt,

One of the benefits of having blogs and websites apart is that blogs get picked up faster by the search engines if they are on reputable sites like REW or AR. Plus, they can add to your inbound links. Unless you have a very strong site, your blogs may not generate interaction and comments from traditional visitors.

If they are linked together properly, it should not matter if they are not on the same server.

Good luck,

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Rene Galvan, RGV Realty
McAllen Texas Real Estate
McAllen MLS

Matt I have one on my site from REW ,www.propertyinsantacruz.com/blog and I post to the REW site and AR. Ryan definitely has his going nicely and will be an example for me. I am looking into getting my blogger and another one up. Not being that technically sophisticated, I haven't quite made it into getting lense at squidoo.

I have found for specific KW I find the REW and AR site often 1,3 or 3,4 on the first page. I think my blog is helpful as another source of links as well as an onsite view to the visitor of things of interest to me. Sort of another bio source for a potential client to see who I am as they are deciding to buy or sell as well as feed their interest in a particular topic.


Gregg

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Santa Cruz Beach Homes || Capitola Real Estate | Aptos Beach Homes Santa Cruz is a vibrant community, located on the north end of Monterey Bay, and is home to artisans, beach goers, hi tech types, and college students. There is plenty of natural beauty from the ocean side coastal towns to the little mountain communities. Let my 30 years of local knowledge and 20 years of real estate help you find the right home or property in Santa Cruz.

Hi Gregg,

Is that your REW designed on site blog? How are you finding it for ranking for key words and such. Have you done any experiments with posting a blog on it titled for something competitive and the main theme of the post consistent with the title?? Is so how did the experiment work out.

If you have not done so you should do so.

Jim

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James Boyer
RE/MAX Properties Unlimited
Morristown, NJ 07960
973-647-0253
Serving the Real Estate markets of Morristown, Morris Township, Madison NJ Real Estate, Chatham NJ , Summit, Short Hills, Millburn, Maplewood, South Orange, & West Orange Referals happily given and accepted. For information on home sales in New Jersey please contact. Morristown NJ Real Estate Madison NJ Real Estate Chatham NJ Real Estate

Blogs, no matter where they are located will need to garner some inbound links to begin to rank. The benefit of the onsite blog is that it will leverage the power you already have on your website.

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Ryan Ward, REALTOR® - Keller Williams Realty Consultants. (404) 630-3187
Atlanta Real Estate - My featured area is Alpharetta Real Estate and it is where I call home. Read my Atlanta Real Estate blog.

Jim, I have much to learn from you on the blogging. It is enough for me to just get the stuff up and semi-coherent:>}. As of now I have a blog incorporated into my site, and it is an REW one I believe. I also post to the REW and AR and will be doing so for for blogger. I have not progressed enough to write for KW's and am trying to make sense of my topics and have links in them. I will hopefully get benefits over time from this. I usually post the same article in all places. I have found for specific KW's when I do a search that in about 2 hours I was 2,3 with REW and AR.

Now if I was smart enough to figure how to write for KW and get all my tags, etc right, things may be better. I think it is the volume that you use, and I commend you as they will have long tail implications down the line, that will be another benefit to your prolific keyboard.

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Santa Cruz Beach Homes || Capitola Real Estate | Aptos Beach Homes Santa Cruz is a vibrant community, located on the north end of Monterey Bay, and is home to artisans, beach goers, hi tech types, and college students. There is plenty of natural beauty from the ocean side coastal towns to the little mountain communities. Let my 30 years of local knowledge and 20 years of real estate help you find the right home or property in Santa Cruz.

Hi Gregg,

It is a process, and many times if you just write about different subjects the KW's just come along for the ride. At least that is what i am told. I have learned lots but still have lots to learn. I am finding that it is a good idea to learn from as many perspectives as possible as usually you can get great ideas from places you never thought would garner them.

keep blogging,

Jim

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James Boyer
RE/MAX Properties Unlimited
Morristown, NJ 07960
973-647-0253
Serving the Real Estate markets of Morristown, Morris Township, Madison NJ Real Estate, Chatham NJ , Summit, Short Hills, Millburn, Maplewood, South Orange, & West Orange Referals happily given and accepted. For information on home sales in New Jersey please contact. Morristown NJ Real Estate Madison NJ Real Estate Chatham NJ Real Estate